Simple tips to prevent diabetes
Introduction
Diabetes is affecting millions of individuals all around the world. An unhealthy lifestyle which is due to uncontrolled eating habits and sedentary living is the main cause. If diabetes is not controlled, it can result in complicated situations such as heart and kidney diseases, blindness and many such serious problems. Prediabetes is a time period in which blood glucose levels of an individual are high. However, they are not that high and thus the condition cannot be diagnosed as diabetes. It is not necessary that if an individual is in prediabetes state, soon he progresses to be a diabetic. Proper steps taken even during the prediabetic stage can decrease the risk of suffering from diabetes even if other factors such as age, old lifestyle, genes are not in favor. Nearly 70% of cases who suffer from prediabetes stage do suffer from type 2 diabetes. Thus, it is important to take timely measures and make possible changes in lifestyle so that healthy individuals and those who are in a prediabetic stage can prevent or at least slow down the chances of suffering from diabetes.
Here are a few ways to prevent diabetes-
Restrict sugary foods
Eating foods that are rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates can increase the risk of suffering from diabetes. It is because these foods are metabolized at the earliest in body and quickly absorbed into the blood. Consequently, blood glucose levels increases. Every time the blood glucose level rises, insulin is produced by the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that helps the elimination of sugar from the bloodstream. It helps it to enter inside body’s cells. However, when an individual is in the prediabetic stage, cells of his body offer resistance to the action of insulin hormone. Thus, sugar instead of entering the body’s cells remains high in the bloodstream itself. Thus, the pancreas is stimulated to produce more amount of insulin in order to bring down the blood sugar level in the bloodstream. If it continues for a longer period of time, prediabetes progresses into type 2 diabetes.
Thus, it is important to consume foods which are low in sugar as well as less refined carbs as they do not cause a sudden spike in blood glucose level. Consequently, the risk of suffering from diabetes too decreases greatly.
Avoid sugary beverages
It is not only important to eat foods that are low in sugar content but also to drink beverages that carry less sugar in them. The most important thing we can do is to stick to water and make this natural beverage as our primary drink. Sugary beverages such as cold drinks and too many servings of fruit juices can increase the risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes. It also increases the risk of LADA which stands for latent autoimmune diabetes of adult. It is a form of type 1 diabetes. It usually affects individuals who are over 18 years. Development of this disorder is slow. Once it reaches its progressive stage, treatment becomes difficult. Thus, it is important to replace the sweet beverages with water. Moreover, adequate consumption of water shows a positive effect on insulin response and controls blood glucose in a better way.
Adopt a diet that is low in carbohydrates
Following a diet that is low in carb can prevent diabetes. Low carb diets decrease blood glucose and insulin levels. They show an increase in insulin sensitivity. They decrease fasting blood glucose levels. Moreover, these diets also decrease other factors that can cause diabetes. When an individual decrease the intake of carbohydrates, his blood glucose levels do not spike immediately. Thereby his body will require less amount of insulin in order to maintain his blood glucose levels and keep them in a healthy range.
Follow a fiber-rich diet
High fiber diet keeps blood glucose and insulin levels low. Fiber-rich foods which are mainly unprocessed foods obtained from plants do not only promote health but also satisfies the palate. Some of them are apples, bananas, avocados, strawberries, raspberries, beets, carrots, sprouts, lentils, beans, oats, almonds and many more. Eating fiber-rich foods decrease the rate of absorption in the digestive tract. Thus, the blood sugar levels do not show an instant spike. Thus, eating foods that are high in fiber during each meal keeps blood glucose and insulin levels in control and prevent the risk of suffering from diabetes.
Eat in small portions
Eating meals in 3 large portions in a day is an unhealthy habit. Instead, it is advised to eat small frequent meals throughout the day to prevent diabetes. Large portions can cause much higher blood glucose and an insulin level which is a dangerous sign especially if an individual is suffering from diabetes. Thus, it is better to avoid these kinds of responses which can be done by decreasing the food portion sizes. People who eat healthy foods and divide them into small portions throughout the day can prevent diabetes more effectively than those who do not follow these kinds of healthy living. Moreover, those prediabetic individuals who practice portion control show significant improvement in their health such as low levels of blood glucose and insulin levels.
Keep vitamin D in the optimal range
Vitamin D deficiency is a major cause of suffering from diabetes. Thus, it is important to keep it at an optimal level which is 30 ng/mL. Individuals who regularly take vitamin D supplements are at lower risk of suffering from diabetes. Vitamin D improves the functioning of cells that produce insulin. Thus, the blood sugar level in the body remains normal. Consequently, it lowers the risk of suffering from diabetes. Cod liver oil, fatty fish, adequate sun exposures are all good sources of vitamin D.
Restrict eating packaged and processed foods
Eating healthy indirectly refers to cutting down on processed foods. These foods hardly carry any nutritional value and are full of preservatives, high sugar, and salt content. Eating them frequently and in large amounts can lead to health-related problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart and kidney diseases. Instead, it is better to avoid them and eat healthy and fresh foods that are high in fiber. Cutting down processed foods can greatly reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes. Individuals whose daily diet is rich in these kinds of foods are at 30% more risk of suffering from diabetes.
Lose excess weight
Overweight or obese individuals are at higher risk of suffering from diabetes when compared with that carrying normal body weight. Thus, it is important to keep body weight normal in order to prevent diabetes. Individuals who are in the prediabetic stage usually carry excess weight in the body’s midsection which is called visceral fat. This visceral fat can result in insulin resistance inviting diabetes. Studies show that losing visceral fat significantly decreases the risk of suffering from diabetes. The more the weight loss, the higher will be the chances of preventing diabetes.
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise keeps diabetes at bay. It increases the cells insulin sensitivity. It means less amount of insulin will be required to maintain blood glucose in the normal range. The higher the intensity of exercise the better will be the insulin sensitivity. All kinds of exercises are good such as strength training, cardio exercises, aerobic exercises, deep breathing, etc. The key here is to find exercises in which one can engage daily without getting tired and stick with them for a long time to seek good benefits. Regular exercise helps in increasing secretion of insulin hormone and improves insulin sensitivity. Thereby it prevents the risk of suffering from diabetes even in those individuals who are in the prediabetic stage.
Bid goodbye to a sedentary lifestyle
Until an individual leaves sedentary living, he cannot prevent diabetes. The more the time spent in a day doing nothing, the more are the chances of suffering from diabetes. Most of the people feel that living a sedentary lifestyle means engaging in intense activities. However, it is not true. Simple changes can put an end to sedentary behaviors such as taking a break from work every hour for 2-3 minutes. At the end of every hour get up from the chair and do some simple stretching or walk around for a couple of minutes and then go back to the desk to resume work. These kinds of acts can put an end to sedentary behaviors. Simple changes such as making use of stairs instead of using elevators, walking to nearby places instead of using vehicles, devoting some time of the day for physical activity such as walking or exercise, etc can show remarkable improvement in blood glucose levels and overall health. Thus, the conclusion is that a sedentary lifestyle is directly linked to diabetes. Avoiding it can reduce the risk of suffering from diabetes.
Conclusion
It is easy to say that diabetes has become a common disorder and it is very likely believed that almost every one of us is going to suffer from it at some point or the other. Instead of giving up, it is essential to take some steps and keep this chronic disorder at bay. There are many factors which are directly linked with diabetes. By making simple changes we can control these factors and prevent diabetes. By following a healthy lifestyle by eating right, leaving sedentary behaviors and by exercising regularly, we can keep our blood sugar and insulin levels normal and prevent the risk of suffering from diabetes.
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