According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 21 million Americans have diabetes, and another 41 million have pre-diabetes. If you are at risk or have pre-diabetes, you can take small steps to prevent this disease.  It is well known that the best ways to prevent type 2 diabetes is to avoid being overweight and lead a healthy lifestyle which includes proper nutrition and activity. 

Diabetes is a serious disease, which can be successfully managed.  Medical Doctors make the diagnosis by reviewing symptoms and measuring the glucose level of a person’s blood.  The condition can be managed through proper nutrition and exercise in some instances, by medication, or a combination of both.  The good news is, if you develop diabetes, it is manageable, and with proper nutrition and attention, serious complications can be prevented or delayed.

Type 2 Diabetes can be hereditary, but other factors such as being overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of developing diabetes even in people without a family history.  People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin or their body doesn’t use the insulin properly, sometimes called insulin resistance.  Often, people with type 2 diabetes have few or no symptoms, and many cases go undetected while the health of body systems decline.  For some people, feeling tired or run down is their only symptom.  While other people experience increased thirst, frequent urination, skin problems, blurred vision, slow healing or unintentional weight loss.  When the body fails to remove enough glucose from the blood stream glucose levels become high and can lead to other problems if diabetes is not properly treated.  High blood sugar can damage eyes, kidneys, and the nervous system.  It can also contribute to cardiovascular disease, poor blood circulation which can result in amputations, heart disease and stroke.

What You Can Do Now

If you are overweight or obese, choose sensible ways to get in shape: Avoid crash diets. Instead, eat less of the foods you usually have. Limit the amount of fat you eat. Increase your physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.  Set a reasonable goal, such as trimming 1 pound a week. Aim for a long-term goal of trimming 5 to 7 percent of your total body weight.

Make Wise Food Choices Most of the Time

What you eat has a big impact on your health. By making wise food choices, you can help control your body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

• Take a hard look at the serving sizes of the foods you eat. Reduce serving sizes of main courses (such as meat), desserts, and foods high in fat. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables.
• Limit your fat intake to about 25 percent of your total calories. For example, if your food choices add up to about 2,000 calories a day, try to eat no more than 56 grams of fat. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you figure out how much fat to have. You can check food labels for fat content too. 
• Keep a food and exercise log. Write down what you eat, how much you exercise—anything that helps to keep you on track.
• When you meet your goal, reward yourself with a nonfood item or activity, like watching a movie.
• Keep a positive attitude, if old eating patterns return, you can get yourself back on track quickly, by avoiding "all or nothing" thinking.