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| Food choices matter and may require changes to your diet. |
Though your genes may make you a more likely candidate to develop diabetes, anyone is at risk of getting this disease. If you found out during your last medical exam that you are bordering on pre-diabetes, there is still time to prevent type 2 diabetes. Hopefully these tips will help reverse that scary news before your next blood test.
The more overweight you are, the harder it is for your body to regulate insulin. Therefore, it’s to your best interest to try to drop a few pounds. Often, 10-15 pounds can be enough to halt this disease from occurring.
Losing weight is not always the easiest thing to do as we all know, but changing your diet is a good place to start. Now is the time to think seriously about the foods you normally eat. Replace convenience foods such as prepacked frozen dinners for meals that you prepare yourself with healthier ingredients using more fresh vegetables and heart-friendly oils like olive oil.
Sometimes, portion size is confusing, especially for vegetables as to how much. My advice is using a measuring cup for an accurate amount of what to put on that plate is a way to solve the problem. For example, take a can of green beans. You might dish out a few spoons and think this a normal serving, but you are probably shortchanging yourself. One half cup is the recommended amount.
Try to substitute those packages of cookies, chips, candy, or that nightly ice cream obsession for fruit instead. Those type of snacks cause the pancreas to work harder trying to absorb all that incoming sugar and processed fat, which can play havoc with blood sugar levels so you tire more easily or become bloated.
You will be surprised at how addictive sugar really is once you start weaning off of it. Believe me, you won’t crave sugar as much as you did in time. I did not eat ice cream once all year, which is as shocking as my winning the Olympics would be. If you’re downfall is ice cream, treat yourself to low-fat Greek yogurt with some berries is a good alternative.
Whole grains and the need for fiber are also important in helping control high sugar levels. Consider making it a regular habit of turning to a fiber drink such as Metamucil.
Watching television can be detrimental to your health, if you sit for more than two hours. Such a sedentary activity is bad for circulation. For others, it can be worse and develop into an endless ritual of munching on unhealthy snacks as they watch. Instead, try to shorten your viewing time in favor of getting some form of exercise for at least 30 minutes, if you can daily. Take a walk around your block. When you go shopping, park further away from your destination. Both of these do add up and play a part in reducing your risk.
I hope that you take these few preventive tips to heart because pre-diabetes can be reversed. You just need to start now instead of waiting until it is too late and you have diabetes.
For additional information with advice on eating healthier, you might want to read my earlier post.
