Not everyone gets the advantage of a
wake-up call and being told he/she has pre-diabetes. Too many
doctors are not into pre-diabetes and would prefer you advance to
diabetes so they have something to treat. To avoid legal problems,
they tell you things such as your sugar level is a little high, watch
what you eat. They also say that your blood sugar is near diabetes,
be careful what you eat. They know that most people will not pick up
on these clues and will progress to diabetes, giving them an income.
If you get any of these signals,
consider them real and take action now. Just because your doctor was
being obtuse and not telling you that you now have pre-diabetes, this
is what the doctor does to prevent you from taking action to delay or
prevent the progression to full diabetes.
There are actions that you can do that
will stop the progression to diabetes if you act on them.
#1. Exercise. I don't care
what you do for exercise, but if you are medically able, you need to
begin slowly and build up gradually to ideally a 30-minute regimen at
least five days per week. Hopefully you can have several types of
exercise that you enjoy and will follow through and use. Hopefully
your doctor will let you know if there are limits you need to be
aware of and not exceed.
#2. Lose weight. This may be
difficult for some, but yo-yo dieting will not succeed. Most
suggestions advise losing 10% of your weight if you are overweight.
I suggest looking up your ideal weight and then setting reasonable
goals to get to that weight. It may take some time, but that is
okay.
#3. Develop a good food plan.
Since there is not a diabetes diet or a recommended food plan,
you will need to find what works for you. I would suggest a low carb
– high fat, medium protein type of food plan. Use your meter to
tell you if this works and expect some hunger pangs the first month
as you start the plan. Over time, you will lose the hunger as your
body adjusts.
#4. Get the right amount of sleep.
Most studies recommend at least eight hours of sleep and some
suggest eight and one-half hours is best for people with diabetes. I
know many people try to get by with less than I know seven, but this
is not good as your body needs more to deal with pre-diabetes and
diabetes.
#5. Take any medication on
schedule. For best use, oral medications seem to work best when
taken at the same times daily. With metformin being generic and
relatively inexpensive, consider using this to help manage
pre-diabetes and the early states of diabetes. Insurance generally
will not reimburse for medications for pre-diabetes.
#6. Take care of your heart.
Heart healthy foods which means eliminating processed foods and
eating more vegetables and certain fruits can really help your heart
and improve your blood glucose levels.
#7. Be careful of all illnesses.
Many people are not careful about other illnesses especially the
common cold. Washing your hands more often after being out in public
will help. Avoiding crowded stores and people that are sneezing will
also help. Colds are not helped by antibiotics and normally need to
run their course. Being careful also means taking care of yourself
and getting enough sleep.
#8. Know your hormone levels.
This applies to men as well as women. There are many ads for
testosterone for men and estrogen for women. Before buying in to
these, have a discussion with your doctor and follow his/her
instructions. Tests may be necessary to determine if there is a need
and your doctor will know your health history to make a
determination.
#9. Manage your stress levels.
Stress and pre-diabetes or diabetes is not helpful in managing
blood glucose levels. Read my blog here about diabetes and stress
for some tips and possible activities to reduce stress.
#10. Stop or lower alcohol
consumption. Many people think that they can continue to drink
as usual. Alcohol consumption messes with your blood glucose levels
and often gives false readings. This is because alcohol suppresses
blood glucose levels initially and then causes them to rise to higher
levels later.
#11. Stop smoking. Smoking
causes people with pre-diabetes and diabetes to have problems with
neuropathy and other health conditions including heart problems.
#12. Keep you doctor appointments.
To stop pre-diabetes from becoming diabetes, see your doctor as
often as he wants. Research in the meantime and have questions for
your doctor. The good doctors will generally work with you to help.
If they don’t or won’t consider finding another doctor.
#13. Find the right support
structure. This may be the most difficult part, but is worth the
effort. Family may be supportive, or not. Check with the doctor to
see if there is a support group. Also, check out some of the
diabetes forums to ask questions. Do not go seeking specific
answers, but be open to a variety of different answers.
#14. Commit to your plan. We
are human and can make mistakes. As such, realize that returning to
old habits can bring on the onset of diabetes. A one-day mistake
should not become a pattern. To commit to your plan, your need to
commit to it 24/7/365.
The above tips are will hopefully
provide some direction and guidance in your battle with pre-diabetes
to prevent the onset of full diabetes. Even those in the early
stages of diabetes can have some hope to reverse diabetes, but this
is not a cure. Do not return to old habits.
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