How to Prevent or Delay Type 2 Diabetes
Get Screened and Make Time for a Nutritious Diet and Exercise
Nov 10, 2008
Nearly 25 million Americans have diabetes, a disease that results from the body not producing or using insulin properly. Insulin is needed to convert the sugar and starch in food into the energy needed for life processes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease.
If you know that you are at risk, especially if you are overweight and don't get enough exercise, take steps to ward it off. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can prevent frequently disabling or deadly complication including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation.
Can Diabetes Be Cured?
Diabetes cannot be cured with a pill. Once a patient discovers the condition or pre-diabetes symptoms, it is up to him or her to manage the disease. Individuals shouldn't let concerns about cultural differences between them and health care professionals become a problem that stands in the way of seeking help. There are mentoring and internship programs available, especially for older citizens and minority groups.
Are You at Risk for Diabetes?
A simple diabetes risk calculator is available on the American Diabetes Association Web site. It asks questions about you, your lifestyle, and your family history of diabetes. It quickly calculates low or pre-diabetes risk and indicates whether or not you may have type 2 diabetes. Only a doctor can tell for sure, however.
Ask for a Screening Test
In order to determine whether or not a patient is diabetic, a doctor or other health care provider conducts a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test. The Fasting Plasma Glucose Test looks at the blood sugar level and a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes can be determined. An Oral Glucose Tolerance Test involves drinking a sugar-rich beverage and seeing whether or not the body is able to break down the glucose.
Eat Less, Eat Healthy Foods
Simply stated, stick to fresh, unprocessed foods and limit your intake. Eat a well-rounded diet and don't eat too much of any one food. For example, don't eat a plate full of pasta, large portions of fruits, and large portions of sweets and snacks. Avoid trans fats, or artificial fats.
Cutting back on portions and eating more fruits and vegetables, means not having to be overly concerned about calorie and carbohydrate counting. However if this is difficult to do at first, seek help from a dietician. Most hospitals offer free counseling and classes to those who are at risk because the health care costs and the costs to society, families, and individuals are great.
Increase Exercise
Get started by walking more. Think about the trips taken every day and go out of your way to increase the number of steps you take to get to a destination. Walk up and down the aisles of the mall or super store. Park farther away and walk from the far edge of the parking lot. See? You can get more exercise without going to the gym or investing in expensive programs. When was the last time you rode your bike? Try it again! It will make you feel younger. Turn the television off, get up, and do something, anything.
You Are in Control
You are not helpless when it comes to preventing diabetes. In fact, type 2 diabetes really is one of the few things in life over which you have control. You can control its course. Don't wait and don't put off taking the risk test and then getting a screening. A healthy diet and a good walk every day are simple things you can do to keep diabetes from taking control of your life.
Read about diabetes and blood clots in another article on this site.
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