How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people in the United States. With type 2 diabetes, the body either doesn’t create enough insulin or can’t utilize insulin well (also known as insulin resistance). The good news is that diabetes is largely preventable. By making changes to your lifestyle and diet, you can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and lower the risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.

Risk Factors for Diabetes

Many Americans are currently at risk of developing diabetes due to a combination of their genetics and lifestyle. Some of the most common risk factors include:

Prediabetes, which is when you have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but they’re not high enough to be considered diabetes.
A family history of diabetes
Being overweight or obese
Being 45 years old or older
A history of gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
High blood pressure
Low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol or a high level of triglycerides
A sedentary lifestyle
Depression
A history of heart disease or stroke
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Smoking

Fortunately, if you currently have prediabetes or are otherwise at risk of developing diabetes, there are many steps you can take to reduce your risk and potentially prevent the disease from developing:

Lose Weight

Excess weight is one of the top causes of type 2 diabetes. Being overweight increases the chances of developing the disease by seven-fold, while being obese makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes as opposed to someone who is a healthy weight.

In addition, those who have prediabetes often carry excess weight around the midsection and abdominal organs (also known as visceral fat). Excessive visceral fat increases inflammation, as well as insulin resistance, which significantly increases the risk of developing diabetes.

If your weight is above the healthy range, losing 7-10% of your current weight can help you reduce the chance of developing diabetes in half. However, once you lose the weight, it’s important to make sure you don’t gain it back.

Cut Sugar, Refined Carbs, and Processed Foods from Your Diet

Many studies have shown a link between frequently eating sugar and refined carbs and higher occurrences of type 2 diabetes. An analysis of 37 studies found that those who had the highest intake of fast-digesting carbs were 40% more likely to develop diabetes than those on a low-carb diet.

When you eat sugar and refined carbs, the body breaks them down into small sugar molecules that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. The result is a rise in blood sugar, which causes the pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that helps to remove sugar from the bloodstream and promotes the absorption of sugars by the body’s cells.

With prediabetes, the body’s cells are resistant to insulin, so blood sugar levels remain high. The pancreas attempts to regulate blood sugar by producing more insulin. Over time, this can lead to progressively higher blood sugar levels and can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.

Following a low-carb diet has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar and insulin levels, and potentially reduce other risk factors that can lead to diabetes. With minimal carb intake, your blood sugar levels don’t rise as much after eating, which means your body needs less insulin to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level. Following a low-carb diet may also reduce fasting blood sugar.

Processed foods can also contribute to diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. One study found that people who ate a diet high in processed foods had an increased risk of diabetes by 30%. Focus on eating whole foods with health-protective benefits, like fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Exercise Regularly and Avoid Prolonged Sedentary Behavior

Studies have suggested that performing physical activity regularly may help prevent diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity. One study of those with prediabetes found that moderate-intensity exercise increased insulin sensitivity by 51%, while high-intensity exercise increased it by as much as 85%.

Working out more frequently also appears to improve insulin response and function, so it’s best to find an exercise you enjoy enough to perform regularly and that you can stick with long-term. Some examples of exercises you can perform include aerobic exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and strength training. However, if these types of exercise aren’t appealing to you, findings from several studies suggest walking briskly for a half-hour every day can also help reduce your risk for diabetes and improve cardiovascular health. Regardless of the activity you choose, aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.

Besides increasing your activity level, you should also aim to limit periods of inactivity (such as sitting at the computer or watching TV) by taking a few minutes to get up and move around every 30 minutes or so. Observational studies have consistently linked a sedentary lifestyle with a greatly increased risk of developing diabetes.

Choose Water as Your Primary Beverage

Many beverages are high in sugar, preservatives, and other additives that can be detrimental to your health. Beverages that are especially high in sugar, such as soda or punch, have been linked to not only type 2 diabetes but also latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). This is a form of type 1 diabetes that affects people who are over 18. Unlike the childhood form of type 1 diabetes, LADA develops slowly and requires more treatment as it progresses.

One observational study of 2,800 people found those who drank more than two servings of sugary beverages a day had a 99% increased risk of developing LADA and a 20% increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

In contrast, drinking water provides many health benefits, with several studies suggesting that increasing the amount of water you consume may lead to improved insulin response and blood sugar control.

Although water should be the primary beverage you consume, research suggests coffee and tea can also be helpful in preventing diabetes. Both beverages contain polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that is thought to help protect against the disease. Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant compound that reduces blood sugar release from the liver and increases insulin sensitivity. However, you should limit caffeine intake to no more than 1-2 cups a day.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is strongly associated with a long list of serious health conditions, including diabetes, emphysema, heart disease, and lung, prostate, breast, and digestive tract cancers. Some research also suggests that second-hand smoke can contribute to type 2 diabetes. Quitting smoking has been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetes over time.

Pay Attention to Portion Sizes

Regardless of the type of diet you choose, it’s important to avoid eating large portions of food, especially if your weight isn’t in a healthy range. Eating a large meal has been shown to increase insulin and blood sugar levels for those who are at risk of diabetes. In contrast, decreasing portion sizes may prevent this effect.

One two-year study of prediabetic men found those who cut their portion sizes down along with other healthy dietary changes saw a 46% lower risk of developing diabetes than the men who didn’t make any lifestyle changes.

Eat a High-Fiber Diet

Fiber is beneficial for gut health and weight management, and studies have shown that it can also help to keep insulin and blood sugars low for obese, elderly, and prediabetic people.

Fiber is divided into two types: soluble and insoluble. The difference between the two is that soluble fiber absorbs water, while insoluble fiber does not. When soluble fiber is ingested, it forms a gel along with the water in the digestive tract. This helps to slow down the rate of food absorption and contributes to a more gradual rise in blood sugar. Insoluble fiber has also been linked to lower blood sugar levels, although it’s unclear why.

Most unprocessed plant foods contain fiber, so increasing your intake of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables with each meal can be very beneficial in reducing your risk of diabetes.

Vitamin D

Increasing your intake of vitamin D-rich foods or taking a supplement may help prevent your risk of diabetes. Studies have found that those with low vitamin D levels have an increased risk of developing the disease. When people who are deficient in the vitamin take a supplement, the function of their insulin-producing cells improves, their blood sugar levels normalize, and their risk of diabetes goes down significantly.

Some good sources of vitamin D are cod liver oil and fatty fish, like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and trout. For those who have a deficiency, it may be necessary to take a supplement to achieve optimal vitamin D levels.

Get the Support You Need to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

If you’re currently at risk for diabetes or you have prediabetes, it’s important to understand that there are many steps you can take right now to prevent diabetes. Losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and increasing your activity levels are very effective in avoiding this serious health condition, as well as heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers.

However, it can feel difficult to know where to start or how to stay on track with your new lifestyle. If you’ve been struggling to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, contact Dr. Jennifer Hubert. Her customized medical weight loss plans have helped many diabetic patients reclaim their health. Dr. Hubert takes a holistic approach to weight loss, with behavior modification, nutritional counseling, medical monitoring, and other tools to help you meet your weight loss and health goals. Schedule your consultation today at (707) 575-8446.