Could You Be Among the Millions Who are Pre-diabetic and Don't Know it?
More than one out of every three adults in this country has prediabetes, which means they are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They are also at risk of suffering from heart disease or a stroke. It is imperative that adults who are at risk of prediabetes make lifestyle changes that can help them prevent becoming diabetic.
One of the best things that you can do if you are showing any signs of prediabetes is to seek out medical care so that you have the information you need about your condition. Having a customized treatment plan, which takes the specifics of your case into account, is beneficial.
Risk factors for prediabetes
There are many different things that can point to the possibility that a person might suffer from prediabetes. Anyone who has any of these should be closely monitored for the condition.
- Having a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at birth
- Having gestational diabetes
- Having a brother, sister or parent with type 2 diabetes
- Living a sedentary life with activity less than three times per week
- Being African-American, Asian-American, American Indian, Latino-American or Hispanic-American
- Being at least 45 years old
- Being overweight
- Being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome
Lifestyle changes are necessary
In order to prevent yourself from ending up with type 2 diabetes, you need to take an honest look at your life and determine what changes will improve your health. This is best done with the help of Dr. Kimberly Bolling, who can work with you to ensure that you are living your best life.
One important thing to do is to get control over your weight. Even being slightly overweight can increase the chance of your having prediabetes. A 5 to 7 percent loss of your overall body weight will reap benefits.
In order to do this and improve your health overall, you need to eat a healthy diet that is low in saturated fats and sugar. Keeping control of your calorie count can also help you if you do need to lose weight.
You should also get plenty of exercise. At a minimum, you need to exercise for 150 minutes per week. This averages out to only 30 minutes on five days per week. This doesn’t have to be all at once. You can split it up into smaller chunks that are easy to work into your daily schedule. Take a walk during your breaks at work or exercise during commercials during a television show.
Being diagnosed with prediabetes
Around 90 percent of adults who have prediabetes don’t know that they have a problem. All adults should be evaluated for this possibility since it can strike without warning or symptoms. A simple blood test is all it takes for the evaluation. This enables the doctor to get your blood sugar reading. If it seems high, you might be instructed to take other tests.
Finding out that you have prediabetes is a call to make some serious changes in your life. Contact our office to make an appointment, so you can get your journey toward health started.