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One in three American adults have pre-diabetes, but nine out of 10 don’t know they have it because there are no symptoms. For most patients, the only way to know you have pre-diabetes is through a blood test. If you’ve been diagnosed with pre-diabetes it means your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for you to be considered diabetic. When an individual has pre-diabetes it means they are beginning to develop insulin resistance—which slows the flow of glucose to the cells, causing a back-up of sugar in the blood.
If you are diagnosed with prediabetes and you don’t make important lifestyle changes, you could develop type two diabetes. Having diabetes also puts you at risk for kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and blindness. Fortunately, pre-diabetes can be reversed. A recent study on diabetes prevention found that patients with pre-diabetes decreased their risk of diabetes by 58 percent through diet and exercise. Regular physical activity and weight loss are some of the best things you can do to prevent the onset of diabetes. Cut sugary drinks out of your diet and limit fried food. Adequate sleep and stress management will also help keep your blood sugar levels in the normal range.
By detecting pre-diabetes early and adopting the proper lifestyle modifications, a diabetes diagnosis can be postponed and/or prevented. Individuals who are diagnosed with pre-diabetes should talk to their doctor about getting a referral to nutrition and diabetes education services to develop a preventative plan customized to their health condition and personal needs. Cone Health’s Diabetes Centers have exceptional teams of registered dieticians and certified diabetes educators dedicated to educating and treating patients throughout the community with pre-diabetes and diabetes.
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