|  | Conditions Treatments | Diabetes

Diabetes Mellitus Prevention

Diabetes mellitus causes blood sugar to be high, putting the affected person at higher risk for heart disease, kidney failure and many other health conditions. While type 1 diabetes is usually inherited and not preventable, there are concrete measures that can be taken to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes in many individuals.

  1. Check for Pre-Diabetes

    • Most people develop pre-diabetes before developing type 2 diabetes. Visit your doctor to have a glucose challenge and insulin-level test done. Your physician will usually ask you to fast and then visit the lab for your blood to be drawn. You might also be required to drink a sugary drink and have your blood sugar levels redrawn an hour or two later.

    Maintain Healthy Weight

    • Carrying excess weight places you at higher risk for diabetes. If you are overweight, try to reduce your weight through diet and exercise. Avoid participating in crash diets that may result in gaining the weight back. Instead, focus on making gradual lifestyle changes that will result in lifelong maintenance of a healthy weight.

    Follow a Healthy Diet

    • The American Diabetes Association has published their own dietary recommendations for preventing and managing diabetes. These recommendations are different from the usual food pyramid, in that they are lower in carbohydrates and include more fruits and vegetables. Balancing your carbohydrates with proteins and produce will help you to keep your blood sugar, weight and other health concerns under control.

    Exercise

    • Make sure to include exercise into your daily routine. Many people find that exercising for 30 minutes to an hour each day is very manageable, especially if it's broken up into smaller chunks of time. For instance, exercising for ten minutes after each meal will add up to thirty minutes of exercise each day, yet your schedule probably won't even feel the pinch. Stick with activities that you enjoy and that are convenient. Many people find that walking is a great exercise because it can be done anywhere, anytime, alone or with others, and without any special equipment. Finding something that is accessible and enjoyable will help to ensure that you stick with your exercise routine and help to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes - Related Articles