Yes, lying on the couch, indulging on some of your favorite junk food, seems like a wonderful idea. But watch out!
your favorite indulgences may not only cost you your waistline but may also bring you closer to a ticking time bomb called prediabetes. Prediabetes literally means ‘before diabetes,’ and people often tend to ignore it, thinking, “I don’t have diabetes yet, so why worry?” But in reality, in prediabetes, your blood sugar levels are higher than normal and now there is just a thin line separating you and prediabetes type 2 diabetes. In other words, prediabetes should be considered a warning sign that type 2 diabetes is just around the corner, and that it is time to buck up.
Now for some good news: prediabetes is a reversible condition! Incorporation of a few lifestyle changes, such as eating healthy foods, regular physical activity, and maintenance of a healthy weight, will ensure that you are well on your way back to normal blood sugar levels. So how do you know whether you have prediabetes? Unfortunately, the only sure-shot way of knowing this is getting your blood sugar levels tested.
However, what you do want to know is whether you come under the prediabetes risk category, which includes: being overweight, or having a non-active lifestyle or a family member with diabetes. Also, sometimes your body might give you certain clues, such increased thirst or hunger, extreme tiredness, blurred vision, or even tingling/pain in the hands or feet. Don’t ignore these signs, especially if you are at a higher risk.
Luckily there are some easy steps to ward off prediabetes or even reverse its effects. People often panic when they hear the words ‘lifestyle change.’, but it need not be drastic. A mere 30-minute walk five times a week and a modest weight loss of 7% (for example losing 6 kg if you weigh 90 kg) will steer you away from the serious health complications of type 2 diabetes, including kidney failure, nerve damage, blindness, and reduced quality of life. So don’t be in denial; take control of prediabetes now to ensure that you are on the right path to maintaining a diabetes-free life.
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