Every year, the community of the American Diabetes Association celebrates American diabetes awareness month every November. Millions of people have diabetes, but there are ways to prevent it, especially during the early stage called prediabetes.
In this stage, people should be aware of their blood sugar levels, which is an important indication that they have the condition. The blood sugar of people with prediabetes is high but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Below are some information and tips on how to prevent prediabetes from developing into full-blown diabetes.
Insulin: Its Role And How It Works
Insulin plays a significant role in the metabolism of the body as it regulates both sugar and fat. The body depends on glucose for energy utilization, and it is insulin's job to adjust the glucose level to prevent the blood sugar from skyrocketing.
When a person eats, the levels of blood sugar also increases because the food contains glucose. The pancreas then goes to work and releases insulin in the blood, which travels throughout the body to make cells accept and absorb the glucose, which is then converted to energy.
Without insulin, the body will not be able to absorb glucose, and it will only stay in the blood and help regulate glucose levels in the blood. When glucose is absorbed by the cells, blood sugar levels come back to normal.
However, an imbalance of high glucose level and no insulin or if the body is unable to produce insulin in the blood could lead to diabetes.
Symptoms of Prediabetes
Studies suggest that prediabetes is the early stage of diabetes. Those who are noticing an increase in blood sugar levels than the normal is an indication of prediabetes, according to The Guardian Online.
Symptoms of prediat=betes include feeling hungrier than usual, losing some weight even when they eat more food, feeling thirstier than average, going to the bathroom many times a day, and feeling tired than usual.
These symptoms are all related to diabetes. Anyone experiencing it is in the early stage of diabetes. That means lifestyle changes are a must.
Causes And Risk Factors of Prediabetes
Some of the risk factors of prediabetes are overweight, lack of physical activity, gene transfer, and age. Overweight people have higher chances of developing prediabetes because they have more fat that is insulin resistant and does not transfer glucose, according to wawa-news.com.
Those who have more fat in the abdomen might develop prediabetes because of the fat cells. Besides, fat cells are increased when people lack physical activity, which could, later on, lead to diabetes.
On the other hand, even those who are not overweight could still develop the condition if they have any family members with the same disease. The gene for diabetes transfers from generation to generation, which could cause severe damage.
Age also matters when it comes to the risk of developing prediabetes because the body functions get weaker as it gets old. The risk of having diabetes is high when they cross the age of 45.
Preventing Prediabetes From Becoming Diabetes
Prediabetes is still the first stage of diabetes, which means that it can prevent diabetes. Doctors always recommend a change in lifestyle from those prediabetic individuals.
First, they should assess their food choices to maintain blood sugar levels. Healthy and fresh food should be included in every meal. Remember that meals play a critical role in maintaining blood sugar levels.
Also, physical activity is crucial because it will reduce the risk of developing diabetes. It also burns more glucose in the bloodstream because the body will be needing it to function. Lower glucose means a lower risk of diabetes.
Lastly, weight loss is a must so that the body will function properly, and the insulin and glucose transfer functions properly.
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