IF YOU ARE OVER 45, weigh more than you should, exercise
less than three times a week, and have a family history of
diabetes, you could be at risk for pre–diabetes, a condition
that afflicts an estimated 54 million Americans. Luckily you
can avoid it if you lose weight and get moving.
WHAT IS PRE–DIABETES? When you have pre–diabetes,
your levels of blood glucose (the sugar used by the body as
energy) are consistently higher than normal. This can lead
to type 2 diabetes, when the body either becomes unreceptive
to insulin, which converts glucose to energy, or stops
producing it altogether. Few, if any, symptoms manifest,
says Gillian Arathuzik, R.D., of the Joslin Diabetes Center in
Boston. "You may feel tired, but that's about it,– she says.
HOW TO GET TESTED Assess your risk at diabetes.org. If it's
high, ask your doctor for a blood glucose test.
LOSE WEIGHT One large National Institutes of Health
study found that losing 5 to 7 percent of your body weight
through diet and exercise lowered the likelihood of getting
diabetes by 58 percent; those who used medication saw
their risk reduced by 31 percent. Try these tactics:
Use smaller plates and serving utensils.
Eat fewer carbohydrates. Since most carbs are quickly
converted to glucose in the body, you should reduce your
intake to between 45 and 60 grams per meal. At 45 grams,
a breakfast might look like a cup of oatmeal, half a cup of
skim milk, and a tablespoon of raisins.
Choose more high fiber carbohydrates. Researchers have
shown that fiber–rich foods (whole wheat pasta and bread,
high fiber cereals, beans, lentils, fruits with skins and seeds,
and potatoes with skin) can help manage blood glucose.
EXERCISE MORE Increase your activity level to 30 minutes
every other day with a mix of aerobic exercise (swimming,
cycling, rowing, walking) and strength training (lifting
weights). "More research suggests that strength training
plays a big role in fighting insulin resistance," says
Arathuzik.
Copyright 2008 Natural Health
