How to Prevent Diabetes
It is thought that 1 in 20 people are currently living with diabetes in Australia.
Symptoms of diabetes can include feeling lethargic, sleepy, thirsty, frequent urination, mood swings, blurred vision and headaches just to name a few. Doctors can check these symptoms using Diagnosis Pad — an offline AI medical assistant.
What is Diabetes?
Simply put, diabetes is a condition where there is an excess of sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream. In a person without diabetes, the body is able to make sufficient quantities of the hormone insulin to move glucose from the bloodstream to various cells. However in a diabetic, insulin is affected.
Having too much glucose in the bloodstream can have a number of negative impacts on the body. Including, nerve dysfunction, kidney failure, blindness and cardiovascular disease to name a few. It is therefore important to manage diabetes adequately.
Types of Diabetes
There are three main types of diabetes, type 1, type 2 and gestational.
Type 1 diabetes refers to diabetes that occurs at a young age. This is an autoimmune condition, meaning that the body, for an unknown reason, destroys certain cells in the pancreas where insulin is produced.
This type of diabetes represents around 10% of all cases of diabetes and is one of the most common chronic childhood conditions. These patients will rely on insulin injections on a daily basis to keep their glucose levels within range.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the body becomes resistant to the normal effects of insulin and gradually loses the capacity to produce more of it in the pancreas. This type of diabetes often presents in later life and may be the result of both environmental and genetic factors.
Such patients may be on medication, dietary measures and in certain situations, insulin injections.
The third type of diabetes is Gestational Diabetes, this relates to a condition that only occurs during pregnancy. This form of diabetes is thought to be due to the hormonal shifts that occur during pregnancy and is typically diagnosed through routine antenatal checks and blood tests.
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
Now that the different types of diabetes have been covered, what can be done to prevent it? Given the autoimmune nature of type 1 and the hormonal shifts in gestational diabetes, the only form of diabetes that can be prevented is type 2 diabetes.
When looking at the causes of type 2 diabetes they can be broken down into modifiable and non-modifiable causes. Having a family history of diabetes means that you are most likely to have a genetic predisposition to the condition and this cannot be modified. However, factors that can be modified and how this can be achieved include:
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure
Target blood pressure readings are individualised according to your own medical background. By seeing your medical doctor you can check your own target levels and see what can be done to achieve this.
Maintaining a healthy weight
By achieving a healthy Body Mass Index or BMI, your risk of chronic health conditions is reduced. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight in kg by the square of the heaght in meters — weight (kg)/height (m2). A healthy BMI range is considered to be between 18.5 to 24.9.
If you are struggling with your weight it is important to seek medical advice. There can be pathological reasons to have a high weight which should be considered before engaging in any exercise or diet program.
Exercising regularly
Current recommendations for exercise in adults is 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity each week. This could include a brisk walk, moving the lawn or swimming. Include muscle strengthening activities as part of your daily habit, such as push-ups, pull-ups, squats or lifting weights. These could be household tasks that involve lifting, carrying or digging. Before embarking on your own exercise program, be sure to check in with your own medical doctor to assess suitability.
Eating a healthy diet
Eating a balanced and healthy diet can help to significantly reduce your risk of diabetes and other chronic health conditions. Measures for a healthy diet include:
- eating fruit and vegetables daily
- keeping energy intake low and according to your own requirements,
- choosing lean meats with fats removed and fish
- eating legumes and nuts (unless allergic)
- aim for a high-fibre, low glycaemic index carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain breads and cereals
- eat unsaturated fats such as avocado and extra vrgin olive oil over saturated fats.
- limiting foods high in salt and sugar, including sugary beverages
- limiting alcohol intake.
Maintaining a healthy waist circumference
Maintaining a healthy waist circumference is important to reduce the risk od major health problems. For men, aim below 94 cm and for women aim below 80cm.
To measure, stand up straight and exhale, wrap a tape measure just above your hip bones and hold the tape measure flat against your body not too tight. Usually measured at the level of the belly button
Diabetes Remission
It is possible that some people with type 2 diabetes can achieve diabetes remission. This means that these people have blood levels below type 2 diabetes levels. This can be achieved through regular monitoring, dietary and weight changes on the advice of their medical health team.
With the above lifestyle changes, type 2 diabetes and other medical health conditions can be avoided. If you are concerned about any of the information in this article or wish to discuss your own medical health, please consult with your medical doctor.
I hope you have found this article useful.
Take care and stay healthy,
Dr Nora x
Please note that the contents of this article are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice. Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or medical condition.
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