People who get diagnosed with prediabetes can be in a state of shock and surprise. Prediabetes is characterized by abnormally high blood sugar (glucose) due to insulin resistance. This happens when the body doesn’t use insulin properly and is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
According to the doctors of Mayo Clinic, people suffering from prediabetes have a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
However, people must know that prediabetes always doesn't lead to type 2 diabetes, people can follow a few dietary changes to prevent type 2 diabetes. Here are a few tips that can help you prevent type 2 diabetes and maintain your blood sugar levels.
How Can Diet Affect Prediabetes Condition?
Various factors increase the risk of prediabetes, some of which include genetics, overweight, and lack of activity. What happens in prediabetes is that sugar from food builds up in your bloodstream since insulin can't get rid of the sugar from the blood.
People believe that carbohydrates are the culprit for prediabetes but it is a wrong belief. The amount and type of carbohydrates consumed influence blood sugar. Refined and processed carbohydrates that get digested easily are the leading cause of the spike in blood sugar levels.
When a person consumes more calories than required, they get stored as fat and this results in weight gain. Body fat, especially belly fat is linked to insulin resistance.
Portion Control
According to doctors at Mayo Clinic, portion control can help you maintain a low Glycemic Index (GI) diet which helps limit the amount of food that goes inside the body.
People often ignore this factor in diet and do not keep a tab on what and how much they eat. Another way to keep a look at your portions is by having a look at the food labels. The labels list calories, fat, carbohydrates, and other nutrition information for a single serving.
People have a misconception that eliminating carbohydrates can help maintain blood sugar levels. But the truth is eliminating carbs altogether isn’t necessary. Research proved that a lower carb diet (less than 40 percent) is linked to the same mortality risk as a high carbohydrate diet (more than 70 percent carbs).
According to the National Institutes of Health, 45 to 65 percent of calories comes from carbohydrates daily. Carbohydrate needs will differ from person to person depending on a person’s stature and activity level.
The best way to manage portions is by practicing mindful eating.
Increase Your Fiber Intake
Fiber has several benefits. It not only helps you feel fuller but adds bulk to your diet, making bowel movements easier. Since fiber increases the satiety levels thus it makes you cut down on your overeating habits.
They help you avoid the “crash” diet that further increases the blood sugar levels. Fiber-rich foods helps maintain the energy levels as well.
High fiber foods include beans and legumes, fruits and vegetables with edible skin, whole grain breads, whole grains (quinoa or barley), whole grain cereals, whole wheat pasta, etc.
Drink Alcohol In Moderation
Everyone has a different lifestyle and some people drink and smoke regularly. But if you are someone who has been diagnosed with prediabetes, you must keep a check on your alcohol intake.
Prediabetes patients must remember that moderation is the key to healthy lifestyle, be it in eating or drinking alcohol. This is because drinks can lead to dehydration and excess sugar in them can spike your blood sugar.
According to the PubMed, women should have one drink per day, while men should not have more than two drinks per day.
Drink More Water
Dehydration is not the good scenario for prediabetics. Drinking water helps rehydrate the blood while the body tries to remove excess glucose through urine.
If you are not hydrated enough, the body will begin to draw water from other sources, such as saliva and tears. Moreover, dehydration does not allow excess glucose to be passed out of the body through urine, leading to further dehydration.
Prediabetics need more fluid when blood glucose levels are high so that the kidneys are able to excrete excess sugar through urine. Moreover, water does not raise the blood sugar levels and enables more glucose to be flushed out of the blood.
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