4 Tips for Prediabetes
November is National Diabetes Month, a time when communities and organizations highlight diabetes and try to bring more awareness and understanding about the disease. This year’s focus is on diabetes prevention and prediabetes. In the United States there are 88 million people with prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. A prediabetes diagnosis should be taken just as seriously as a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Why? It is possible to reverse prediabetes and reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes with lifestyle change. There are simple changes that research suggests can make a big difference in managing or reversing prediabetes and preventing or delaying a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Where should you start?
Here are a few lifestyle changes I suggest to my clients when they have a new prediabetes diagnosis:
#1) Move It
Physical movement is key to helping improve blood sugar levels. Aim to work towards 30 minutes at least 5 times per week. Choose something you enjoy, start slow and do it during a time of day when you can be the most consistent. Prioritize movement like you prioritize taking your medication. Movement is the “free medicine” you need to lower your blood sugar.
#2) Add More Vegetables to Your Plate
When it comes to changing your food choices one of the best things you can do for your health and managing blood sugar is adding more vegetables, especially lower starch vegetables to your plate. Vegetable choices like corn, peas, beans and potatoes do provide fiber and can be a part of a healthy diet but are considered starchy vegetables. Try filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetable choices like leafy greens, green beans, summer squash, peppers, etc. that you enjoy.
#3) Rethink Your Drinks
What we drink digests quickly and impacts the blood sugar level quickly. If you are drinking beverages that contain carbohydrates and sugar like sodas, juices, specialty coffee beverages, and alcoholic beverages you might want to consider reducing the frequency of those choices to improve your health. Switch to water, seltzers, and other low or non-carbohydrate containing beverage choices which won’t raise your blood sugar levels every time you drink them.
#4) Find Support
We often have the best intentions but fall short meeting our goals. Creating a support system to help you with the ongoing process of lifestyle change is key to success. One of the reasons I became a diabetes care and education specialist is because I love the process of coaching my clients toward better health. Making changes is ongoing and doesn’t have an endpoint. Find the best support system to help meet your goals.
Have more questions? I’d love to chat about your personal goals and how we can work together to help you achieve better health.