5 Ways to Manage Prediabetes and Diabetes
Kick Off the Extra Weight
Extra weight can cause insulin resistance, so losing weight helps insulin work properly. As you lose weight and become more active, your diabetes medications may need adjustment, like reducing insulin doses. Needing less medication can motivate weight loss.
For type 1 diabetes, losing weight reduces complications and insulin needs but does not cause the disease. For type 2 diabetes, losing just 5% of body weight has health benefits. Losing 15kg or more, especially quickly after diagnosis, can put type 2 diabetes into remission, eliminating the need for medication completely. Weight loss is beneficial for diabetes management regardless of speed.
Become More Physically Active
Physical activities can help you with losing weight, lower your blood pressure, as well as, make you more sensitive to insulin. This aids in keeping your blood sugar level within a normal range.
You can start with 30 minutes of aerobic exercises. Start with brisk walking, and gradually move towards biking or running, or even swimming. Set your weekly goal for at least 150 minutes per week.
If you want something more intense and fast-acting, you can go for Resistance Training, such as weightlifting, yoga, etc. The good thing is that you need to do them 2-3 times a week. Besides helping with diabetes management, resistance exercises also help in increasing your strength, and balance.
If you are not in a position to do either of the above, you can simply start by breaking your long-time inactivity by doing simple tasks. For instance, you must avoid sitting a long time at your computer, and try to get up from the chair as much as you can. Spend a couple of minutes after you stand up, walk around or do some light activity at least a couple of times every hour.
Eat Plant-Based Foods
Plant-based foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Carbs are the energy source of your body that contains sugars, starches, and dietary fibres. Since fibres are not digestible, or absorbed in your body, they are expelled from your body in their full form. That means you won’t gain any calories, yet you will feel full for a long time. That’s why fiber-rich foods are mostly used for weight loss, and managing diabetes.
Fibers also help in slowing down the absorption of sugars, cholesterol, and dietary fat. It further aids in managing risks associated with heart health such as blood pressure and inflammation.
Foods good for diabetes include fruits from trees, tomatoes, peppers, leafy green vegetables, cauliflowers, beans, dal or lentils, chickpeas, roti, whole oats, quinoa, and other whole grains.
Eat Healthy Fats
Foods high in fat come with higher amounts of calories. This is why, you must eat them in controlled amounts. However, you also need unsaturated fats aka good fats in your system. Unsaturated fats can be subdivided into monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. These fats promote healthy blood cholesterol levels, leading to better heart and vascular health.
Sources of good fats include olive oil, safflower oil, almonds, peanuts, and mustard. Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and cod are also great sources of healthy fats. Meanwhile, try to avoid bad fats or saturated fats that come from dairy products and meats. You can try low-fat dairy products or lean chicken or turkey meat.
Follow a Balanced Diet Instead of Fad Ones
You will find ample fad diets like keto, glycemic index, paleo and more. Although these diets help you lose weight, there is no strong research that associated them with long-term benefits in preventing diabetes.
You should aim to lose weight, and then follow a healthy diet plan to maintain that weight. For this, you need to follow a strategy and may need a certified diabetologist or nutritionist in Bhubaneswar at BCure.
Conclusion
Effective management of diabetes and prediabetes involves a multifaceted approach that includes lifestyle modifications and proactive healthcare strategies. Incorporating regular physical activity, such as low-impact exercises and goal-setting, is crucial for improving blood glucose control and overall well-being.
