How to Prevent Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic condition in which the body is not to able to produce enough insulin that leads to raised levels of blood sugar. There are three types of diabetes namely; type-1, type-2, and gestational diabetes. Diabetes is a complex condition that can interfere with the functioning of the whole body. Therefore, the disease requires daily self-care so as to prevent it from interfering with the quality of life that people patients live. Besides, diabetes can affect a person of any age. Diabetes is a serious condition, and it can lead to the following; blindness, kidneys failure, higher risks of cardiovascular diseases, depression, anxiety, distress, limb amputations, as well as low quality of life. Therefore, it is imperative that people who are in a pre-diabetes condition and those leading a life with the right levels of blood sugar take the necessary measures to prevent and manage the condition adequately.
Measures That Can Be Used To Prevent Diabetes
Weight Management
Obesity or being highly overweight is a primary leading factor for diabetes (LeRoith 30). People are supposed to be checking their weights regularly especially those that have higher risks of suffering from the condition. For example, a person from a family whose some members have diabetes would be at a higher probability of getting diabetes because it is also a hereditable disease if he or she does not control weight. Obesity increases pressure on the body's ability to utilize the insulin produced properly thus increasing the likelihood of developing the condition. Weight can be managed through a healthy eating, regular physical exercises, and stress management. A person with a healthy weight usually has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 24.5. A person with a weight that makes his or her BMI be more than 25 is considered to be overweight and has higher chances of suffering from diabetes (Wong & Shaista 25). Also, Waist Circumference (WC) is used to check weight. WC is the measure around the waist. People who have too much fat around their waists have greater chances of suffering from diabetes. WC changes depending on ethnicity and gender. However, a healthy waist circumference for men is supposed to be around 40 inches or less while women should have a WC of 35 inches or less. Therefore, it is important for everybody to keep their weight in check so that they do not exert a lot of pressure on their bodies that will eventually interfere with the way their bodies utilize insulin (Woods 18). An individual with a healthy weight has a body that makes proper use of insulin in the process of breaking down glucose hence safe blood sugar levels.
Regular Exercise
Physical activities are essential for good health of the whole body (LeRoith 30). The activities can range from the moderate to vigorous ones. A good exercise should be done at least thirty minutes a day for five days a week. Physical workouts are crucial because of their benefit to the body in many ways such as attaining a good body shape, weight management, improvement of blood pressure, cholesterol control, and reduction of blood sugars. Exercises help in burning excess fats that are a major contributing factor for diabetes. People who visit the gym regularly are less likely to suffer from diabetes. Besides, there is a high correlation between blood pressure and diabetes. Exercises help in controlling blood pressure through reduction of stress (LeRoith 30). Moreover, daily workouts are paramount because they help to regulate cholesterol in the body especially the bad cholesterol. High levels of the bad cholesterol in the body increase the chances of suffering from diabetes.
Regular Clinical Check-Ups
It is always advisable to be visiting a doctor maybe twice per year to have check-ups on blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and blood cholesterol levels (Wong & Shaista 25). Sometimes, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels can be high, yet they do not show any signs. Therefore, individuals should always ensure that they get awareness of their blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and glucose levels.
Quit Smoking
Smokers usually have higher chances of developing diabetes than non-smokers (Wong & Shaista 25). It is even worse for patients with diabetes who smoke because they are like to develop more complications such as kidney or heart failure. The chemical that is found in cigarettes is as bad as having high levels blood glucose. The poisonous chemical that cigarettes produce makes the arteries to harden thus impairing the blood's ability to transport oxygen throughout the body. Besides, the combination of high blood glucose and smoking increases the chances of damages to the blood vessels that usually supply the peripheral nerves, heart, eyes, brain, and kidneys with blood thus speeding up the rate of developing future complications that are related to diabetes (Wong & Shaista 25). The possible complications include the blindness, renal failure, cardiovascular diseases among others.
Alcohol Intake
Alcohol can be good for health and bad for health at the same time. A glass of wine a day is said to be good for the heart. However, excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful to health especially for individuals who are diabetic or pre-diabetic (Woods 18). Increased alcohol intakes are usually associated with weight gain, an increase in blood pressure, and elevated levels of triglyceride and they are all pre-disposing factors of diabetes. Men should limit their alcohol intakes to not more than two drinks a day while women should not take more than one drink a day (Woods 18).
Processed Foods
Avoidance of processed foods helps in preventing diabetes because processed foods usually have high levels of energy, salt, and fat (Woods 18). Individuals should cook food instead of buying takeaways so that they are able put the appropriate amounts of fat and salt in the food. High intakes of salt are associated with an increase in blood pressure which is a risk factor for diabetes (Woods 18). People who take large amounts of salt for an extended period are more susceptible to hypertension. Besides, high intakes of fats affect the blood vessels thus raising the blood pressure. Therefore processed foods should be taken with moderation or be completely avoided if it is possible.
Eating a Balanced and Healthy Diet
A balanced diet is always good for health of the body as a whole (Woods 18). It should include the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins. Besides, healthy eating usually consists of moderate amounts of fats especially the saturated ones as well as salts. It is also good to eat more fruits, vegetables, and foods that contain high fiber.
Checking the Risk of Developing Diabetes
It is always good to take life tests to assess the chances of developing diabetes (Wong & Shaista 25). A test score of above 12 indicates that this particular person has higher chances of developing diabetes especially type 2. The tests are useful because they help in noticing the probability of being diabetic at an early stage so that the individual can take the necessary measures that can assist in reducing the risks of developing the condition. Moreover, people who get scores that indicate their risk for being diabetic is higher are usually put on a life program that helps them to control the pre-disposing factors of diabetes (Woods 18). For example, individuals who are put on the programs are often guided on how to lose weight in a healthy style and achieve an appropriate BMI. Also, they can be put on medication if they have high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol levels.
Getting Enough Sleep
People who do not get enough sleep are more likely to develop diabetes than those who get adequate sleep (Woods 18). Inadequate sleep makes it harder for a body to utilize insulin efficiently and this increases the chances of having diabetes especially the type 2 one. Therefore, diabetes type 2 can be prevented by setting healthy sleeping habits such as going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Also, it is advisable not to take caffeine when going to sleep since caffeine can prevent some from falling asleep too soon after going to bed.
Conclusion
To sum up, diabetes is a condition that can compromise the quality of life that a person used to live. Therefore, it is important that individuals take the necessary measures to prevent the condition. Diabetes can be avoided through regular exercises, healthy body weights, and frequent check-ups. This will help in reducing the risks of developing the disease now or in the future.
