What is Prediabetes?

According to the CDC, prediabetes is a very common disease, affecting 98 million American adults. It is the precursor to type 2 diabetes, and can lead to heart attacks or strokes. Prediabetes is higher than normal blood sugar levels but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. Also, the CDC predicts it is more common than previously thought, with many Americans not getting diagnosed with it.

There aren’t any obvious symptoms associated with prediabetes, which is why it goes undetected in most individuals until it is too late. If you think you have prediabetes, have a doctor run an insulin check. Being overweight, having a family member with type 2 diabetes, not being physically active at least three times a week, or having a history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome puts you at risk of the disease. Individuals over the age of 45 are also at a higher risk of developing prediabetes.

If you receive a diagnosis of prediabetes, you have ways to treat and even change the outcome, which is good news. Start with implementing a good diet and exercise program.

Some doctors might recommend the 7-day meal plan. Which is a great way to get your insulin under control, lose weight, and regain your health. It is a diet that focuses on healthy complex carbs, limits added sugars, limits carbs, and focuses on pairing carbohydrates with fat and protein..

The key to the 7-day meal plan is to cut out refined grains, ultra-processed foods, processed meats like pepperoni, sausage, bacon and hot dogs.

Perhaps the best diet to treat and eliminate prediabetes isn’t a diet at all, but a lifestyle change. On the internet it is called the Mediterranean diet, and you can find a lot of books that reference this diet, cook books and self-help books. But more than a diet, the Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle change that embraces fresh fruits and vegetables, no ultra-processed foods, and healthy meats. Essentially, think about what the people who live in the Mediterranean eat. These individuals live longer, healthier lives than most Americans, and it has a lot to do with what they eat and how their food is prepared.

The Mediterranean diet is also good to combat such issues as high blood pressure, heart problems, and other health-related issues.

If you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, it's important to follow the proper diet, which can go a long way in preventing or correcting it. But diet alone is not enough. You also need to incorporate some sort of exercise routine into your daily activities. It can be something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking further out in the parking lot and walking in. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise. It is completely free to begin, and doesn’t require a membership to a gym.

Once you have walked more, you can think about other forms of exercise try. Pick something that you would enjoy so that you stick with it. Take it slow, and remember to give yourself grace on the days when you didn’t exercise as much as you thought you should.

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, there is good news, unlike type 2 diabetes. You can recover. A change in diet and exercise, losing weight, and becoming more active can put you on the path to recovery and you can eventually beat prediabetes before it becomes type 2 diabetes.

For better and more thorough information I would reccomend looking at the

American Diabete's Association: WWW.ADM.ORG

The Mayo Clinic has a helpful site on Prediabetes

The book: Prediabetes Wake-Up Call: A Personal Road Map to Prevent Diabetes, was also very helpful for me.

I would also suggest a simple Amazon search for other titles.