Foods Leading to Prediabetes and Diabetes Photo Source: Cienciamx
More people are being diagnosed today with prediabetes. Prediabetes is when your blood sugar is high, and your body does not process insulin normally. There are no symptoms, but this condition can lead to diabetes 2 and other types. Prediabetes is a warning sign that unless you change your lifestyle you could get diabetes a serious chronic disease. Eating a healthier diet, exercise, and losing weigh can be a key to better health.
Diabetes 1 and 2 often requires insulin an expensive drug that keep rising in cost. Prediabetes is found in children and adults. A blood test often finds prediabetes in patients that do not know they have it. Prediabetes does not have many symptoms but there are a few. They are:
Increased thirst
Frequent urination
fatigue
weight loss or weight gain
Infections
Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet
Increased hunger
Lifestyle changes can reduce your chances of developing diabetes and improve your overall health. These are losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercise.
Tips for Coping With Prediabetes
Diet
There are several diets recommended by healthcare professionals for prediabetes. Some are the Mediterranean diet, vegetarian, low carb, and internment fasting.
Vegetables Photo Source Picklist
What to Eat:
Fresh vegetables and fruits
beans
nuts
whole grains
Lean meat, poultry, wild caught fish
Healthy oils
Low-fat dairy
Protein Photo Source: Tasnim News
What to Limit or Avoid
Sugar Photo Source: Daily Petition/Lola March
White bread, pasta, and bread
baked goods
pies, cake, cookies, and pastries
soda, fruit juice
processed food
wine, beer and alcohol
Carbohydrates Photo Source: PicSaver
Recipe Sites For Prediabetes
More Ways to Reduce Your Chance of Developing Diabetes
Add fiber to your diet because it helps control blood sugar and improves your chances of losing weight. Add beans, fruit, vegetables, brown rice, whole grains, and gluten free pasta to your list.
Drink sugar free beverages water, flavored seltzer, lemonade without sugar, iced tea, coffee, and low sugar fruit juice. Some fruit juices have low sugar read the label before purchasing.
Walking Photo Source: Wix Media
Find a regular way to exercise several days a week or every day. Pick an exercise you enjoy so you will stick with the routine. Walking, jogging, biking, swimming, yoga, tai chi, housework, gardening, yard work, working out at the gym, or health club, and hiking are all excellent ways to exercise.
Biking: Pxhere
Be sure to get adequate sleep 7 to 8 hours per night. Give up smoking and learn to manage stress with exercise, meditation, deep breathing and developing a hobby. These tips will help improve your health with prediabetes.
Animation: Giphy
References:
The Truth About Prediabetes, by Lisa Gill, Consumer Reports, December 2020
8 Eating Plans for Patients With Prediabetes by Sandra Berg, MS, Amercian Medical Assocation, December 2019
How to Reverse Prediabetes by Jaime R. Hendron, MS, MHP, VeryWell Health, February 16, 2024
Naturally Reversing Prediabetes What to Know, by Elaine Goodman, Medical News Today, April 28, 2021