Nursing
If you’re an accredited nursing practitioner who has completed an industry-recognized qualification like a nursing PhD online, you’ll no doubt already be aware that Prediabetes is astoundingly common in the US.
Indeed, 84 million Americans have Prediabetes today – and almost 80% of them don’t even know they have it. Why? It’s rare to display any observable symptoms when you have Prediabetes. Often, the only way to find out you even have it is to get your blood sugar levels checked.
If you do get diagnosed with Prediabetes, however, the good news is that you have a chance to reverse it – before it develops into full-blown Type 2 Diabetes.
Here’s how to do it.
What is Prediabetes?
Are your blood sugar levels higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes? You may have Prediabetes.
Other telling signs? While not always immediately obvious, Prediabetes is commonly characterized by symptoms like:
- Skin tags growing on various parts of the body.
- Darkened skin, especially in your armpits or around your neck.
- Vision changes or reduced eyesight.
Do you suspect that your Prediabetes may have developed into Type 2 Diabetes? You’ll likely be experiencing more heightened signals of the disease – including commonly occurring symptoms such as:
- Blurred vision.
- Increased thirst and hunger.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- A need to urinate more frequently.
- Extreme fatigue and exhaustion.
- Sores that are slow to heal.
- A tingling or numb sensation in the hands and feet.
The good news? If you’re eager to avoid having your Prediabetes develop into Type 2 Diabetes, you can take active steps to reverse it before it’s too late.
Tips to Reverse Prediabetes
Are you keen to salvage your health and reverse your Prediabetes before it worsens? There are active measures you can take to reverse Prediabetes naturally:
Clean Up Your Diet
If you want to avoid having your Prediabetes turn into full-blown Diabetes, you’ll need to clean up your diet. Fatty, fried, sugary, and processed food? Out. Instead, reach for healthier and more nourishing nutrition sources – especially those low in calories and fat. Some examples of healthier food choices include:
- Lean meats.
- Whole grains and beans.
- Healthy fats, like the ones found in oily fish and avocados.
- Lots of vegetables, especially the leafy green ones.
- Fruits that contain complex carbohydrates.
Regarding carbohydrates – if you’re set on bypassing Diabetes, you should most definitely consider consuming fewer carbs. Or at least, avoid processed and refined carbohydrates – like the ones found in cakes, pastries, pasta, and white bread. Instead, choose complex, unprocessed carb sources from fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
Another diet tip? Drink more water. Staying hydrated can help manage blood glucose levels. So, instead of reaching for that sugar-laden soda, try a glass of water instead.
Partake in Regular Physical Activity
Exercising regularly has a multitude of benefits, including reducing the risk of Prediabetes turning into Type 2 Diabetes. How? By increasing insulin sensitivity, physical activity can lower blood sugar levels. Don’t worry though, it doesn’t need to be anything too strenuous – regular activity as simple as a daily walk around the block can do wonders for your overall health.
Another benefit of frequent physical activity? Regular exercise can help us lose weight, which is another key component to minimizing the risk of developing Diabetes. Reducing the visceral fat around the waistline is especially important if you want to reverse Prediabetes, as having a smaller waistline can help improve insulin resistance while also lowering blood sugar levels.
Quit Your Smoking Habit
It should come as no surprise that smoking is extremely detrimental to our health. But smoking doesn’t just increase our likelihood of developing lung cancer and heart disease. It also negatively impacts our insulin resistance and can worsen our Prediabetes. Of course, for many of us, trying to quit our smoking habit is easier said than done. It may take far more than simply quitting cold turkey – you may need to try quitting aids like chewing gum, or even, seeking addiction therapy.
But, by quitting smoking – along with taking on the other tips we’ve outlined today – you can give yourself a fighting chance to kick your Prediabetes to the curb before it can get any worse.
