How To Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
If youve been recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes or glucose intolerance, there are probably many questions running through your head. What does it mean? How did I get here? But the most important question you are probably asking is, what can I do to prevent or delay the onset of, and how can I avoid 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 risk factors listed above you should ask your doctor to screen you for diabetes. He or she will run a fasting blood glucose test to determine if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Diabetes affects almost every system in the body. It can cause blindness. It can result in slow healing wounds which can lead to infection and possibly amputation of the legs. Diabetes contributes to heart disease and stroke. You can also suffer painful nerve damage. The longer you live with diabetes, the more likely you are to develop complications, so it is important to try and delay the onset of the disease as long as possible.
There is a way to prevent, or at least delay, the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Its the real magic bullet. Lose weight and exercise. And guess what, it wont just help you delay the onset of diabetes, but it can help to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, just to name a few! Many people are not happy to hear they should change their eating habits and get up off the couch. It can be quite daunting to consider these lifestyle changes, but making these changes will help you live a healthier life overall. It may not be the easiest change to make, but if you consider the alternatives, its a much more palatable change.
Losing weight and eating better mean changing the way you think about food. Over time, you can change what your body craves. You can move from potato chips and/or cookies to healthier snacks of fruits and vegetables. Try not to consume calories that have no nutritional value, such as soda. Its also important to get an understanding of real portion sizes. Often we eat what is given to us without thinking. Restaurant portions are often more than one meal and more often than not, most people consume the entire dish they are served rather than leave something on their plate or bring home leftovers. Make sure to look at packages to understand how many servings are in that box or bag or can. Often what you thought was one serving is much more. General guidelines to eat healthier are to reduce the amount of meat you consume and increase fruits and vegetables. Cut down on refined and processed foods in favor of whole foods. Switch from refined flours to whole grains. These changes will result in better overall health.
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.