Pre-Diabetes – Are you susceptible?

Pre-Diabetes

Pre-diabetes means you probably have higher than normal blood-sugar levels but, fortunately, not high enough to be classed as being diabetic.

However it does mean that could be susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease if you do nothing about it.

Unfortunately, more often than not, there are no physical symptoms to warn you if you are in a pre-diabetes stage. So it’s worth getting yourself checked out, especially if you fall into any of these categories. Ask your physician if you are likely to be at risk of pre-diabetes if:

• You are overweight and you are aged 45 or older (you may want to get checked even if you are under the age of 45)
• Your weight is okay and you’re aged 45+. Ask your doctor during a routine check-up if testing is appropriate for you
• You have high blood pressure; low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides
• Your family has a history of diabetes
• There’s a history of gestational diabetes in your family
• You have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
• You belong to an ethnic or minority group that has a high risk for diabetes, such as African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.

The good news is, if after testing you discover that you do have pre-diabetes, you can take positive action to reduce the risk of developing a full blown case of type 2 diabetes and/or heart disease.

Pre-Diabetes – Testing Kit

Actions you can take if you have pre-diabetes to reduce your risk:

• Reduce the amount of food on your plate – eating just a little less helps reduce your risk factor.
• Avoid snacking on unhealthy and high calorie foods; if you must snack go for a healthy options rather than a sugar-laden one.
• Drink a glass of water 10 minutes before eating to take the edge of your appetite so you don’t overindulge in food.
• Choose whole-grain foods or sugar-free foods.
• Take a little more time to  find ways to exercise in your daily; such as walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator or an escalator.
• Exercise for 20-30 minutes a day 3 times a week using exercise programs like Power 90, P90X, Insanity, or anything else you find fun.
• Don’t shop for food when you are feeling hungry. You’ll be more tempted to buy the foods that increase your blood-sugars; add on weight and generally create a higher risk of moving from your pre-diabetec state into being a fully diagnosed type 2 diabetic.

Taking these and other simple actions can reduce your risk of turning pre-diabetes into type 2 diabetes.

If you’d like to learn more about pre-diabetes, you can always visit the American Diabetes Associations website.

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