Diabetes is a chronic disease that is associated with uncharacteristically high levels of glucose in the blood. Diabetes may also be caused by the body’s incapability to utilize the produced insulin which is exactly what happens in type 2 diabetes.
There are two widely known diabetes types:
– Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes or juvenile-onset diabetes
– Type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes
In type 2, People with type 2 diabetes develop insulin resistance. The body still produces insulin, but it is not able to use it effectively. Even though researchers are not sure why some people develop insulin resistance while others don’t, but they think that several lifestyle factors may contribute to this condition, including excess weight and long periods of inactivity.
Type 2 diabetes can cause obesity and hypertension. It reduces the level of HDL or good cholesterol in the blood and elevates the production of triglycerides which are harmful to one’s health. Moreover, it can instigate a long line of generations of diabetes patients in a family. While type 1 diabetes may not be preventable, there are precautions that one can take to prevent type 2 diabetes. In this article, we will be discussing the 7 most important diabetes prevention tips.
7 tips to prevent and control type 2 diabetes:
Follow a healthy diet:
It is very important to follow a healthy meal plan to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially if you have prediabetes. Doctors would suggest a low carb, high fibre diet. Eat your meals more regularly and frequently but take them in smaller portions. It is also necessary to cut out refined carbs and sugar from your diet since they get rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, elevating your blood sugar levels. This elevation will force the pancreas to produce insulin. People with prediabetes are immune to the action of insulin and thus the level of sugar and insulin in blood will keep rising until the person develops type 2 diabetes.
Exercise regularly:
Regular physical activity can help prevent diabetes. Not only does exercise help in reducing excess fat but also increases the insulin sensitivity of the body cells. Therefore, with regular exercise, lesser amounts of insulin will be required to keep your blood glucose levels under control because your body will utilize it better. Even small amounts of physical activity can make a huge difference. Studies have shown that moderate-intensity exercise increases insulin sensitivity by 51% and high-intensity exercise increases it by 85. It is important to exercise daily and get into a routine.
Drink 3 litres of water a day
Treat water as a beverage and drink it up as often as possible. Drink at least 3 litres of water a day. Try to replace any other beverage you prefer by water. Packed beverages contain huge amounts of sugar and other preservatives with questionable ingredients that get absorbed into your bloodstream very quickly and spikes your blood sugar level. Soda, punch and other sugary beverages can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and LADA in adults or latent autoimmune diabetes.
LADA is a form of type 1 diabetes that usually appears in people over 18 years of age. LADA develops slowly unlike type 1 diabetes that develops in childhood and it requires serious treatment.
Reduce excess weight
While it is wrong to assume that everyone with type 2 diabetes is obese or overweight or that everyone who is obese or overweight develops type 2 diabetes, but these two factors do increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It is always healthy to consult a dietician especially if you have developed pre-diabetes and follow a diet that suits your height and weight. People with prediabetes usually carry excess fat in their midsection and around the lower abdomen. This is visceral fat that causes inflammation and insulin resistance and it significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes. Even small amounts of physical activity can make a huge difference as even a small reduction in weight can significantly improve your health.
Give up smoking
If you are a smoker with prediabetes, it is time to stop smoking. Smoking, other than contributing to many other health conditions also acts as a catalyst in developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, second-hand smoke can also lead to diabetes. In a middle-aged male smoker, the risk of getting diabetes decreases by 13 percent when they quit smoking. After 20 years of quitting the risk factor comes down to the same as the people who never smoked. However, quitting can lead to weight gain so regular exercise and a healthy low carb diet is a must.
Avoid being sedentary
Avoid any sort of sedentary behaviours if you want to avoid the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If you have a lifestyle where there is little to no room for physical activities, the risk of getting type 2 diabetes increases rapidly. Studies have shown a prominent link between sedentary behaviour and type 2 diabetes. Changing sedentary behaviour can even constitute of just standing up from the desk and walking about the house for a few minutes.
Regular exercise is always a good idea. At the least, you can keep a step tracker handy and set a goal for yourself. It is important to set achievable goals or you may get easily demotivated.
Optimize your Vitamin D levels
Vitamin D plays a significant role in controlling blood sugar. Low vitamin D levels coupled with low blood levels, increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Health organizations most advice to maintain a vitamin D blood level of at least 30 ng/ml (75 nmol/l). People with high levels of vitamin d are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Conclusion:
Type two diabetes is preventable. Therefore, we have curated this list of tips you can follow to prevent it. A healthy lifestyle can work wonders for you!