Do you know your risk of developing type 2 diabetes? If you are obese your risk is 20 times higher than that of someone of more moderate weight.
Not only will your weight increase your chances of developing diabetes, but if you have diabetes and are overweight, you increase your odds of heart disease and stroke. Most people (90%) who have type 2 diabetes are overweight. Diabetes is not only a hassle to manage but can lead to serious long term health problems including blindness, kidney failure and foot or leg amputations. You can prevent, and possibly reverse, the illness just by losing weight.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and a great time to take better care of yourself by following some of these tips to prevent type 2 diabetes. Losing just 10% of your body weight dramatically improves your health and reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes. Here’s how to get started:
- Walking – Start out slowly by taking walks after dinner. Begin with 5 minutes a day and slowly increase the amount you walk.
- Eat more vegetables – Increase your intake of vegetables to 5 servings per day. Add one additional serving per week to reach your goal.
- Pick an activity – Choose something you love to do so you’ll stick with it, like dancing, hiking or goofing around in the yard with your kids.
- Read food labels – Many packaged foods contain high levels of sugar and sodium so choose prepared foods with care.
- Get more physical activity – Take the stairs instead of the elevator or park farther away from the store.
- Eat smaller portions – Use smaller plates to help manage your portion sizes.
- Choose healthy snacks – Keep healthy foods in the house so that you go for the apples instead of the chips.
- Cook ahead – Plan your meals and cook ahead of time so that a healthy dinner is ready to go and you don’t just pull out a boxed or microwaveable meal full of sodium and sugar.
Simple blood tests are available that will identify risk factors of prediabetes and diabetes including A1c blood tests, blood glucose tests and cholesterol tests. If you are risk you can start now and make a big difference. Prevent the pain and discomfort (as well as medical expense) of diabetes by starting today to take the steps toward a healthier you. So get up and get going!
Written by www.labtestingnow.com