Be more confident: On World Diabetes Day, Learn How to Avoid Diabetes

On World Diabetes Day, Learn How to Avoid Diabetes

In the past 30 years, the prevalence of diabetes Type 2 has
skyrocketed to the point where it is now viewed as an epidemic. From
being a once fairly mild and rare ailment to becoming a chronic
disease, diabetes mellitus affects people of every age, race, and
background, and is now a major modern cause of premature death in
many countries around the world, with someone dying from diabetes
Type 2 every 10 seconds worldwide.[1]

Being the leading cause of kidney failure, lower limb amputation, and
blindness in developed countries, as well as increasing the likelihood
of death from heart disease,[2] diabetes mellitus is a modern-day
scourge. Its gradual debilitating effects destroy quality of life well
before causing untimely death. And what is of greatest concern is that
most cases of diabetes Type 2 are preventable. While Type 1 diabetes
is generally a hereditary disease, this article focuses on the ways in
which you can seek to avoid Type 2 diabetes, a disease which can often
be prevented with appropriate attention to the risk factors.

!! Steps !!

The statistics... Note the different types of diabetes. Diabetes
affects the way that blood sugar (glucose) is processed in your body.
An essential energy source, glucose is present in the bloodstream
after consuming food. Insulin, produced by the pancreas, takes the
glucose out of the blood and distributes it to the liver cells,
muscles, and fat, where it is turned into usable energy for the body.
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Approximately 10
percent of people with diabetes have Type 1, while Type 2 is more
prevalent. In brief, the background to the types of diabetes is as
follows:[3]

* Type 1 diabetes: This condition involves destruction of more than
90 percent of the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, causing
the pancreas to cease making insulin or to make very little. Type
1 diabetes tends to occur prior to the age of 30 and it may
involve an environmental factor, as well as a genetic
predisposition.[4]

* Type 2 diabetes: While the pancreas continues to produce insulin,
or even higher levels of insulin, the body develops a resistance
to the insulin, causing scarcity of insulin for the body's needs
and blood sugar levels remain permanently too high. While this
type of diabetes can occur in children and adolescents, it usually
begins in people over 30 and becomes more common as people age. It
tends to run in families and around 15 percent of people over 70
have diabetes Type 2.[5] Type 2 symptoms may not show symptoms for
years or even decades before being diagnosed.

* Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. Left untreated,
serious side effects can injure the mother and affect the unborn
child.

* Other specific types of diabetes resulting from specific genetic
syndromes, surgery, drugs, malnutrition, infections, and other
illnesses may account for 1 percent to 2 percent of all diagnosed
cases of diabetes.[6] Diabetes insipidus is not related to blood
sugar levels.[7] It is a relatively rare disease and is not
covered in this article.

Be concerned. Understanding how Type 2 diabetes impacts your life is
an important part of motivating you to want to try and avoid getting
it. There are numerous complications associated with diabetes, and
some of these occur quickly after the onset of diabetes, while
others are progressive. The types of complications that arise with
diabetes include lowered blood supply to the skin and nerves,
atherosclerosis (an increase of fatty substances in the blood),
heart failure, strokes, leg cramps when walking, poor vision, renal
(kidney) failure, nerve damage, skin breakdown, angina, strokes,
etc.

* Studies on rats have shown that over-consumption of fructose (a
major concern in relation to developing diabetes Type 2) causes
enlarged testes, enlarged male breasts, decreased libido,
impotence and decreased sperm production.[8]

Pay special attention to any risk factors for diabetes that apply to
your life. There are several key risk factors that increase the
potential for you to suffer from diabetes, and while some of them
are not under your control (such as age and genetics), others are
(such as food intake and exercise). The risk factors for Type 2
diabetes include:

* Obesity – based on body mass index, a BMI over 29 increases your
odds of diabetes to one in four.[9]

* Older than age 45. Note that pre-menopausal women are probably
helped by the levels of estrogen, which helps to clear away fatty
acids that cause insulin resistance, and helps insulin absorb
glucose more rapidly.[10]

* Having a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunts and uncles, etc., who
has or did have Type 2 diabetes. This can indicate a family gene
predisposing you to diabetes.[11]

* A diagnosis of heart disease or high cholesterol. Cardiovascular
risks include high blood pressure, low HDL cholesterol, and high
LDL cholesterol, and a study showed that one in four people in
Europe suffering from these risk factors were also
pre-diabetes.[12]

* People of Hispanic, African American, Native American, Asian, or
Pacific Islander descent are at almost double the risk of white
Americans.[13][14]

* Up to 40 percent of women who experienced gestational diabetes are
at risk of developing diabetes Type 2 later in life.[15]

* A low birth weight increases your chances of developing diabetes
by 23 percent for babies 5.5 pounds and by 76 percent for babies
under 5 pounds.[16]

* Diet high in sugar (especially fructose),[17] cholesterol, and
processed food.

* Irregular or no exercise - less than 3 times per week.[18]

Time to turn things around... Act early. High blood sugar can be
corrected before lasting damage sets in.[19] If you have the risk
factors associated with diabetes, it is important to get regular
screening tests – simple urine and blood tests – and to respond
by controlling your lifestyle factors. If tests reveal that you have
"pre-diabetes" (metabolic syndrome), it means that you have an
increased chance of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the
future. While such a diagnosis can be frightening, it's also an
opportunity to take back your health and to slow, reverse, or avoid
Type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes.

* Pre-diabetes exists where your blood glucose is higher than
normal. It's a key indicator of metabolic breakdown taking place,
leading to Type 2 diabetes.[20]

* Pre-diabetes is reversible. Left ignored, the American Diabetes
Association warns that your odds for getting Type 2 diabetes
within a decade are almost 100 percent.[21]

* The CDC recommends that anyone aged 45 or over should be tested
for diabetes if you're overweight.[22]

Change your dietary habits. A diet rich in sugar-laden foods, as
well as foods high in cholesterol, increases your risk for
pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes development. In order to improve
your chances of reversing high-normal blood sugar (pre-diabetes) and
restoring full body health, there are some dietary solutions that
you can implement from today. The following dietary suggestions
focus on do's and don'ts.

_Increase your daily servings of fruit and vegetables._ Aim for seven
to nine daily servings of fruit and vegetables.[23] They can be fresh,
frozen, or dried, but it is preferable to err on the side of as much
fresh produce as possible.[24] Try to reduce your intake of canned
vegetables because they have higher salt content.

Eat dark green veggies (for example, broccoli, spinach, Brussels
sprouts).

Orange veggies (for example, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin,
winter squash).

Beans and peas (for example, black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney
beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils).

_Eat good carbohydrates._ Skip the pastries, cakes, fries, and
other processed carbs. Fill up instead on carbohydrates that are
healthy – fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals and breads.
Look for choices with good fiber content; fiber has been shown to
lower blood sugar by acting as a "mop" slowing down the digestive
process and the speed with which glucose enters the
bloodstream.[25]

Eat whole grains, whole grain rice, breakfast cereals with 100
percent whole grain content, whole grain pasta, etc.

Eat whole-wheat bread, bagels, pita bread, and tortillas.

* _Stop drinking sugar._[26] Quench your thirst with water most of
the time. If you're worried about its quality, purchase a filter.
Sodas, soft drinks, fruit juice, cordial, fruit drinks, flavored
water, energy drinks, etc., are all sources of invisible sugar
that your body does not need. Leave these drinks for treats only
and rely on drinking water, dairy milk, or unsweetened soy, oat,
nut, etc., milks. Soda water and sparkling mineral water are free
of sugar; a few drops of lemon or orange juice freshly squeezed
can be sufficient to flavor these drinks pleasantly. Coffee and
tea are also OK in moderation, without sugar. Persevere; your body
will crave sweetened drinks initially until you wean yourself from
the habit.
_Stop snacking on sugar._[27] Sugar resides in many snacks from the
obvious cakes, pastries, candies, and chocolate, to the less obvious
fruit bars and sweetened yogurts. Sugar is cheap and it satisfies
cravings, provides a quick pick-me-up for after-lunch crashes, and
is serves a never-ending need for fast energy fixes. Do you have a
cookie or sweet snack with every coffee? These soon add up. Don't
stock up on sugary treats and don't reach for them when you feel
like a lift. Leave fruit, vegetable pieces, nuts, and other healthy
items within reach instead.

* Watch out for sugary breakfast cereals. Prefer cereals with less
sugar and that are 100 percent wholegrain. Or substitute with
oatmeal, amaranth, or other grain-based sugarless options. Try
making your own muesli.

* _Eat less fat._ Consume less than 30 percent of your daily
calories as fat, and only 10 percent of that as saturated.[28]
Avoid trans-fats as much as possible.[29] Trim fat off meat, eat
lean cuts of meat, and use more monounsaturated oils, such as
olive oil.

* _Keep treats for special occasions._ The constant availability of
sweet and fatty food is the equivalent of a permanent feast. Many
of us have lost the ability to restrain ourselves from eating
sweet and fatty treats and have absorbed them into our diets on a
daily basis. In the past, human beings could only enjoy such a
vast array of treats on special occasions such as feasts and
celebratory occasions. The delayed gratification involved in
waiting for such occasions increased the sweetness and delectable
taste of the treats; nowadays, it's almost a taken-for-granted
solution to every hiccup during the day – "Someone said my work
sucked! I need chocolate!". While we can't change the crazy pace
of our workplace and lives (yet), we can stand up for our personal
health by not using food as the stress crutch it has become, and
by leaving treats to true special occasions for savoring.

Lose weight. If you're changing your eating habits to healthier ones
as a lifestyle choice, you'll lose weight with a lot less effort
than if you focus on the deprivation-thinking of a "diet". Eat
healthy and exercise well, and the weight will start to remove
itself. Keep in mind the goal of being healthy lifelong, and the
fact that even extremely overweight people have lowered their
diabetes risk by 70 percent just by losing 5 percent of their total
weight.[30]

* Take it easy. "Diets" tend to fail because they're short term and
we want to reach an "end" point. A lifestyle eating change is for
good and involves gradually cutting out the foods that increase
health risks, while increasing the healthier foods. As it is
gradual, your body becomes more attuned to healthier food and
you'll start enjoying it a lot more without the added flavorings,
processing, sugar, fats, and salt.

Exercise with others if it makes it easier for you Exercise
regularly to avoid diabetes. It has been shown by the Diabetes
Prevention Program (DPP) that people who lost 5 to 7 percent of their
body weight and exercised for a half hour each day 5 days a week cut
their risk of developing by 58 percent; this contrasts with only 31
percent reduced risk for people who relied merely on
medication.[31][32] Whatever your weight, exercise is an important
part of keeping healthy. Excessive body fat hinders the breakdown of
and use of glucose essential for energy. The great news is that a
mere 30 minutes of exercise per day, using activities that raise the
heart rate for a suitable length of time, is one vital way of helping
you to avoid diabetes and to maintain a healthy weight.

* Take walks during your lunch break. If you can walk half an hour
each lunch for 5 days a week, you'll be keeping yourself fit and
healthy.

* Avoid the rush hour by exercising near your work after knock-off
time. Go home a little later, exercised, and unstressed because
the traffic levels have eased.

* Get a dog or start walking your existing dog - dogs make it easier
to exercise and are a form of responsibility that obliged you to
get out.

* Walk to your local shops rather than taking the car. Unless you've
got heavy packages to carry, walking locally makes good sense.
It's a good opportunity to go with a friend or family member too,
and to have a chat. Conversing while walking makes the walk seem
shorter.

* Renew the songs on your iPod or MP3 player. Give yourself a great
excuse to walk or run while listening to your music selection.

Return for testing. After 6 months to a year of improving your diet
and exercise habits, return for a test to see how your blood sugar
levels have changed.

* Always keep monitoring up with your doctor. Follow your doctor's
advice.

* If you need help, consider speaking to a registered dietitian who
can assist you with developing a meal plan.

* Consider seeing a psychologist if you have underlying emotional
issues that cause you to consume too much or to eat an unhealthy
diet.

!! Video !!

!! Tips !!

* Regularly schedule appointments in advance with your doctor to
monitor your urine and blood if you are at risk for diabetes. Set
automatic reminders on your phone or online calendar to ensure you
keep your appointments.

* It has been noted that breast-fed babies are less likely than
bottle-fed babies to develop diabetes Type 1.[33]

* "Diabetes mellitus" means "honey-sweet diabetes", referring to the
high levels of sugar in the patient's urine.[34]

* A study in the Netherlands showed that men eating a diet high in
potatoes, fish, vegetables, and legumes appear to have a lower
risk for diabetes.[35] Despite the unfair bad rap that potatoes
often get, when cooked and eaten without added fats, they are
considered healthy because they're high in complex carbohydrates,
which have to be broken down into simple sugars before they can be
absorbed into the bloodstream, a factor that keeps blood sugar
levels stable.

!! Warnings !!

* Untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease and eventual death.
If you discover that you have any risk factors for diabetes or
testing determines you have pre-diabetes, make the lifestyle
changes necessary to reverse the condition and avoid a diabetes
diagnosis.

!! Things You'll Need !!

* Healthy food choices

* Quality healthy food cookbooks for recipe ideas

!! Related WikiHows !!

* How to Eat Healthy

* How to Be Healthy

* How to Live a Healthy Lifestyle

* How to Live a Healthier Life

* How to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

* How to Manage Type 2 Diabetes

* How to Protects Yourself Against Diabetes

!! Sources And Citations !!