About 1.7 million adults learn they have diabetes each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Are you at risk? While in diabetes genetics do lay a major role but often the choices you make can help prevent diabetes from occurring. Diabetes is a disease commonly known as SUGAR in Pakistan, a thing that causes emotional and financial stress in an individual, it’s a sickness that once incurred you have to bear it for the rest of your life and there is no easy way out of it…. The best way to avoid this the disease is to take a route to PREVENTION. This method helps you not only live healthy and long but also prevents risks against diabetes and other such diseases.
Some people may have diabetes since they are born and carry it from their mother’s womb or they carry it in their genes that type of diabetes is called Type1 diabetes in which an individual has no role to play but is affected with it.
Butt…
Usually, individuals are affected with Type2 diabetes that occurs due to your habits and lifestyle which is unhealthy and unadvised by doctors and dietician. Before that let’s explore, what is the disease and how it occurs.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes occurs when the glucose in the blood is too high, this is also called blood sugar. The glucose in the blood is the main source of energy and enters your bloodstream through the food you eat. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, which ensures that the glucose that you consume from the food enters into your cells and converts into energy.
At times your body doesn’t make enough insulin or any insulin at all, or may even use the insulin well enough which causes the glucose to stay in your bloodstream and doesn’t reach your destined cells.
Sometimes diabetes is also called “a touch of sugar” or “borderline diabetes”. These terms indicate that a person doesn’t have diabetes completely but the situation is not any less severe, as any condition related to diabetes is serious. A step towards a healthy lifestyle could be a definitive step towards diabetes prevention, also remember it’s never too late to start.
Remember these tips, when it comes to type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes yet its prevention is very important. It’s more important to make diabetes prevention a priority if you are already at an increased risk of diabetes due to your family medical history of the disease, if you are obese or overweight or if you have already been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. ( it is also called impaired fasting glucose).
Diabetes prevention can be as basic as eating more healthy food, getting more exercise and becoming more physically healthy; it also indicates losing a few extra pounds.
One thing to be remembered is it’s never too late to start. Just adopting few simples changes in your way of living now can help you avoid serious health complications of diabetes in your future, such as nerve, kidney or heart damage.
What are the symptoms of pre-diabetes?
Irregular menses (menstruation) and premenstrual syndrome
There is also a direct relationship between the length of the menstrual cycle time period and the potential/risk to develop diabetes in particular fat and obese women. In a national study of nurses, those who had a cycle length of greater than 40 days were twice as likely to develop diabetes than those who cycled every 26 to 31 days. It is thought to be related to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which also is known to be associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance may be a precursor for type 2 diabetes.
Impaired fasting glucose
Impaired fasting glucose If you are fasting blood sugar of greater than 126 mg/dl. There is another group that has been identified and referred to as having impaired fasting glucose or pre-diabetes. The people on the potentially higher end prone to diabetes have blood sugar value between 110-125mg/dl. The main point of concern is that these specifically identified people are at an increased risk as compared to the normal population.
The actual per cent increase varies depending on ethnicity, weight, etc.; but it is significantly higher, regardless of absolute numbers. Besides, people with impaired fasting glucose also are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
Inflammatory Markers
Inflammation may play an important role in the development of diabetes as well. An inflammation marker known as C-reactive protein (CRP) is increased in women at risk for developing the metabolic syndrome, and in both men and women at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Multiple Pieces of research highlights the importance of inflammation as a fragment of the mechanism of diabetes development.
Obesity
Obesity is probably the most pertinent risk factor and in most situations the most controllable. This is in part because obesity increases the body’s resistance to insulin. Research Studies have shown that the reversal of obesity through weight reduction improves insulin sensitivity and regulation of blood sugar.
However, the distribution of fat is important. The classic “pear” shaped person (smaller waist than hips) has a lower risk of developing diabetes than the “apple” shaped person (larger around the waist). The exact reason for this difference is unknown, but it is thought to have something to do with the metabolic activity of the fat tissue in different areas of the body.
Simple Ways to Prevent Diabetes
Get more physical activity
There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you to prevent diabetes, Take a walk around the neighbourhood. Play bat ball with the kids.
What’s your best way forward!
Just for 30 minutes increase your heart rate, five days a week which would lower your risk of diabetes. Research has proven that exercise, aerobic and restraint training definitely helps in controlling diabetes. You should adopt a fitness plan that includes both as it gives you the greatest benefit.
Get plenty of fibre, into your body
Fibre intake also helps effectively in reducing weight, in addition, it also helps you to get your stomach in proper shape
Fibre reduces your risk of diabetes by improving your blood sugar control
It also decreases the risk of heart disease
Fibre makes you feel full for a longer period of time
Eatables with higher fibre content are fruits, vegetables. Whole grains and nuts.
Go for Whole Grains
Studies have shown that whole grains reduce and cut down your risk of diabetes and also keeps blood sugar in check, so try and make half of your grain at least whole grain.
Many foods made from whole grains come ready to eat, including various loaves of bread, pasta products and cereals. Look for the word “whole” on the package and among the first few items in the ingredient list, while keeping the alert on for the whole grain, avoid and I mean avoid processed food at all times.
Lose extra weight
If you have more weight than your body mass index, weight loss might be the turning point whether you get diabetes or not, you may be very surprised as how much it affects your health.
Skip fad diets and just make healthier choices
Low-carb diets, the glycemic index diet or other fad diets may help you lose weight at first. But their effectiveness at preventing diabetes and their long-term effects aren’t known. And by excluding or strictly limiting a particular food group, you may be giving up essential nutrients and often craving such foods. Instead, make variety and portion control part of your healthy-eating plan. Also by chewing the food more, you can reduce your food intake automatically and the more chewed food helps in quickening the digestion process.
Keep a tab and know when to see your doctor. It is recommended to get your blood glucose screening if
- You’re age 45 or older
- You’re an overweight adult of any age, with one or more additional risk factors for diabetes, such as a family history of diabetes, a personal history of pre-diabetes or an inactive lifestyle.
- When you cross the age of 45, your doctor will probably recommend screening and test every three years.
Share your concerns about diabetes prevention with your doctor to prevent diabetes and may suggest additional recommendations based on your medical history or other factors involved. One thing that one needs to do is to limit takeaway and processed foods. As ‘Convenience meals’ have usually content in salt, fat and kilojoules. The best thing is to cook for yourself using fresh ingredients as much as possible.
Quit smoking
Smokers usually have twice the probability to develop diabetes as non-smokers. Smoking 16 to 20 cigarettes a day or more than that can increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes three times more than that of nonsmokers. The exact reason for this isn’t well understood. It is maybe the factor that smoking directly decreases the body’s ability to utilize insulin. Moreover, there has been an observation that after smoking, blood sugar levels surge. Lastly, there is also an association between smoking and body fat dissemination; smoking tends to encourage the “apple” shape body, which is a threat for diabetes.
Control your blood pressure
Most people can achieve this with regular exercise, a stable and balanced diet and by maintaining a healthy weight. In some cases, you might need medication prescribed by your doctor. blood pressure can also be a result of an increased level of stress or a certain routine/lifestyle or family history even for its prevention is the key. Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Diabetes and cardio
Vascular diseases have multiple common risk factors, including portliness and physical dormancy.
Nuts
A study of over 83,000 women consuming nuts (and peanut butter) seemed to show some protective effect against the development of diabetes. Women who have more than five 1-ounce servings of nuts a week lowered their risk of developing diabetes compared to women who consumed no nuts at all.
Dairy foods
The data on dairy products seems to vary. In a study of over 289,000 health professionals, Harvard researchers showed that consumption of yoghurt, in comparison to other dairy products, was associated with a reduced risk for diabetes.
Banish Binge-watching
Too much screen time can dull your brain and threaten your health. (Harvard Research) Every two hours you watch TV instead of being active increases your chances of diabetes by 20 per cent, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. If you can’t bear to miss a show, watch it from a treadmill or exercise cycle.
Take Control of That Sweet Tooth
Minimize sugar to maximize good health. Try fresh fruit for dessert, or reach for a small piece of dark chocolate instead of a giant cupcake. Limit sugary soda, iced tea and fruit drinks to one a day. There is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes.
This article focuses on ways to control risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are the biggest diabetes risk factors that are controllable. People should watch their weight and exercise regularly to help reverse prediabetes and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Diet is important because it helps with weight loss. Some foods such as nuts in small amounts provide health benefits in blood sugar regulation.
There is no single recommended diabetes prevention diet, but following a comprehensive nutrition plan and maintaining a healthy weight are important steps in preventing the disease. However, the cornerstone of therapy will likely remain a healthy lifestyle. Making modest changes in your daily routine can help you escape the serious health problems of diabetes in the future, such as heart, nerve, and kidney damage. Consider these latest, simple diabetes prevention tips.
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