What Is the Treatment for Prediabetes?

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 57 million Americans with prediabetes. A person is diagnosed with prediabetes if her fasting blood glucose is higher than 100 mg but lower than 126 mg. People can stop or slow the progression to full diabetes if they take action to reverse the condition quickly. This is important because damage to the body is already occurring during the prediabetes stage.

Diet

• Eat fewer carbohydrates to lower blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise faster and stay high longer, so cutting back will help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Exercise

• Develop a regular exercise routine. A person with prediabetes should exercise five days a week for 30 minutes each day.

Bad Habits

• Stop smoking to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, which are associated with prediabetes.

Medications

• Some people will benefit from medications to help control high blood sugar levels, along with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, which are additional conditions to which diabetics are prone.

Lifestyle

• Lose weight to treat prediabetes. Even a 10 percent weight loss is enough to lower blood sugar levels and improve prediabetes numbers.