If you are thinking that diabetes is “just a problem of little sugar increase”, then you are in for a real shocker!
Diabetes causes much more than just a small increase in sugar level; in fact, it’s a cause of major morbidities such as nerve, kidney, eye and heart damage, and making a few simple lifestyle and dietary changes can help you avoid these serious health complications associated with diabetes.
Engage in regular physical activities – You need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, 5 days a week to enjoy the benefit of regular exercise; and if you can make it 1 hour a day, it’s even better. With exercise, you reduce your risk of diabetes by as much as 50%. Studies have revealed that exercise also lowers blood sugar and keeps it down for several hours after the exercise which also contributes to preventing diabetes.
And you even stand a chance of staying healthier as exercise have been proven to also enhance your immune system by getting your lymph system moving, it helps build muscle and bones, improves heart and lung efficiency, reduces stress, burns fat, raises your metabolism and generally keeps your body young.
Shed some weight - Studies have shown that overweight adults reduced their risk of diabetes by 16 percent for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight lost. Also, those who lose at least 5 to 10 percent of initial body weight and exercise regularly reduced the risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent over 3 years.
No smoking - Smoking is not only associated with the development of diabetes but it also contributes to heart disease and causes lung cancer. Carcinogens in cigarettes have also been proven to have destructive effects on the pancreas (the body organ that produces insulin), thereby reducing the amount of insulin produced by your body; stop smoking today and enjoy a better glucose control.
Cut back on fat and sugar – Processed and fried foods are particularly unhealthy and the fats and carbohydrates found in them undermine your health. Saturated fats have been shown to contribute to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So you should ensure that you get less than 7% of your total fat intake from saturated fats and less than 200 milligrams of cholesterol in your daily diet. Also, avoid eating foods made with sugar, bleached (white) flour and other refined carbohydrates such as white rice and dry cereals in order to help in preventing diabetes.
Foods rich in fiber have more benefits in the prevention of diabetes. Fiber will go a long way in preventing diabetes because it helps to buffer high amounts of sugar or carbohydrates in your diet, keeping your blood sugar even rather than having it gyrate wildly up and down. Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, oatmeal or oat bran.
Say goodbye to alcohol - Alcoholic beverages contain refined carbohydrates that are quickly absorbed into the body so they contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes by quickly raising blood sugar to unhealthy levels thus overworking the cells that regulate blood sugar. Besides, alcohol have been shown to increase the risk of stroke and kidney disease; so beside preventing diabetes, you will be doing yourself a world of good by putting a lid on alcohol consumption – if you must drink at all, drink water!
Get support – Family support is very essential in the prevention (even in management) of diabetes. Friends, relatives and support groups can help stick to your new healthy lifestyle which may not be too interesting initially.
Diabetes can be very devastating when complications set in, so prevent it as much as you can.
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