If you have recently been diagnosed with Prediabetes, you probably have many questions and concerns. The experts at The American Diabetes Association provide these basic answers and the crucial next steps you can take to de-escalate your condition and reclaim your health.
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes is elevated blood glucose levels that are higher than normal rates, but not yet high enough to diagnose Diabetes. Most people who develop diabetes almost always have prediabetes first. Prediabetes is often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The condition is a warning sign that you need to make changes to your lifestyle and diet to avoid developing diabetes in the future.
But I Don’t Feel Different.
Because there are no clear symptoms of prediabetes, you may have it and not even know. Likewise, some people may suffer from symptoms of Type 2 diabetes and still only have prediabetes. Only a diabetes test can tell you whether or not your have the condition.
What Do I Do Now?
The best next steps for controlling your prediabetes are diet and exercise changes. Having prediabetes doesn’t automatically mean that you will develop Type 2 diabetes—you can make lifestyle changes that can help restore your glucose to more normal levels.
Research shows that you can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes by 58% by:
- Losing 7% of your body weight (or 15 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds)
- Exercising moderately (such as brisk walking) 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
The American Diabetes Association has great information on making healthy choices, including the basic question: “What Can I Eat?( LINK http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/?loc=ff-slabnav)
If you have prediabetes, you should be tested for Type 2 diabetes every one to two years.
If you have concerns about prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes, you should consult your doctor about testing.