Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent or Delay the Onset of Diabetes
SIOUX FALLS (Feb. 1, 2010) - Could you be one of the estimated 57 million Americans who have prediabetes? It's a condition that leads to Type 2 diabetes, which in turn leads to complications like vision loss, kidney damage or heart disease.
Prediabetes is diagnosed when fasting blood sugar measures 100 to 125 mg/dl - high, but not high enough to be classified as Type 2 diabetes. Because there are usually no symptoms, it's often caught in routine blood screenings, said Mary Lobb Oyos, Diabetes Program Manager at Avera McKennan. "It's a window of opportunity to make healthy changes to improve blood sugars, to either get back into the normal range, or at least delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes."
Jeanette Justice of Sioux Falls learned she had prediabetes during routine health screenings at work. Because she has a strong family history of diabetes and experienced gestational diabetes during pregnancy, she wasn't surprised.
"I knew diabetes was in my future, but just chose to ignore it until I got these results. Then I decided to take the opportunity to keep diabetes away as long as possible," Jeanette said.
After entering a prediabetes education program at Avera McKennan, Jeanette made changes in her diet to limit sugar, and choose "good carbs" over "bad carbs." "It has to be a lifestyle change. It's not a fad diet - it's a matter of building new habits."
Having ended her habit of eating sweets on a routine basis, Jeanette plans a diet that includes a healthy mid-morning, mid-afternoon and evening snack to avoid highs and lows with her blood sugar.
It helps to look at such changes as an adventure rather than a chore, Jeanette said - to look forward to trying new foods that she can have, rather than focusing on those foods she can't have. The strategy worked, as Jeanette brought her blood sugar down into normal range without any medication.
Prediabetes can show up at any age. "We're seeing more people in their 20s and 30s than just a few years ago," Oyos said. Risk factors include family history, inactivity, obesity and unhealthy eating habits.
A poor diet that's high in fat and sugar and low in fiber won't cause diabetes, but it can accelerate the onset in people who are predisposed to the disease, Oyos said.
Recommendations for managing prediabetes include a diet with plenty of whole grains, fiber, fruits, vegetables and lean meats, and less saturated fat. Cutting back on high calorie snack foods and desserts, and eating smaller amounts at regular times during the day are important as well. At least 150 minutes of activity each week is also recommended. Exercise is important because it helps the body to metabolize glucose more efficiently. People with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes often have insulin resistance, in which the body doesn't use its own insulin effectively. Regular activity helps to reduce insulin resistance, improves cardiovascular health and aids in weight loss.
Prediabetes is a condition that should not be ignored. Prediabetes and diabetes place people at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. Type 1 or 2 diabetes that is uncontrolled can also lead to blindness, amputations or kidney failure.
"Prediabetes and diabetes can be so sneaky, because you think you feel OK. Yet if your blood sugar is too high it can do damage that you're not even aware of," Oyos said.
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