Managing prediabetes with lifestyle changes
Prediabetes: An alarming situation
- Even though a prediabetes diagnosis may sound alarming, it is in fact a good signal for you to make serious lifestyle changes. If you manage to turn things around, you may not even develop diabetes.
Initiating lifestyle changes or treatments may help to retard progression to diabetes or even prevent diabetes.
Treatment for prediabetes
- People at the prediabetes stage should first focus on lifestyle changes such as physical activity, diet and maintaining healthy weight.
- Medications may be prescribed: If prediabetes progresses into type 2 diabetes.
Benefits of lifestyle changes
- Can even reverse your prediabetes.
- Avoid or delay its progression to diabetes.
- Can prevent it from further progression even in people who have diabetes.
- Helps to avoid many complications related to diabetes.
Evidence reveal that lifestyle programs can be more beneficial than taking medication when you have prediabetes.2
Lifestyle changes that should be adopted
Physical activity is an important part of the treatment plan for prediabetes as it reduces blood glucose levels and decreases body fat.
- You should exercise for at least 30 minutes in a day.
- You may slowly start increasing your physical activity in your routine by doing some stretching or taking the stairs.
Lifestyle changes that should be adopted
Maintain healthy body weight
Being overweight, increases the chances of your prediabetes to turn into diabetes and hence it is important to maintain healthy weight
- One of the studies revealed that prediabetes patients who lost 5% to 7% of their body weight, decreased their chances of getting diabetes by 58%.
Lifestyle changes that should be adopted
Eat healthy food
Healthy eating is important to control obesity and avoid type 2 diabetes and related complications.
- Eat vegetables which are less starchy such as spinach and other leafy greens, carrots, broccoli and green beans for at least three servings a day.
- Include more high-fiber foods into your day.
- Eat fruits in moderation - 1 to 3 servings per day.
- Choose whole-grain foods such as brown rice.
Lifestyle changes that should be adopted
Having good sleep
If you don’t get enough sleep it becomes difficult to lose weight and it is also difficult for your body to use insulin effectively.
- It's important to get 7-8 hours of sleep everyday.
- Relax yourself before you switch off the lights.
- Go to bed on time and wake up at the same time every day.
- Avoid watching TV or using computer or phone when you are trying to sleep.
- Avoid having caffeine during lunch time if you have problem in sleeping.
Lifestyle changes that should be adopted
Quit smoking
It is very important for smokers to stop smoking as smokers are 30-40% more likely to get type 2 diabetes.
Tips to stop smoking
- Throw away all your cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays.
- Plan in prior how you are going to handle situations that tempt you to smoke.
- Plan of doing alternative things instead of smoking when you feel cravings.
- Talk to your family members and close friends who can help and encourage you to quit smoking.
Lifestyle changes that should be adopted
Reduce stress
Reducing stress may seem like a small thing, but it has great impact on many different areas of life and hence, should not be ignored.
Some of the ways to reduce stress
- Listen to music
- Exercise regularly
- Practice yoga
- Do breathing exercises
- Do mindful meditation
- Go on a holiday