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Prediabetes and How to Reverse It
You may have heard of diabetes, but what is prediabetes? Prediabetes is a condition in which the sugar in your blood increases above the normal level, although not as high as the level to be diagnosed as diabetes. The good news is that it is reversible! The bad news is that it is bad news if you don’t take action. So read carefully and develop a plan with your doctor. Let’s go !
Diagnosis of Prediabetes
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prediabetes affects one in three adults in the United States. Without treatment, prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. If you have prediabetes, it means that your body is having trouble processing sugar properly. The good news is that prediabetes is reversible and you can prevent or slow down the onset of type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes will accomplish this. Eating healthier foods, less sugary foods and getting exercise on a regular basis, will do the trick.
When you get a diagnosis of prediabetes, it can be easy to panic and start to fret about the worst case scenario. A better way to approach it is to think of it as a warning sign. As mentioned, it is reversible, so now is the time to do something about it.
What Does Prediabetes Reveal?
Diabetes is diagnosed when your HBa1c blood sugar test reading is above 48 mmol/ml. Prediabetes is diagnosed at over 42 mmol/ml, up to 47 mmol/ml. We won’t go into what mmol/ml means, as that is not necessary. All you need to know is how to reduce it to below 42 mmol/ml.
Now What?
So what do I need to do, you ask? Leaping in and trying to make huge changes to both your diet and physical activity isn’t sustainable. It is advisable to make small changes that are. It was likely poor diet and lack of exercise that contributed to your prediabetes diagnosis. However, it was more than likely the compound effect of many things over many years. But it’s never too late to start.
If your doctor has told you that you have prediabetes, it’s time to take action. This condition increases the likelihood of you being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In turn, it can lead to other serious health problems. These include heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. But the good news is that prediabetes is reversible. And it starts with making small changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Prediabetes Action Plan
Cutting back on sugar and refined carbs is a great place to start. These foods cause your blood sugar to spike, which can lead to insulin resistance over time. Unfortunately, this may not be as simple as it sounds because sugar is just as addictive as cocaine. It also is found in many foods that you would be surprised to hear. Sugar is lurking everywhere!
Giving up sugar all at once is not maintainable in the long term. This is because, just like with opioid drugs, you will experience withdrawal symptoms. These could be irritability or depression linked to the craving for sweet foods. Again, there is no necessity to understand exactly why or how this happens. It has to do with the release of the hormone dopamine, which gives us a reward effect when we eat sugary foods. That’s it. A sugar high.
Reduce Sugar
To overcome this, you need to reduce sugar in small steps. If you take two sugars in tea or coffee, reduce it by half a teaspoon. Progress from there once you get used to the taste. Do not be tempted to use artificial sweeteners, as they are just as sweet as sugar, if not more so. Unfortunately they make you crave even more sweetness in your food or drinks. Consequently, you are less likely to opt for foods that don’t contain sugar, such as vegetables.
With that being said, xylitol and erythritol are natural sweeteners that are less sweet than sugar and also contain fewer calories. They are granular, like table sugar, so they can be used in baking, if you really cannot do without biscuits. These are a much better option. Two recent studies (links to them here and here) are relevant to this matter. They have found that erythritol has protective effects against the effects of diabetes.
Other ways to reduce your sugar intake are to have one or two biscuits instead of the whole packet. Maybe swap a sugar-laden dessert for some fresh fruit, especially berries, as these are much lower in sugar. Or simply have a smaller portion.
Reduce Refined Carbs
Processed carbohydrates include biscuits, cakes, breakfast cereals, pies and pastries, which, along with supermarket ready meals, are best removed from your shopping list. Instead, focus on eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, along with lean protein such as chicken and fish.
This is because fruit, vegetables and whole grains contain fibre, which slows down the speed at which food is digested and also keeps blood sugar levels steady. Protein also takes longer to digest and helps to regulate blood sugar If you really struggle to give up fast food or ready meals, try adding lots of vegetables or salad to the meal and eating them first.
Eating the vegetables first will fill you up due to the fibre content, so you will hopefully eat fewer of the processed foods. This strategy of adding healthy elements to your meals means you won’t feel like you are going without your favourite foods, but you are adding lots of nutrients that can help boost your immune system and slow the progress of prediabetes to full-blown diabetes.
Increase Physical Activity
The next change you need to make in your life is to increase your activity levels. This is because exercise helps to regulate insulin resistance, reduce Hba1c and improve cardiovascular health, which has many overall health benefits. Ideally, just 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week can help improve blood sugar control. This doesn’t mean you have to invest in a gym membership or lots of equipment or gadgets. A brisk walk after your main meal will do.
All you need to do is to think of ways to add extra movement into your day. Here are a few suggestions: If you drive to work, park as far away as you can and walk the last bit; take the stairs instead of the lift/elevator; march on the spot when you are cleaning your teeth; and walk around when you are chatting on your phone instead of sitting down.
If you fancy doing more exercise, you could join a running group, or there are absolutely thousands of different exercises online. These range from seated exercise for the less mobile, to aerobic dance exercises and high intensity training. There is no excuse to get bored and no excuse not to find something that you can start with. Just remember to warm up and stretch afterwards to avoid injury.
Next Steps
Making these changes may not be easy at first. But stick with it, and you’ll be on your way to reversing prediabetes and reducing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Whether you’re just diagnosed with prediabetes or have had it for a while, making changes now will help your health in the short and long term.
These changes may seem small, but they can make a big difference in your health. So don’t wait—take action today. Just remember, prediabetes is reversible. With some effort, you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.
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