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Is Type 2 Diabetes Preventable? Yes!

Do you think that if you have a diabetes family history, you are sure to get diabetes at some phase of your life? While this stands true to some extent, it is not the case for every individual with a family history of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a medical condition that affects millions and trillions of people all across the globe. But, is type 2 diabetes preventable? Yes, type 2 diabetes can be prevented, but you need some high-end dedication and effort to ward off diabetes.

 

Also, prevention is mandatory if you are at a higher risk of accruing diabetes or are in a prediabetes condition. Making lifestyle changes and shedding excess weight can help you avoid the complications that diabetes brings along. Here in this guide, you will learn a few sure-fire ways that can help prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

 

Regular exercising

 

Inactiveness promotes diabetes; on the contrary, being physically active and practicing a regular exercise regime can help prevent type 2 diabetes. People who have a prediabetic condition are insulin resistant, due to which their pancreas produces more insulin to pump out sugar from the bloodstream to the cells. Exercises help in spiking the insulin sensitivity of your body cells, which means that a lesser amount of insulin is required to manage the blood sugar in your body.

 

Also, you are not required to perform high-end HIIT exercises or indulge in a hot, sweaty exercise session. Even the easiest of exercises, such as brisk walking and short workout sessions, can help in blood sugar management, which further helps in type 2 diabetes prevention.

 

Gain control over your weight

 

Obesity and being overweight are two major reasons that lead you to enter the diabetes club. If you are overweight, then it is more likely that you may fall prey to type 2 diabetes. Thus, it becomes mandatory for every individual whose body weight is above the normal range to adhere to a weight loss goal in order to stay at bay from diabetes.

 

Give up smoking

 

If you smoke a lot, then you need to know that smoking can also increase the risk of getting type 2 diabetes, besides the different health risks smoking poses for an individual. Thus, 'quit smoking' should be your motto if you wish to save yourself from falling prey to diabetes.

 

Eat healthily

 

Besides just exercising, you also need to keep a check on your plate about what you are eating. It is always a good idea to choose plant-based foods with enough minerals, fiber, and vitamins. This can help promote weight loss and also reduces the risks of accruing type 2 diabetes.

 

Following a fiber-rich type 2 diabetes diet also aids in lowering the blood sugar level and also improves your heart health and blood pressure. Implementing dietary changes in your life also requires you to take care of the number of carbs you include in your diet to prevent type 2 diabetes.

 

Drink a lot of water

 

Staying hydrated all the time is another key factor to control diabetes. Drinking water not only increases the insulin response but also helps you to curb your urge of consuming beverages and other sweetened drinks. Sugar beverages and sweetened fruit juices have high sugar content which can increase the risk of diabetes. Thus, avoiding such drinks and consuming water instead leads to better health and managing blood sugar levels.

 

Minimize fast foods and processed foods

 

Fast foods and processed foods are just a no-no for someone who is in a prediabetic stage and wishes to save themselves from the clutch of diabetes. Processed foods have high added sugar content, chemical preservatives, and unhealthy fats that push you forward to risks of accruing type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, removing all such foods from your diet can help in reducing the risks.

 

Start taking vitamin D supplements

 

It is believed that Vitamin D can help manage your blood sugar levels, and thus taking vitamin D supplements can help in maintaining optimal levels. But before you start using the supplements, make sure that you seek a doctor’s advice for the same. However, you can consider taking vitamin D naturally by staying exposed to the sun or eating fish and consuming cod liver oil that is power packed with Vitamin D content.

 

Overcome sedentary behaviour

 

A sedentary lifestyle involves a lot of sitting back, which increases the risk of developing diabetes. To get over such a habit, all you need to do is to make small efforts, such as getting up from your desk after every 30 minutes and taking a quick stroll for a few minutes. Also, you can consider wearing a fitness watch that lets you keep track of the number of step counts in a day and increase it to accomplish a count of 250 steps per hour. 

 

Moreover, simple practices such as taking the stairs instead of elevators and lifts, walking while talking over the phone, etc., can help you achieve your goal of getting over a sedentary lifestyle.

 

Conclusion

 

Type 2 diabetes is a widespread disease these days, and the number of people accruing this disease in always been on an increasing trend over quite a few years now. Also, type 2 diabetes is not just restricted to adults but has also made children and youth fall prey to it. Thus, it is imperative that you practice the simple preventive tips mentioned above to save yourselves from getting diabetic.

Medanta Medical Team
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