How Can You Prevent Diabetes?

Diabetes increases the risk of various other health complications. Making a few healthy lifestyle changes can help prevent the onset of diabetes. It is critical to take proper preventive measures if you are at a higher risk of developing diabetes due to a family history of diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and obesity or overweight. You may visit a family clinic Nashville to help in the prevention and management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. In addition, this blog will also share a few helpful tips for diabetes prevention.

5 Tips to Prevent Diabetes

The following tips can help you prevent diabetes and other serious health complications associated with this condition, such as heart ailment, nerve, kidney damage, etc. Let's discuss them further.

Managing healthy weight

Obesity or overweight increases the risk of diabetes. Hence, health experts recommend keeping your body weight in check to prevent diabetes. You can consult your healthcare professionals to understand your ideal body weight. Accordingly, take steps to manage your body weight within a healthy range.

Participate in physical activities

Regular physical activities help lose weight, reduce blood sugar, and improve insulin sensitivity to maintain blood glucose levels within a healthy range. The following exercises can help you stay healthy, keep your body weight in check, and offer other health benefits, including reducing the risk of diabetes.

• Aerobic exercise - These exercises include brisk walking, running, swimming, biking, etc. You must get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercises regularly.
• Resistance exercise - These exercises help build strength and balance and lead an active life. 

Moreover, you should also take breaks between your work. For example, if your job involves sitting or standing for a long time, take a break to walk around a little or do some light activities.

Eat healthy plant foods

Plants are a rich source of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the primary energy sources of our body, and they also include fibers. Our body cannot digest or absorb this dietary fiber. Therefore, they help promote weight loss and reduce the risk of diabetes. Fiber-rich foods include whole grains, legumes, leafy green, fruits, etc. 

Fibers help reduce sugar absorption and lower blood sugar levels. They also help manage other risk factors that can affect your heart health, such as inflammation and blood pressure.

Eat healthy fats

Unsaturated fats promote healthy cholesterol levels in the blood and are suitable for your heart and vascular health. Sources of these healthy fats are nuts and seeds, fatty fish, olive and sunflower oils, etc. You may also consult your healthcare professionals to understand what other food items you should include in your diet to stay healthy and prevent diabetes.

Make a healthy diet choice 

Fad diets such as paleo, keto, or glycemic index might help lose body weight. However, there is insufficient evidence supporting whether these diets can help prevent diabetes.

Your dietary goal should be to manage healthy body weight. Therefore, you need to make healthy nutritional choices throughout your life to stay healthy and prevent diabetes.

Takeaway

The American Diabetes Association recommends that adults 45 years and older get routine screening for Type 2 diabetes. Besides, regular diabetes screening is also essential for adults in the following groups.

• Obese or overweight adults with one or more risk factors associated with diabetes.
• Women with gestational diabetes
• Obese or overweight children with a family history of Type 2 diabetes or other risk factors.

Therefore, with regular diabetes screening and following the tips mentioned above, you can prevent diabetes to a great extent. Visit your healthcare clinic for diabetes and other chronic disease prevention Nashville.