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Avoid Diabetes With These Simple Tips
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If you thought of diabetes in the same way you did a cold, the statistics would be frightening. In fact, you could even say that diabetes is spreading at an alarming rate across our population. Recent studies have suggested that nearly 100 million people are at risk for developing diabetes in the lifetime.
With so many people afflicted with this condition, wouldn’t it be nice to know if there are steps you could take to reduce your chance of getting the disease? Well, the good news is that you can reduce your risk of ending up with diabetes just by making some changes to your lifestyle.
Understanding Diabetes
In the past, diabetes was largely thought to be a product of sugar in the body and the body’s ability or inability to regulate the levels of sugar. The real indicator of diabetes is insulin and how well it processes the sugar in your blood stream. Really, however, this is an oversimplification of the process, because insulin is dependent on other factors including leptin and ghrelin. When these three combine in a dysfunctional trifecta, diabetes will be present in the patient.
Of course, these three elements alone don’t put you at a higher risk for diabetes. Certain lifestyles and habits will also put you at risk. These risk factors include obesity and activity levels as well as the type of food you eat.
Diabetes will impact your life in various ways, but it always manifests from abnormally high blood sugar. This blood sugar may be compounded by years of lethargy and inactivity. If you ignore the signs of diabetes, you put yourself at greater risk for other conditions including stroke, heart disease, eye problems (including blindness), and infections.
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Preventing Diabetes
If you are at risk of Type 2 Diabetes or if you have diabetes already, don’t lose hope. Making changes to your lifestyle can improve your odds and may even turn back the clock. In fact, Type 2 Diabetes can be cured, often through just a few simple steps.
Taking control of your blood sugar levels can be as simple as changing your diet, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle. One easy way to do this is to eat more fiber. It doesn’t matter what type of fiber you choose — just make a point to eat more of it. You may also want to start logging your diet to keep track of the amount of fiber you’re taking in every day. This way it will be easier to adjust if needed.
Try to go low or no carb if you can. When you reduce the amount of carbohydrates you’re eating, you also improve the chances that you’ll stay healthy and your blood sugar levels will regulate.
Be sure to eat healthy foods that include “good fats.” You’ll want to eat fewer carbohydrates and supplement your diet with these healthy alternatives that include lean meats, organic eggs, avocadoes, nuts, and even oils like coconut or olive oil.
It is very important to stay healthy and maintain an active lifestyle. Staying active will keep your body in great shape and improve your immune response.
Drinking water cannot be underestimated when it comes to preventing diabetes. In fact, staying hydrated is probably one of the most important things in this list. You may not be aware of this, but when you don’t have enough water in your body, you’ll produce more blood sugar. Drinking water will lower or reduce your blood sugar levels, so be sure to get plenty of water.
You’ll want to keep your relaxation level high and try not to be too stressed. When you experience a stressful event, some hormones such as cortisol will impact your blood sugar levels. A good option is mediation or relaxation classes to help you find balance and manage stress in your life.
The final step in combatting diabetes is to be sure to get adequate rest. Sleep is an important component to warding off the disease.
READ ALSO: One Simple Mineral Can Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
The good news is that you can prevent and possibly even turn back the clock when it comes to Type 2 diabetes. You can avoid it altogether if you simply apply the steps in this article. By eating a more nutritious diet and increasing your activity level, you’re sure to see results in a few weeks.
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