Steps to Take for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that affects around 34.2 million (10.5%) adults in the United States. The symptoms develop gradually; left untreated, complications from diabetes can be disabling or life-threatening. Fortunately, pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes are largely preventable with healthy lifestyle changes.
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it means your body has difficulty regulating and using glucose (sugar) as fuel. Glucose is the main source of energy for your cells; insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move glucose to the cells in your body. With type 2 diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, and the cells have trouble responding to it. This causes the glucose to stay in your blood, essentially starving your cells. Over time, this can also cause circulatory, immune, and nervous system disorders.
Although type 2 diabetes is more common in adults, rising childhood obesity levels have led to more cases of the disease in younger people. Type 2 diabetes can’t be cured, but taking steps to lose weight, increase your activity level, and eat a healthy diet can help you manage it. If caught early enough, healthy lifestyle changes can prevent, delay, or even reverse the disease.
Am I at Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes?
Risk factors that can increase your chances of developing type 2 diabetes include:
- Having prediabetes
- Being over the age of 45
- Being overweight or obese
- A family history of the disease
- High blood pressure
- Low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol or high triglycerides
- A history of gestational diabetes while you were pregnant
- A sedentary lifestyle
- A history of heart disease or stroke
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Smoking
- Being of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander, or Asian American heritage
- Areas of thick, darkened skin near your neck and armpits, which indicate insulin resistance
If you’re at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, it’s important to focus on making healthy lifestyle changes. Not only can this prevent the disease, but it can also help prevent other serious health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and some types of cancer.
How to Prevent or Delay Type 2 Diabetes
Here are some steps you can take to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. If these changes feel overwhelming, try taking on one step at a time.
Lose Weight
Losing even a small amount of weight has been shown to be incredibly beneficial in reducing the risk of diabetes. One large study found that people who lost 7% of their body weight had their risk decrease by nearly 60%. Once you lose the weight, make sure to keep it off.
Increase Your Physical Activity
Regular exercise can help you lose weight, lower your blood sugar, and increase your body’s insulin sensitivity. Aim for getting at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, like swimming, brisk walks, running, or biking. If you have a sedentary job, break up periods of inactivity by taking a few minutes to stand or walk around every 30 minutes.
Eat Healthy, Fiber-Rich Plant Foods
Plant foods contain a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, starches, sugars, and fiber. Fiber-rich foods, in particular, aid weight loss; they also reduce the risk of diabetes by lowering blood sugar, slowing the absorption of sugars, and restricting the absorption of dietary fats and cholesterol.
Try to incorporate more of these foods into your diet:
- Whole fruit
- Non-starchy vegetables, like broccoli, leafy greens, and cauliflower
- Legumes
- Whole grains
While you should try to eat a variety of foods from each food group, it’s best to limit red and processed meats. Instead, eat lean meat like fish or chicken.
Reduce Your Total Carbohydrate Intake
When it comes to carbs, quality and quantity matter. Many studies have shown a correlation between frequently eating refined carbs and sugary foods. While all carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin, refined carbs are digested faster—which gives them a more immediate impact on blood sugar and causes it to raise quicker.
However, it’s still important to manage your overall carb intake, rather than focusing on limiting refined carbs or foods with added sugars like bread, pasta, sweetened cereal, soda, and candy. One easy way to reduce your sugar intake is to replace sugary beverages like juice or sodas with water.
Eat Healthy Fats
Dietary fat is part of a healthy diet, but since it’s high in calories it should always be eaten in moderation. Focus on eating “good” unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), which will help promote healthy cholesterol levels. Some examples of good fats include:
- Olive, canola, sunflower, safflower, and cottonseed oils
- Fatty fish, like tuna, cod, salmon, and mackerel
- Seeds and nuts, such as flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and peanuts
Trans fats should always be avoided; limit your intake of saturated fats by switching to low-fat dairy products and lean meats.
Reduce Your Portion Sizes
Eating too much food in one sitting has been shown to raise blood sugar and insulin levels, particularly in people who are more at risk of developing diabetes. One easy way to manage your portion sizes and have a balanced meal is to divide your plate in the following way:
- ½ plate of non-starchy vegetables
- ¼ plate of complex carbs, such as fruit or whole grains
- ¼ plate of lean protein
If you eating at a restaurant with large portion sizes, ask for half a portion or eat an appetizer as your main course. When you need a snack, put the amount of food you want in a separate bowl instead of eating straight from the bag or box.
Quit Smoking
If you smoke, you should quit. Not only is smoking linked to type 2 diabetes, but it can also cause or contribute to other serious health conditions. Although it’s not fully understood how smoking contributes to the risk of diabetes, it’s thought that it may increase insulin resistance and prevent insulin secretion. The more frequently you smoke, the higher the risk. However, one study found that the risk of diabetes decreases over time after stopping.
Professional Support for Diabetes Prevention
Whether you’re currently at risk for diabetes, have prediabetes, or you want to be proactive with your health, there are many steps you can take to prevent the disease. Making healthy lifestyle choices like losing weight, eating plant-based and fiber-rich foods, and exercising are very effective—and they can also prevent other serious health conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers.
If you’re not sure where to start, or you’d like additional support on your journey, Dr. Jennifer Hubert offers personalized medical weight loss plans to help you stay on track and reach your goals. Dr. Hubert takes a holistic approach to your health, incorporating nutritional counseling, behavior modification, and medical monitoring. Her customized weight loss plans have helped countless patients in Santa Rosa regain their health. For more information, schedule a consultation at Dr. Hubert’s office today by calling (707) 575-THIN (8446).