Diabetes Prevention & Management
American Diabetes Month is the perfect time to renew your plan to prevent or manage diabetes more successfully. The first step is making sure you get reliable information to set yourself on a healthy course in the months ahead. We have all the tips, tools and tactics you’ll need to learn to manage your diabetes and prevent further health problems.
How to Prevent Diabetes
Several actions you can take to help prevent diabetes are listed below. These include lifestyle changes that are good for your overall health and specifically effective at maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, the primary precursor of diabetes. They include eating fewer processed foods and more whole foods, being physically active every day, and maintaining a healthy weight.
#1: Lose Extra Weight
You may be able to reduce your risk of diabetes by more than half by losing the extra weight you carry.
Set a weight-loss goal based on your current body weight. Talk to your doctor about reasonable short-term goals and expectations, such as losing one to two pounds a week.
#2: Be More Physically Active
Regular physical activity can help you lose weight, lower your blood sugar and boost your sensitivity to insulin which helps keep your blood sugar in a normal range.
#3: Eat Healthy Plant Foods
Fiber-rich plant foods like many fruits, vegetables and whole grains promote weight loss because they are more filling and rich in energy. This helps you avoid “bad carbohydrates,” such as white bread and pastries, pasta made from white flour, fruit juices and processed foods high in sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
#4: Eat Healthy Fats
To help you lose and manage weight, your diet should include unsaturated fats—so-called “good fats”—which promote healthy blood cholesterol levels and good heart and vascular health. Sources of good fats include various oils, nuts, seeds and fish. Try to moderate your intake of saturated fats found in certain dairy products and meats.
#5: Skip Fad Diets & Make Healthier Choices
Fad diets may help you lose weight in the short-term, but little is known about their long-term benefits or their role in preventing diabetes. Healthy dietary decisions should include a strategy you can maintain as a lifelong habit. Making healthy decisions that reflect your personal preferences for food and traditions may be beneficial over time.
