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Diabetes is a life-time disease and even if it can be managed relatively easily, it is much better to prevent it than to have to deal with it later. Although you can't prevent Type 1 diabetes, there are many changes in your lifestyle you can take to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
If you have a look at the causes of diabetes, you will see that almost all causes of diabetes are under your control. Actually, except heredity, age and ethnic predisposition, which are external factors, all the other factors depend on you. But even if you do have predisposition to diabetes, taking the right measures can delay its occurrence. Here are some basic tips how to do your best to prevent diabetes: Lose weight. If you are overweight, the risk of diabetes for you is much higher. Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases, so there is no point to pretend that 30 pounds above the norm is quite OK. There are tons of information on the Net about weight loss and we are not going to say more than that the best way to lose weight is by combining a diet with regular exercise. Exercise regularly. Even if your weight is normal, exercise is still vital for diabetes prevention. 30 minutes a day can help a lot, so there is no excuse for not exercising. As with weight loss, a quick search in Google will provide you with many ideas how to exercise. Have regular diabetes screening tests. If you come from a family in which diabetes has a tradition, regular screening for diabetes is mandatory. Even if your family doesn't have a tradition with diabetes but you are over 40 and are overweight, screening is highly recommendable. One of the advantages of diabetes screenings is that they can catch pre-diabetes conditions as well, so in a sense you will get a warning before diabetes strikes you. Overhaul your diet. Maybe we should have started with that because this step is of no less importance than the previous three. Diet disasters are one of the main culprits for diabetes and with today's extremely unhealthy eating habits of the majority of adults and children, it is no wonder that Type 2 diabetes is constantly on the rise. Sodas, carbonated drinks, junk food, excessive amount of sweets are the first food items that you must quit. Consult your doctor about food supplements. Sometimes even if you eliminate all dangerous foods, there is still a risk for developing diabetes. Fortunately, there are many supplements, such as Chromium supplements, Green tea, anti-oxidants, acids, etc., which help to improve the insulin resistance and/or glucose control of your body. Some of these food supplements might have undesired effects, so do not self-prescribe them. Instead, ask a doctor to select the best assortment for you.
As you see, there is quite a lot you can do to keep diabetes away. It is true that you can't beat hereditary factors but still, there is a lot you can do to prevent diabetes. |
