Yes! Even when you have risk factors for pre-diabetes, you can take steps to prevent the disease from happening. And if you already have pre-diabetes, these same actions can help keep it from becoming type 2 diabetes.
Be active. Walk more, take the stairs, park farther away from entrances and exits—these extra steps add up in your favor! The more activity you get, the more glucose your body will use, thereby keeping sugars from building up in your blood. If you are overweight- aim to lose 5% to 10% of your body weight. For a 200-pound man, for instance, that would be 10 to 20 pounds. A little bit makes a huge difference. Make healthier food choices. Start small like eating extra vegetables or fiber, while cutting back on fried food.
The specialists in our Diabetes and Nutrition will work with you to develop a diet around your specific needs.
It usually helps to write down what you are eating and drinking and your exercise and report to the provider or to the nutritionist.
In general:
Limit refined carbs: Rice, noodles, bread, potatoes, corn, sugar, honey, fruit juice, soda pop, cakes, cookies, and candy, and more than one cup of fruit per day. Replace all of these with organic vegetables other than potatoes and corn.
A goal for vegetable intake is 5-9 cups per day. Some of these cups might be in smoothies. Many people need to stop all fruit.
Look at packages of food. Bacon, for instance, may raise blood sugar if it has been soaked in sugar.
Do not limit healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil.
Many people are having success with the ketogenic diet. One resource to consider is: HealthfulPursuit.com
Drink 8 glasses of filtered water per day.
It is often helpful to avoid all grains and milk products because they are the source of most refined carbs, and are often genetically modified, and are frequent causes for inflammation.
Choose fish as an alternative to high-fat meats. Cod, tuna and halibut have less total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than red meat and poultry. Meanwhile, fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines and bluefish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health.
Don’t be afraid of ‘good’ fats from foods such as avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, or olives, as well as certain oils (canola, olive and peanut).
The following are supplements which can be helpful in controlling blood sugar and insulin level:
1. A multivitamin
2. Cinnamon
3. EGCG
4. Chromium
5. Alpha Lipoic Acid
6. Calcium / Magnesium supplement
7. Vitamin D3 with K2
8. Omega threes (unless you are on blood thinners)
9. Glucomannan
Of course, all of these should be reviewed by your provider to determine their appropriateness and safety before starting them.