Type 2 diabetes doesn’t just happen overnight. It often gives you a heads up in the form of a sneakier stage called prediabetes. The good news? This is your chance to make some changes and stop type 2 diabetes in its tracks. This blog post will go over what prediabetes is, how it’s diagnosed, and how it can be reversed, especially through your nutrition habits.
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not quite at the diabetes level. It usually comes from some food choices and not moving around enough, making your body resistant to insulin. If you want to dive deeper into this, check out our recent blog post on insulin resistance.
Here’s a big eye-opener—half of the folks with prediabetes end up with type 2 diabetes. But, you can avoid or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and related health conditions like heart disease, nerve trouble, and strokes, by making some lifestyle tweaks.
Recognizing the Warning Signs
Pay attention to your body. If you’re feeling uncomfortable after eating, more tired than usual, having trouble with your vision, always hungry, or experiencing tingling in your hands or feet, those could be signs.
Why Testing Matters
Sadly, many miss the early signs because regular checkups for routine preventative care often skip testing blood sugar levels. There are two common tests your doctor might use: the hemoglobin A1C and fasting blood glucose.
- Hemoglobin A1C levels:
- Normal: Less than 5.7%
- Prediabetes: 5.7% – 6.4%
- Diabetes: 6.5% or more
- Fasting blood glucose levels:
- Normal: Less than 100 mg/dl
- Prediabetes: 100-125 mg/dl
Can You Reverse Prediabetes?
You’ve got the power to turn things around. It starts with changes in what you eat and how you move to lower the risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
A healthy diet includes having a balanced consumption of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein, while also taking fiber and vegetable intake into account. Let’s dive in a little deeper.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the main macronutrient that has an effect on hemoglobin A1C. Having a high intake of foods with a high glycemic index increases the risk of developing diabetes. Glycemic index is a ranking system of carbohydrate foods that includes a number, referring to the speed at which your body is converting carbohydrates into blood sugar.
- Foods with a low glycemic index have a score of 55 or less. Examples are green vegetables, fruits, and beans.
- Foods with a high glycemic index have a score of 70 or greater. Examples are white rice, white bread, and potatoes.
- Choose foods with a low score (55 or less), like veggies, fruits, and beans more often.
Fiber
Eating fiber helps to manage blood sugar levels by slowing the digestion of food, slowing the movement of sugar into the bloodstream. It’s recommended to have:
- 21-25 grams per day for women
- 30-38 grams per day for men
Healthy Fats
Another important component in dietary adjustment is healthy fats. The American Diabetes Association recommends consuming more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and less saturated and trans fats. Choosing healthy fats helps to reduce the consequences of this disease. Examples of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats that you should choose more often are:
- Olive oil
- Nuts
- Avocados
- Fish
- Flax seed
While examples of trans and saturated fats are:
- Butter
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Cheese
- Fried foods
Protein
Protein has a huge influence on blood sugar levels. Pairing a protein food with a carbohydrate food helps to manage blood sugar levels by weakening the absorption of carbohydrates or sugar. Examples of protein-carbohydrate snacks include:
- Nuts and dried fruit
- Cottage cheese and toast
- Yogurt with berries
- Peanut butter on toast
Vegetables
Including vegetables in meals is a crucial element when aiming for an overall healthier eating pattern. Choosing non-starchy vegetables, like greens, peppers, and asparagus, over starchy vegetables, like potatoes, peas, and corn, reduces your intake of high-glycemic index foods.
Physical Activity for Prediabetes
Incorporating physical activity into your day can lower blood sugar levels as our muscles use this sugar as energy during exercise. Aerobic exercise is recommended to keep your heart pumping. These types of exercises include running, walking, swimming, and cycling.
The Bottom Line
Don’t ignore the warning signs. Start making changes today to avoid type 2 diabetes. Load up on good foods, manage your blood sugar, and incorporate movement into your day. If you suspect prediabetes, talk to your doctor to get your blood sugar tested and consider teaming up with a dietitian for a plan that fits you and your lifestyle. We can work together to create a personalized plan and give you tips on how to improve your blood sugars and symptoms. Reach out on our contact page if you need more info. If you’ve been diagnosed, we also have the perfect online course to get you up to speed on diabetes and how to best manage your health.
