How to Prevent Diabetes (Part 2)
In Part 2 of this series on diabetes, House Call Doctor discusses the lifestyle changes prediabetics must make in order to reverse the progress of this deadly disease.
In an earlier episode, we discussed what it really means to be a “diabetic” or “prediabetic,” and how doctors diagnose these medical conditions. We also discussed why we care about this topic and the complications on our quality and quantity of life. Diabetes is said to be underestimated in this world, since most patients have no symptoms at all. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, consider yourself lucky – because you have a unique opportunity to reverse this downhill process. A diagnosis of diabetes itself is really for life. Most patients find out too late, when they are already in the irreversible diabetes stage.
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So if you have a predisposition towards diabetes, or are diagnosed with prediabetes, let’s learn how we can fight this potentially debilitating condition:
How to Prevent Diabetes
There’s no secret to preventing diabetes. When you break it down, it really comes to proper nutrition, consistent exercise, and weight loss. There’s really no magic pill. If you can lose weight and change your lifestyle, you can prevent diabetes. Notice I didn’t say “diet” – people who “diet” tend to regain the weight later; it really takes a lifestyle change that you must maintain your whole life. But here are some guidelines to help you do that:
Nutrition
Carbs: Watch your carbohydrate intake – this includes starchy foods such as bread, tortillas, pastas, rice, potatoes, sweets, juice, regular sodas, alcohol, etc. Learn to read food labels so you can recognize carbohydrates in foods you purchase. Watch your drinks – this is a high-calorie and source of high carbs you can easily remove from your diet to both lose weight and decrease your carb intake. You can’t eliminate carbs completely because your cells still need it to function. But learn to count your carb intake and maintain the same consistent amount at your meals. Choose whole wheat alternatives which are more “complex carbs” that are metabolized more efficiently. Most people need about 45% – 65% of their total daily calories to come from carbs.
Protein and Fats: Most protein and fats do not raise glucose levels directly. However, they do contribute to the amount of calories consumed, and fats also contribute to heart disease (and diabetes is already a risk factor for this). Therefore, if you are trying to lose weight, you still need to take calories consumed into consideration. The American Diabetic Association (or ADA) recommends no more than 35% of calories a day to come from fat, and less than 7% from saturated fats. And 15 to 20% of calories should come from protein for most healthy patients with good kidneys.
Fiber: A diet higher in fiber can help control blood glucose levels. Aim for 25 to 30 grams a day.
See also: The Benefits of Fiber
Salt: Those with diabetes or prediabetes have a tendency towards developing high blood pressure as well. Therefore, a diet low in salt (less than 2 grams a day) is also important to keep in mind.
Timing: Maintain a regular eating schedule to keep your glucose levels steady throughout the day. When you skip a meal or eat later than usual, your blood glucose tends to shoot up after your next meal. Alternatively, instead of eating 3 large meals a day, you can incorporate 5 smaller, more well-balanced ones to keep steady glucose leves.
Exercise
Exercise has been shown to improve insulin resistance, which is the term used to describe how the cells respond to insulin. Therefore, it’s very important that you incorporate regular physical activity into your life, not only to improve insulin resistance, but to also lose and then maintain your weight. It is recommended to perform 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (such as brisk walking, running, aerobics, swimming, etc.) for most days of the week. Check out my colleague Get-Fit Guy for more tips on how to add exercise into your busy life.
Weight Loss
Most patients with diabetes are overweight. And the more overweight, the more insulin resistant we are. The only way to lose weight is to expend more energy than you consume – no secret there. So either you need to burn more calories, consume less calories, or do what works best…both. Even a 10% weight loss has been shown to significantly improve blood glucose levels. Set a goal to lose 1-2 pounds a week, and for most people that’s cutting out about 500 to 1,000 calories a week (that’s equal to the amount of calories in just one fast food cheeseburger!). Those who lose weight more rapidly than that tend to regain the weight. Again, it’s about a lifestyle change that you can maintain for the rest of your life. Don’t wait for the “new year” to make this resolution – do it now.
Phew! That’s a lot of information. Personally, I think every diabetic and even prediabetic could really benefit from meeting with a dietician. Ask them to teach you how to read food labels – this is a really an important skill.
What are your thoughts on this issue? Have you been able to reverse prediabetes by making a lifestyle change? Share it with us in Comments or on the House Call Doctor’s Facebook and Twitter pages! If you have any suggestions for future topics you can email me at housecalldoctor@quickanddirtytips.comcreate new email. Hope you have a healthy week!
Please note that all content here is strictly for informational purposes only. This content does not substitute any medical advice, and does not replace any medical judgment or reasoning by your own personal health provider. Please always seek a licensed physician in your area regarding all health related questions and issues.
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About the Author
Dr. Sanaz Majd is a board-certified Family Medicine physician who graduated from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. Her special interests are women’s health and patient education.
