Seven Habits for Diabetes Prevention

Diabetes is a disease that affects people of all ages. It occurs when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or the body cannot utilize it properly. Juvenile or Type 1 diabetes often develops in young adults or children. However, Type 2 diabetes is avoidable; by adopting the right diabetes prevention habits and taking a few precautions, you can turn the table around.

Prediabetes is a critical stage where warning bells ring—it’s the point in life when adopting diabetes prevention habits becomes essential. The journey from prediabetes to developing type 2 diabetes is not inevitable. By making proper lifestyle changes and diet modifications, you can significantly reduce the risk.

This article explores seven effective diabetes prevention habits that can help you stay healthy and improve your overall well-being.

Importance Of Diabetes Prevention

It’s necessary to take all the measures possible to prevent Diabetes as this is a serious chronic health condition leading to severe complications such as renal failure, heart disease, blindness, and stroke. Maintaining sugar levels in the optimal range can help you prevent such serious consequences. 

Seven Habits For Diabetes Prevention

Habit 1: Hustle Up & Muscle Up:

Keeping yourself active and exercising regularly can help you stay healthy mentally and physically. Twenty minutes of daily physical activity, such as brisk walking, jogging, and aerobic exercise, can help you maintain blood sugar levels. 

Daily exercise for 20 mins or 150 mins per week can help you prevent Diabetes by:

• Reducing body weight
• Increases sensitivity to Insulin, which Insulin controls your sugar levels
• Decreases blood sugar level 

Habit 2: Watch those carbs:

Carbohydrates are the body’s source of energy. They break down into small sugar molecules, which are absorbed into the bloodstream. To compensate for these high sugar levels in the blood, the pancreas releases Insulin. This hormone helps transport sugar from the bloodstream to the cells. 

People with prediabetes are more prone to type 2 diabetes. With regular carbohydrates in the diet, pre-diabetics end up developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, choosing a high-fiber diet or a diet with low-carb intake can help in preventing the development of Diabetes.

Now that you have understood the reason behind developing Diabetes, it’s wise to know how to change your diet to help prevent it. Include non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, whole grains, and legumes; they are digested more slowly. Foods such as white bread, maida-based products, pasta, and processed rice have a high glycemic index and tend to raise blood sugar levels rapidly, followed by a quick drop. 

Habit 3: Limit Your Proportion:

Portion control your meals for effective calorie control and reduced sugar levels. Overeating at a time can drastically increase sugar levels. Limit your portions, eat at intervals, and reduce your weight.

Guidelines for preventing Diabetes have also described portion control as a beneficial way to reduce weight and control blood sugar levels. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5998736

Follow a diet plan and maintain a portion-controlled routine; this will help you reduce extra body fat, decreasing your chances of developing Diabetes.

Habit 4: Drink Water

Keeping yourself hydrated helps you limit the intake of sugary beverages. People who consume carbonated drinks and sweetened fruity juices are at higher risk of developing Diabetes. 

Drink plenty of water to control your blood sugar and improve insulin response. 

Habit 5: Stress Management

Chronic stress has a negative impact on your body, leading to Diabetes and other health issues. Maintain your stress levels by incorporating stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, and spending time at serene places close to nature.

Take time for yourself, and engage in activities that help you relax. Developing resilience to stress can significantly protect your health and reduce your risk of Diabetes.

Habit 6: Quit Smoking.

Insulin resistance is increased by tobacco, increasing the incidence of Diabetes in smokers. Smokers are 50% more prone to develop Diabetes as compared to non-smokers, and the risk is even higher in heavy smokers. 

An interesting study conducted on 53,000 Japanese adults showed that the diabetes risk decreased over time after cessation of smoking. If you have quit smoking for ten years, the risk is minimized, and it’s the same as it is for non-smokers. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26200457

Habit 7: Avoid Processed Food

Highly processed foods contain added sugars, chemical preservatives, and unhealthy fats. Examples include chips, frozen food, sodas, and candy bars.

Observational Research conducted at Harvard University shows that people consuming processed food are at increased risk of developing Diabetes. 

Lowering your intake of highly processed food improves an individual’s overall health. 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/heavily-processed-foods-tied-to-diabetes

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Diabetes is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition, but it is also largely preventable through lifestyle modifications and healthy habits. Incorporating these seven essential habits into your daily routine can significantly reduce your risk of developing Diabetes and enjoy better health and vitality in the long run. Remember that prevention is always better than cure, so take charge of your health today and invest in a healthier tomorrow. Your future self will thank you for it.