According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. What’s more, over 80% of those with prediabetes don’t know they have it. This is the early stage of diabetes, when your blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be declared diabetes. But if you find out, you can prevent diabetes completely and live a healthy life. Read this article to learn everything you need to know about prediabetes. At Doral Health & Wellness, we have all the answers you need.
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes/Borderline Diabetes is a condition that affects blood sugar levels. It happens when your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes.
Risk Factors
The risk factors for prediabetes include:
- Being obese/overweight
- Being 45 years or older
- Having a family member (parent or sibling) with type 2 diabetes
- History of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) or giving birth to a baby heavier than 9 pounds
- Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Race and ethnicity (African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans are at higher risk).
Symptoms
You may have prediabetes if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Extreme thirst
- Increased hunger (especially after eating)
- Frequent trips to the restroom
- Frequent infections.
- Blurring of vision.
- Tingling or numbness in hands or feet.
- Extreme fatigue.
Some signs of Prediabetes may include excess fat around your abdomen (belly fat) and unusually dark skin on the neck or in the armpit.
Complications
- Prediabetes can lead to heart disease. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
- Prediabetes can cause a stroke. A stroke is a serious brain injury that occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or a blood vessel ruptures.
- Prediabetes puts you at greater risk for type 2 diabetes.
Care & Management
Weight reduction, regular exercise, and a healthy, nutritious diet can help you prevent prediabetes from becoming type 2 diabetes in the future.
- Eat a healthy diet based on a variety of foods, which includes fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Limit your intake of fats such as red meat, pork, high-fat dairy products, and processed meat products like hot dogs or bacon.
- Eat smaller portions of food at meals, rather than generous portions with fewer calories per serving (e.g., instead of eating two slices of bread with each meal, replace one slice with half an avocado).
- Avoid processed sugars.
- Avoid high-fat, fried fast foods.
- Exercise for 30 minutes a day.
- If you smoke, quit.
Prediabetes is often a precursor to type II diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, it’s crucial to keep an eye on any changes in your blood sugar levels, so that they don’t become more serious.
If your doctor has told you that you have prediabetes, they may have recommended certain lifestyle changes — but the best thing to do is make sure those changes stick!
- The first step is to ensure that whatever plan your doctor recommends works well with your schedule and daily routine (we know how hard it can be!).
- If something seems too time-consuming or expensive, think about other ways of cutting back on carbs while still enjoying delicious meals and snacks.
- You can consult if you should make changes to your physical activity or medication.
Feeling worried? We are here to ensure your prediabetes never turns into diabetes. Visit us at www.doralhw.org to get professional medical help that ensures you stay healthy and live your life to the fullest. Book your appointment now to take control of your health in your hands!!!!! If you need help, register your information and make direct contact with our doctors at https://yuz88hfiyh7.typeform.com/Doralintake. Or visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.
