Lifestyle changes can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, especially if you are overweight, have high cholesterol, or have a family history of diabetes which puts you at higher risk.
If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes — high blood sugar that doesn’t reach the threshold of a diabetes diagnosis — lifestyle changes can prevent or delay the onset of disease.
Making a few changes in your lifestyle now may help you avoid the serious health complications of diabetes in the future.
- LOSE WEIGHT: You can reduce your risk for diabetes by 60% if you lose 7% of body weight.
- BE ACTIVE: This will help with weight loss, better glucose regulation and insulin use in the body.
- EAT MORE PLANT FOODS: These contains the right amount of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals for your ideal weight. The fiber in plant foods contributes to slower absorption of sugar, manage inflammation, interferes with dietary fat absorption and provides sustained energy.
- EAT HEALTHY FATS: Choose plant based fats like olives, avocadoes and nuts. Choose fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines more often.
- SKIP FADDY DIETS: Research has proven that fad diets may help loose weight, but has little or no research into the benefit for the prevention of diabetes.
Your goal should be to lose weight and maintain a healthier weight moving forward to promote health. Healthy dietary decisions, therefore, need to include a strategy that you can maintain as a lifelong habit. Making healthy decisions that reflect some of your own preferences for food and traditions may be beneficial for you over time.
image: ASU News
