Preventing Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, 79 million Americans have been diagnosed with a condition called “Pre Diabetes”. People use other terms to refer to Pre Diabetes such as “borderline diabetes” or “a touch of sugar”. Pre Diabetes is a condition in which your body is not able to properly use the insulin your pancreas makes to maintain blood sugar control resulting in a continuous elevation of sugar in the bloodstream. The diagnosis of Pre Diabetes is usually determined by a fasting blood sugar level range of 101-125. When left untreated, Pre Diabetes can progress to diabetes within 10 years or less.

Healthy lifestyle changes such as the suggestions below can help you to reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Develop Healthy Eating Habits

• Drink no-calorie beverages such as water, unsweetened tea, diet sodas, and sugar free lemonade.
• Choose lean meat sources. 93% lean ground beef, fish, turkey, skinless chicken, low fat cheese, and egg substitutes are great low fat sources of protein.
• Avoid fried foods. Use cooking methods such as baking, broiling, and grilling.
• Decrease your fat intake. Skim milk, low fat sour cream, low fat salad dressing, low fat mayonnaise, and low fat margarine are a great way to decrease your calories from fat.
• Limit desserts to special occasions like birthdays.
• Eat meals at routine times everyday. This habit will prevent you from overeating.
• Choose more fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Reduce your portion sizes.
• Choose more whole grains. Whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat pastas and whole grain cereals contain more fiber.

Increase Your Activity Level

• Park further from the store entrance.
• Take the stairs instead of using the elevator.
• Turn on your favorite music and dance for 20 minutes.
• If you suffer from joint pain, enroll in a water aerobics class. Exercising in water will reduce the stress on your joints.
• Exercise with a partner.
• Stand up and march in place during a 30 minute television show.
• Choose activities you enjoy.

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