You Can Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
Learning that you have pre-diabetes or glucose intolerance can be a bit scary. Learning that you are in the high risk categories for developing diabetes can also be nerve-wracking for many people. Youre likely to be asking yourself many questions. What does it mean? What do I need to do now? Can I avoid developing Type 2 diabetes?
If you currently have pre-diabetes there is a significant likelihood that you will develop Type 2 diabetes within the next ten years. It is important to understand the risk factors associated with Type 2 diabetes. You should discuss these with your doctor. If you have a family history of diabetes you are far more likely to develop the disease, especially if someone in your immediate family has diabetes. Ethnicity also is a risk factor. You are more likely to be diabetic if you are African American, Asian, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, or Native Alaskan. If you live a sedentary lifestyle and are overweight you are at a greater risk as well. Usually Type 2 diabetes strikes people aged 40 or over, but there has been a surge in younger people developing the disease as there are many more children today who are obese and sedentary, two of the main contributing factors to developing the disease.
If you have any of the above listed risk factors you should make sure to discuss them with your doctor at your next visit. Your doctor will most likely order a fasting blood glucose test to determine if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes. Since diabetes affects almost every system in the body, delaying the onset of the disease is imperative. The longer you live with diabetes the more likely you are to suffer from complications of the disease. Diabetic complications include nerve damage, blindness, and circulatory problems. Diabetes is also a contributing factor to heart disease and stroke. It is serious and should be treated as such.
The most effective way to treat pre-diabetes is to affect lifestyle changes. This means you need to begin an exercise regime and change your eating habits. Most people groan when they hear this advice. Its not easy to do, and its not fun at the onset. But these two pieces of advice help with a multitude of diseases. Losing weight and having a regular exercise regime also reduce your risk for cancer and heart disease, among many other things. So sometimes a diagnosis of pre-diabetes can be looked at as a good thing. It provides the additional incentive to make the changes that will ultimately help you live a healthier life overall.
So how do you go about eating better? Change your eating habits. Eat less meat and more fruits and vegetables. Cut down on junk foods and processed foods. Trade regular soda for diet soda or water or iced tea. Re-learn portion sizes, often what your given in a restaurant or in prepackaged containers is more than one serving size. Cut down on carb-heavy foods such as potatoes. Switch to whole grain products over refined white flour.
It is also very important to begin an exercise regime. Exercise will help you to lose weight but also offers a whole host of other benefits, such as increasing your good cholesterol and improving your heart function. Ideally, you should aim for one hour of physical activity 6 days/week, but if you cant do that, 30 minutes is an acceptable goal. If youve been a couch potato for the last few years, you can even start small with three 10-minute workouts a day. The easiest way to get moving is to start a walking regiment. Buy yourself a pedometer, you can find them for as little as $2, and aim for 10,000 steps a day. Dont forget to discuss your planned exercise routine with your doctor before you begin one.
If you can change your eating habits and exercise regularly you will be able to lose weight and keep it off, and that is perhaps the best way to avoid developing Type 2 diabetes.