Type 2 diabetes is a major health risk across the world. Diabetes risk groups include overweight, obese people as well as those who have a family history of diabetes. Know how to reduce the risk of this disease in the following article.
Type 2 diabetes affects millions of people across the world every year. In fact, it has become a prime cause of death amongst elderly population. Surprisingly, many young people are also falling prey to this disease. An unhealthy lifestyle can be attributed to diabetes at young age. Diabetes, as it is, cannot be cured completely. Fortunately, it can be controlled with the help of certain medications and lifestyle changes. People who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes must take measures to prevent the risk of developing one.
Ways to Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition which results due to poor utilization of insulin in the body. Insulin is a hormone produced by pancreas. It is mainly responsible for maintaining normal glucose levels in the body. When you eat, the food is broken down into sugar or glucose. This glucose enters the bloodstream to reach the cells, where it gets converted into energy.
However, when the insulin is not absorbed or utilized properly, the process of conversion of glucose to energy cannot be completed. As a result of this, the blood glucose levels in the body remain permanently elevated. This leads to deprivation of energy to cells of various organs. Prolonged diabetes may result in liver damage, kidney dysfunction, stroke or blindness.
If you have diabetes in your genes, you sure cannot do anything about it. But you can definitely keep a tab on it, if you know you belong to the risk group. People who are obese have a far better chance of controlling diabetes, as all they have to do is lose weight. It has been scientifically proven that a small percentage of weight loss drastically cuts down your risk of developing diabetes. The percentage can be as small as 5 to 7%. People weighing 200 pounds or more, can lose 10 to 15 pounds if they aim at this small percentage loss.
How to Reduce Diabetes Naturally
Diet and exercise are the only two sure shot ways of controlling diabetes naturally. Exercising helps you to keep your weight under control. Secondly, it also helps in maintaining hormonal balance in your body. This results in proper assimilation of insulin in the body. Thus, your chances of regulating glucose levels in the body are improved. People suffering from the risk of diabetes can benefit a great deal by working out for at least 5 days a week. If you are not a gym person, then you can still achieve weight loss by brisk walking for about half an hour daily or 5 days a week.
Similarly, one should also control their diet. Eliminating fatty or processed foods, works in your favor. Sugary foods must be avoided under all circumstances. Lowering your cholesterol has also proved to be beneficial for diabetes control. Diabetes takes a long time to develop, but its signs can be detected many years prior to it. It is important that you start altering your diet from the pre-diabetes stage only.
Regular screening for diabetes also results in early detection of abnormal sugar levels. This can help you in taking appropriate measure. Diabetes may also occur temporarily in pregnant women. Symptoms of diabetes in pregnant women are similar to chronic diabetic patients. However, to reduce the risk of diabetes during pregnancy, one should consult their doctor.
Thus, diabetes can definitely be controlled by adopting certain simple measures. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way in keeping not just diabetes but many other diseases at bay.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
