How to Control Prediabetes

According to the Center for Disease Control, around 7.8% of the United States population has diabetes. There is no cure for diabetes, but the disease can be managed, and it is oftentimes preventable. The American Heart Association estimates that nearly 60 million Americans have prediabetes, a condition that puts a person at high risk for contracting type 2 diabetes. Luckily, prediabetes can be controlled; in many cases, the early diabetic warning signs associated with prediabetes can even be completely reversed with proper treatment.

Things You'll Need

• Electronic glucose monitor

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Instructions

• 1

  Lose a modest amount weight. The American Diabetes Association explains that prediabetes is often treatable with the loss of between 5 to 10 percent of a person's total weight. However, to properly control prediabetes, you must lose weight responsibly through proper diet and exercise. The American Diabetes Association recommends simply walking 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week along with proper diet.

• 2

  Avoid sugary and fatty foods as part of a healthy diet. A diet of grains, vegetables and fruits will help curb your prediabetes when combined with exercise. Non-starchy vegetables are preferred over those with heavy starch. Additionally, keep in mind that whole grains are better for you than processed grains. Furthermore, you must not only cut down on fatty junk foods, but you must also trim fat out of other unconventional sources; the American Diabetes Association recommends drinking non-fat dairy and using lower-fat liquid cooking oils in order to cut fat from the often overlooked parts of your daily diet.

• 3

  Talk to your doctor about other risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These two factors can agitate your prediabetes and increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Dietary adjustment can usually correct modest cholesterol and blood pressure irregularities. Depending on how bad your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are, your doctor may also recommend medication.

• 4

  Limit tobacco and alcohol consumption. Smokers and heavy drinkers with prediabetes are more likely to develop full-blown diabetes than nonsmokers and nondrinkers.

• 5

  Test your glucose regularly using an electronic tester. This is especially important if you are over 45 and therefore at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Careful blood sugar monitoring will help somebody with prediabetes track glucose levels and keep tabs on the effectiveness of your prediabetes control. Tracking your glucose levels will let you know if your treatment regimen is working or not; if your glucose levels do not improve, consult a doctor to find out why your treatment is not working and what other methods you can try for regulating your blood sugar and controlling your prediabetes.