Chiropractic Healing Works

Prediabetes Is Only A Warning--As Long As You Heed That Warning

19 February 2016 by Charlie Berry

Your doctor has just informed you that you are prediabetic. You are shocked because you feel fine, as well as worried that you have a serious health concern. The truth is—you do. However, don't sign up for the doom and gloom attitude; you can opt to feel fortunate—fortunate that you have an opportunity to turn your future health around. It won't be easy, but it can be very worthwhile.

Diabetes or Prediabetes?

Diabetes is a condition whereby your body cannot properly use the sugar (glucose) and fat you consume. There are two main types of diabetes—Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is caused when your pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin to help the body metabolize glucose, and Type 2, sometimes called adult onset diabetes, occurs when the body doesn't utilize the insulin properly. Both types can lead to heart disease, nerve damage, kidney disease and vision problems.

Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal but have not yet reached the accepted levels assigned to a diagnosis of full-blown diabetes. If not discovered early and held in check, prediabetes will progress to insulin-dependent diabetes over time.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 29.1 million people (9.3% of the U.S. population) have diabetes. However, 27.8% of those people don't know they have it. It also says that 37% of U.S. adults aged 20 years or older, an estimated 86 million Americans, had prediabetes in 2012.

Those statistics point to the need for more awareness and screening for prediabetes. The two biggest factors for predicting the onset of prediabetes are genetics and being overweight or obese. People with prediabetes may or may not have symptoms, so people are often shocked when they are diagnosed with prediabetes.  

Symptoms of prediabetes may include

• Extreme tiredness
• Excessive thirst and urination
• Excessive hunger
• Tingling of the feet and hands
• Sores that won't heal

The good news about prediabetes is that through diligence, you may be able to stop the prediabetes from becoming diabetes. Once you've reached the diagnosis of diabetes, it's much more difficult, likely impossible, to reverse the disease or even keep it from progressing to insulin-dependent diabetes.

Change the Progression

If you have any of the above symptoms, or if you are over 45, have a history of diabetes in your family or are overweight, you need to have your doctor test you for diabetes. The test will consist of a couple of simple blood tests: one after fasting and another at random. The glucose levels will tell the doctor whether you are still at the prediabetic stage or whether you have full-blown diabetes. Either way, you will need to make some lifestyle changes.

According to health experts at The Cleveland Clinic, losing 10 to 15 pounds through lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise can delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes. Here are some steps that you can take on your way to changing the rest of your life.

• Set manageable goals (for example, lose 2 pounds per week) to start making small changes. Write them down or tell a family member so you can hold yourself accountable.
• Consult with a nutritionist to determine a healthy diabetic diet. The diet should be low-carb, as carbohydrates break down into glucose. It should limit fats and contain plenty of protein and fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Increase your activity level slowly. If you don't like the gym experience, choose something you like, such as walking, swimming or dancing.
• Buy a home blood glucose meter and begin testing your glucose levels several time a day to see what increases or decreases your levels.

By taking charge of your life, you can change your life. So take your diagnosis of prediabetes as an opportunity to prevent diabetes. Many don't get that chance. For more information or to schedule a checkup, contact a clinic such as Rural Health Services Consortium Incor.

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