Health Center - Diabetes
About eight percent of all Americans have diabetes, and the rate is increasing. Learn more about this prevalent and life-threatening disease, including common symptoms, how it affects your health, tips to manage it and prevent complications and ways to reduce your risk factors.
Diabetes Guide
12 Simple Ways to Fight Prediabetes
"There's a cascade of events (in your body) that starts to happen as you put on excess pounds. You disturb the body's normal means for keeping glucose in control," says Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, a nutritionist and author of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy (American Diabetes Association, 4th ed., 2010) and other books on diabetes.
When first told that you have prediabetes, Warshaw says, that's when "you can get the biggest bang for your efforts" by changing your diet and becoming more physically active.
"People have the notion that you need to lose a huge amount of weight and that is not what the research says," she notes. By losing just a modest amount through lifestyle changes, "you can reduce your glucose levels back to normal."
Taking action
Jennyvi moved quickly to beat her prediabetes by going to her doctor, a visit that also turned up a heart palpitation and high blood pressure. Yet the doctor was reassuring: lose the weight and you'll diminish or lose your health problems, he told her.
Seven months later, she's lost 30 pounds by changing her food choices and habits as well as increasing physical activity. She cut sugar and fats from her diet, eliminated midnight junk-food snacks and now joins her husband on daily walks with their energetic dog. "I don't consider it a diet. It's a life change for me," she says.
As a result, her blood sugar level has dropped well into the normal range, and she is no longer considered to be in the prediabetes range. "You get serious about it when your health is at stake," Jennyvi says.
Rhonda embarked on a plan to improve her eating and increase activity. She consulted with a nutritionist and became exercise buddies with a friend. Yet it hasn't been all smooth sailing. "The biggest thing I struggle with is my sweet tooth," she says. "How do you police yourself when you don't have any symptoms? You don't feel any different if you eat right or you don’t eat right. It's just something you have to decide to do."
After losing 10 pounds, dropping at least one clothing size and seeing her A1C test results improve, Rhonda regained a bit of weight during the holidays. She's now back on track, avoiding refined, low-fiber carbohydrates such as white rice and white potatoes and eating more salads, vegetables and nuts. "I feel I've got it under control," she says.
What helps
