How To Control Pre Diabetic Condition

Can Prediabetes Put My Vision At Risk

Diabetes and prediabetes can increase your risk of vision loss. Prediabetes can cause retinopathy. This change to your eyes structure can lead to vision loss. See your eye doctor if you notice blurry vision, which can be a sign of retinopathy or another condition.

Even if you have no prediabetes symptoms, get a dilated eye exam every year. And talk to your healthcare provider about getting tested for prediabetes if you are older than 45 and have excess weight.

Reduce Calorie And Fat Intake

Research has shown that losing 5 to 7 percent of your body weight can help decrease blood glucose levels and help other health goals, such as improving blood pressure, raising HDL and lowering triglycerides. You can accomplish this goal by consuming fruits, vegetables and whole grains and staying away from processed foods. Nutritionists often recommend sticking with a variety of food, so that your taste buds wont get bored and you can continue a healthy diet.

What Is Prediabetes And Who Should Care

Prediabetes is when blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Prediabetes raises your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other health complications associated with diabetes. In the United States, around 34% of people age 18 and older and 48% of people age 65 and older have prediabetes.

There are usually no symptoms of prediabetes. That means you wont know you have it unless you look for it on a screening blood test.

Youll want to think about screening for prediabetes if:

• You are 45 years or older

• You are overweight or obese

• You have high blood pressure

• You exercise less than 3 times a week

• You have a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes

• You are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander

And for women, if:

• You have polycystic ovary syndrome

• You had diabetes during pregnancy

• You gave birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds.

Check out this questionnaire from the CDC to get a better idea of your risk for prediabetes.

There are a few different screening blood tests for prediabetes and diabetes.

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Watch For High Glycemic Foods

Every treatment plan for prediabetes has a diet component. Healthy eating is non-negotiable, all the more important if youâre overweight. You must watch what goes into your body, lest it tip the scale in favor of diabetes.

While thereâs no single best diet for prediabetes, healthy foods you can nourish your body with should meet at least two criteria: the food i) must not cause a sudden spike in blood sugar, or ii) must not worsen insulin resistance.

Foods that rank lower on the Glycemic Index are better for prediabetes as they are less likely to affect your blood sugar. Prediabetes researchers are actually finding that high carb food can slow your metabolism, cause weight gain and increase insulin resistance. Lower GI foods include:

None of this is to suggest that you should cut off carbs however, the trick is to play safe with portion control. A general rule of thumb is to load roughly half your plate with non-starchy veggies while a quarter should be dedicated to proteins. The final quarter should be filled with low-GI starchy foods like peas, corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes.

Monitor Your Cholesterol Levels

Patients with type 2 diabetes are more likely to have an abnormal cholesterol level, a risk factor for heart disease. Have your LDL cholesterol level checked at least once each year to make sure you are in a healthy range. LDL should typically be below 100 milligrams per deciliter , although your health care provider could recommend aiming for as low as 70 mg/dL. If you have high cholesterol, you can make changes to get that number under control by taking steps that have the added benefit of also helping efforts at preventing diabetes: Exercise at least 30 minutes each day, eat a diet low in saturated fats, and dont smoke.

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Get A Free Diabetes Meal Plan

Get a free 7-Day Diabetes Meal Plan from Constance Brown-Riggs who is a Registered Dietitian-Certified Diabetes Educator and who is also a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

Just enter in your email below to download your free Diabetes Meal Plan.

/7risk Factors Of Prediabetes

Dr Mishra shares that is still not known what causes pre-diabetes. He further elaborated, “What is evident is that patients with pre-diabetes can no longer adequately process sugar . As a result, instead of providing energy to the cells that make up muscles and other tissues, sugar builds up in the blood. The food we eat provides the majority of the glucose in our bodies. Sugar enters the bloodstream as food is metabolised. Insulin is required to transport sugar from the bloodstream to the body’s cells.”

Several factors may put a person at risk of developing prediabetes, but as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention some major ones are:

Overweight or obesity

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Work Toward A Healthy Body Weight

One of the most important steps you can take if you have prediabetes is to lose excess body weight. In fact, obesity is the No. 1 risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes, and having extra pounds can increase your risk.

Instead of focusing on a specific number on the scale, however, its better to focus on making positive, healthy changes and working toward a lower body weight. Even losing only moderate amounts of excess weight can help reverse prediabetes and prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes. Talk to your Prima Medicine provider for help on losing weight safely.

Ensure You Get Enough Sleep

Too little sleepless than seven hours a nightand poor sleep quality, can increase insulin resistance.

Getting quality sleep is vital to health, Tracy says. Not getting enough quality sleep can increase stress hormones in the body, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels.

Experts recommend maintaining a regular sleep schedule when possible, seeking medical help if you have insomnia or suffer from snoring , and practicing good sleep hygiene. That means no electronic devices in the bedroom, keeping your bedroom dark, cool and quiet and not eating food or drinking alcohol late in the evening.

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How Long Do You Have

Many people do not know they have prediabetes, or they may know but not realize that they can change the course of the condition and try to prevent diabetes. If you have had prediabetes for a while but did not make any healthy changes, is it too late?

Not at all!

It can take a year to several years or more to progress from prediabetes to diabetes. Taking charge of prediabetes anytime before the onset of diabetes can be beneficial, although the earlier the better. If you do develop diabetes, it is a good idea to take steps to manage it immediately to prevent complications.

What It Means And What You Can Do

There are no clear symptoms of prediabetes so you may have it and not know it. But before people develop type 2 diabetes, they almost always have prediabeteswhere blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It is possible that you may have some of the symptoms of diabetes or even some of the complications. If you think you may have diabetes or prediabetes, check with your doctor and get tested.

If you discover that you do have prediabetes, remember that it doesnt mean youll develop type 2, particularly if you follow a treatment plan and make changes to your lifestyle through food choices and physical activity. Even small changes can have a huge impact on delaying or preventing diabetes all together. Work with a health care professional to make a plan that works for your lifestyle, or look for a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized lifestyle change program, guided by a lifestyle coach trained to use a CDC-approved curriculum, where you will meet other people who are working to prevent diabetes.

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If I Have Prediabetes Can I Avoid Developing Diabetes

If you have prediabetes, the best way to avoid developing type 2 diabetes is by making changes in your lifestyle.

• Lose weight. If you are overweight, losing just 7 percent of your starting weight can help delay or prevent diabetes. That means if you weigh 200 pounds, losing 14 pounds can make a difference. Weight loss also helps lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Exercise regularly. Exercise is an important part of diabetes prevention. Your exercise routine should include 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least 5 times a week. This could include brisk walking, riding a bike, or swimming. Ask your doctor what exercise level is safe for you.
• Follow a healthy diet. Eat foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins such as fish or chicken, and low-fat dairy. Dont eat a lot of processed, fried, or sugary foods. Eat smaller portions to reduce the number of calories you take in each day. Drink water instead of sweetened drinks.

Your doctor might refer you to a dietitian or diabetes educator to help you change your eating and exercise habits.

Some people take medicine to help prevent or delay diabetes. Ask your doctor if this is a good option for you.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• If I have prediabetes, will I get diabetes?
• What is the best step I can take to avoid getting diabetes?
• My father has diabetes. Should I be screened for prediabetes on a regular basis?
• I have diabetes. Should I have my children screened for prediabetes?
• I had gestational diabetes. Should I be screened for prediabetes regularly?
• Are there any foods I should eat that will help me to avoid prediabetes?
• Should I speak with a dietitian about changing what I eat?

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Preventing Type 2 Diabetes

If you have prediabetes, losing a small amount of weight if youre overweight and getting regular physical activity can lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. A small amount of weight loss means around 5% to 7% of your body weight, just 10 to 14 pounds for a 200-pound person. Regular physical activity means getting at least 150 minutes a week of brisk walking or a similar activity. Thats just 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Imagine: You and the National Diabetes Prevention Program. Watch the video!

A lifestyle change program offered through the CDC-led National Diabetes Prevention Program can help you make those changesand make them stick. Through the program, you can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 58% . Highlights include:

• Working with a trained coach to make realistic, lasting lifestyle changes.
• Discovering how to eat healthy and add more physical activity into your day.
• Finding out how to manage stress, stay motivated, and solve problems that can slow your progress.
• Getting support from people with similar goals and challenges.

Ask your doctor or nurse if theres a CDC-recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program offered in your community or find one here. The best time to prevent type 2 diabetes is now.

Should I Say Prediabetes Or Prediabetic

For years, the prediabetes and diabetes communities have been grappling over the issue of how to refer to individuals with prediabetes and diabetes. While some members of the public and medical communities alike often use the terms prediabetic and diabetic, many others prefer to use terms such as living with prediabetes, has prediabetes, or person with diabetes, or PWD.

Lark recognizes the entire person and the importance of managing health conditions within the context of the persons lifestyle. We hope that this distinction and our personalized coaching will allow Larks respect, expertise, and good intentions to shine through.

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Getting Adequate Sleep And Treating Sleep Apnea

A study in Diabetes Care found a link between sleeping less than 5 hours a night or over 8 hours a night and higher blood sugar levels. The study included people with prediabetes or untreated type 2 diabetes who also had overweight or obesity.

Other research suggests a link between sleep apnea and blood sugar control in people with prediabetes.

A study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that blood sugar levels improved in people with prediabetes after receiving 2 weeks of continuous positive airway pressure treatment for their sleep apnea.

The Difference Between Pre

With terms like type 1, type 2, and pre-diabetes teasing apart the various versions of blood sugar disorders can get a little confusing. Let’s set the record straight. What exactly is pre-diabetes and how does it differ from “regular” diabetes?

As its name indicates, pre-diabetes is a precursor to full-fledged diabetes. Technically, it’s possible to be pre-diabetic prior to developing type 1 diabetes, but more commonly, pre-diabetes refers to an intermediate state between normal blood sugar levels and type 2 diabetes.

You can receive a diagnosis of pre-diabetes in one of two ways, both of which measure the sugars in your blood. A fasting blood glucose test looks at your blood sugar when you haven’t eaten for at least eight hours. If this number measures between 100 and 125 milligrams per deciliter, it’s considered pre-diabetes. The A1C blood test, on the other hand, can detect average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. A measurement of 5.7 to 6.4 qualifies as pre-diabetic. Anything higher than these levels means an actual diabetes diagnosis.

Thankfully, being pre-diabetic doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop diabetes, but it’s not something you want to brush off, either. Having pre-diabetes puts you at an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and nerve damage.

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How Diet Relates To Prediabetes

There are many factors that increase your risk for prediabetes. Genetics can play a role, especially if diabetes runs in your family. However, other factors play a larger role in the development of disease. Inactivity and having overweight are other potential risk factors.

In prediabetes, sugar from food begins to build up in your bloodstream because insulin cant easily move it into your cells.

People think of carbohydrate as the culprit that causes prediabetes, but the amount and type of carbohydrates consumed in a meal is what influences blood sugar. A diet filled with refined and processed carbohydrates that digest quickly can cause higher spikes in blood sugar.

For most people with prediabetes, the body has a difficult time lowering blood sugar levels after meals. Avoiding blood sugar spikes by watching your carbohydrate intake can help.

When you eat more calories than your body needs, they get stored as fat. This can cause you to gain weight. Body fat, especially around the belly, is linked to insulin resistance. This explains why many people with prediabetes also have overweight.

You cant control all risk factors for prediabetes, but some can be mitigated. Lifestyle changes can help you maintain balanced blood sugar levels and stay within a healthy weight range.

When You Need Medication

While lifestyle changes can work wonders, some people with prediabetes also need medication.

Your doctor may prescribe metformin if you have certain risk factors, such as low levels of HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides , a parent or sibling with diabetes, or are overweight.

If you take metformin, you’ll need to follow up with your doctor. You’ll also need to keep up a healthy lifestyle.

Take action now, and ask for extra help from your doctor, a nutritionist, or personal trainer if you need it.

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Causes And Risk Factors Of Pre

get prediabetes

• Are older, especially over age 45
• You have a family history of diabetes
• Are overweight or obese, especially if you have belly fat
• Have a sedentary lifestyle and dont exercise
• Eat a lot of meat, drink sugary beverages, and dont eat much fruit, veggies, nuts, whole grains, or olive oil
• Have a sleep problem, or work changing shifts or night shifts
• Have high cholesterol, high triglycerides

risks and health complications

• Blindness

S To Take If You Have Prediabetes

Did you know that more than one-third of American adults have prediabetes, putting them at high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. If youve been told you have high blood sugar or are prediabetic, there are steps you can take to turn your health around.

At Prima Medicine, with locations in Fairfax and South Riding, Virginia, our providers offer personalized treatment plans to help patients manage their Type 2 diabetes and prevent health complications. We also help prediabetic patients get their health back on track with customized care.

Heres a look at prediabetes and five steps you can take to get your blood sugar and health under control.

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Choose The Right Foods

Dr. Hamdys research shows that those who followed a Mediterranean eating plan, without restricting calories, showed a greater improvement in glycemic control and insulin sensitivity than those who followed other diets.

Foods such as oats, whole grains, yogurt and dairy products, green leafy vegetables, apples, blueberries, walnuts, brown rice and legumes are associated with a reduced diabetes risk, Dr. Hamdy explains. Its important to eat protein such as fish, chicken and turkey, whole grains and dairy.

He also recommends using the glycemic index as a tool to determine how certain foods can affect your blood sugar. The index ranks foods on a scale from 1 to 100. Foods that are high on the GI, such as those with lots of processed carbohydrates, will raise your blood sugar faster. Foods ranked lower on the GI scalesuch as those rich in fiber, protein, and fatmore gradually raise blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association offers more information on the GI as well as diabetes-friendly recipes.

And dont forget to practice portion control. Consider switching to a smaller plate and drinking a full glass of water with every meal to curb your appetite.