What is pre-diabetes?
Pre-diabetes as the name suggests means you have blood sugar levels that are higher than the n Irma range. Pre-diabetes is a response of poor diet and lifestyle. You may be able to identify pre-diabetes through regular blood tests.
Pre-diabetes is a helpful indicator of identifying if you are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Unlike type-2 diabetes, pre-diabetes is reversible. Through lifestyle changes, healthy diet and workout, you can bring your blood sugar levels to normal level.
How can type-2 diabetes be avoided?
As discussed previously, pre-diabetes is an indicator and early sign of diabetes. If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, you must take conscious steps towards lowering your blood sugar levels.
Here are 18 lifestyle changes through which you can reduce your risk of type-2 diabetes:
1. Exercise daily
Lack of exercise in the routine might cause insulin resistance. In case of an insulin resistance, our bodies have to produce even more insulin to remove sugar from our cells and blood.
2. Drink water instead of other drinks
Most drinks, be it warm or cold, packed or fresh, are often made with a lot of sugar added to them. Opting for water as a beverage can help you avoid these sugar drinks.
3. Maintain a healthy weight
Being overweight increases one's risk of type-2 diabetes by a lot. Obesity might cause insulin resistance. Maintain healthy weight by healthy diet and exercising at least 5 times a week.
4. Eat right
This is no surprise but eating a healthy and nutritious diet has many benefits on our bodies including reducing risk of type-2 diabetes. Incorporate a lot of veggies, fruits, whole grains, poultry, etc. in your diet.
5. Reduce carbs
Our bodies have to convert carbs into smaller sugar components in order to digest them. This increases our blood sugar levels.
6. Eat more vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to causing insulin resistance. Prolonged reduction in insulin sensitivity can lead to type-2 diabetes. You are encouraged to consume vitamin D rich foods instead of having supplements.
7. Be mindful of portion
When we eat, our blood sugar levels are boosted. Eating large portions of food at once can cause spike in blood sugar level. Large portions also cause obesity which later causes other chronic disorders.
8. Avoid red meat
Most red meats such as bacon, pork, lamb, etc. have all been linked to increasing our risk of type-2 diabetes. You must also avoid highly processed meats.
9. Stop smoking
Smoking has various negative effects on our bodies. Smoking also caused insulin resistance which spikes blood sugar levels.
10. Don't stay in one position for long
Poor heart health means higher risk of type-2 diabetes. Staying in same positions for long hours affects blood circulation in the body.
11. Reduce alcohol consumption
Alcohol may also increase one's risk of type-2 diabetes if not consumed in moderation. Alcohol causes obesity, increases blood sugar level, cause mood disorders, etc.
12. Manage high bp
As discussed above, bad heart health can lead to type-2 diabetes. High blood pressure is linked to causing type-2 diabetes. Avoid foods that increase blood pressure.
13. Manage your mental health
Poor mental health can affect our hormone levels. Change in our hormone levels can reduce or increase our blood sugar level.
14. Eat healthy fats
You may be at risk of type-2 diabetes due to poor heart health. Healthy fats improve overall health of our heart unlike saturated unhealthy fats.
15. Eat less salt
As mentioned above, high blood pressure may increase your risk of developing type-2 diabetes. High salt (sodium) intake can spike blood pressure.
16. Eat more fibre
Soluble fibres are encouraged for pre-diabetics. Soluble fibres absorb water and help slowdown our food absorption. This also helps avoid spike in blood sugar levels after eating.
17. Avoid junk and ultra-processed foods
Most junk and ultra-processed foods are abundant in salt and sugar, both of which have been proven to increase risk of type-2 diabetes.
18. Eat home-cooked
The best way to ensure you avoid preservatives, high sugar, and high salt food is by preparing food from scratch.
What's the takeaway?
Simples yet effective lifestyle changes can significantly lower your risk of type-2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes may act as a warning for you to improve your quality of life. Incorporating these lifestyle choices into your routine will ensure your blood sugar levels get back to the normal range. These habits improve your overall health and reduce your risk of many other chronic diseases.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
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