Diabetes, as most of you may already know, is a long-lasting health condition that essentially affects how your body converts food into energy. Unfortunately, millions of people around the world suffer from diabetes, but the good news is there are measures you can take from early on in your life to prevent yourself from this disease. In this article, we will go through some of these steps, in order to help you seek out a healthier and happier life. 

Before we dive deeper, it is important to note that there are currently two types of diabetes out there - 1 and 2. The symptoms of the first kind develop quicker and at earlier stages in your life. In fact, as early as when you are just a child. In order to survive, you will have to manually take insulin every day. As of the time of this writing, there are no proven ways to prevent diabetes 1. On the other hand, diabetes 2 doesn’t use insulin and won’t let your body regulate blood sugar levels at a normal rate. This kind of diabetes is more common amongst the global population and is preventable, which is why we will be writing about it here. 

It is also worth mentioning that diabetes that is left untreated may lead to further health complications such as kidney failure, heart disease, and blindness, to name a few. 

Now, let’s finally move on to the ways by which you can prevent yourself from having diabetes 2. 

  1. Exercise Regularly

From a very young age, we have always been told how important it is to incorporate physical activity into our everyday lives and get a good amount of exercise. The benefits of exercising are plenty. For example, it is one way to burn calories and ultimately lose weight. It also boosts the insulin sensitivity of your cells, which will help keep your blood sugar levels within the normal range. If you haven’t been physically active for a long time, it is best to consult with your doctor on how to gradually integrate it into your lifestyle. 

  2. Drink More Water

Similar to exercising, drinking water has always been praised and encouraged. The more you drink, the better for your health. One pro-tip is to replace as many of your non-water drinks with water. Needless to say, this more specifically refers to the sugary soft drinks as these artificially sweetened beverages are jam-packed with harmful ingredients and substances that will lead to various health concerns, not just diabetes. Latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA), is just an example.

  3. Follow a Healthy Diet

As obvious as it may seem, you need to reduce your carbohydrate and sugar intake as much as possible. Carbohydrates, or carbs for short, are broken down into tiny sugar molecules in your body, which eventually gets absorbed into your bloodstream leading to an increase in your blood sugar levels. An optimal diet will be predominantly plant-based and include relatively smaller amounts of fat and meat, especially red and/or processed meat. However note that you should not deprive yourself from consuming what we call “healthy fats”,  also known as the unsaturated fats — both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated ones. These fats can be found in tuna, olives, oils, salmon, peanuts, and the like. So, some examples of food to avoid are white bread, sodas, burgers, doughnuts, etc. Whereas ones to consume are nuts, yogurt, fruits, etc. 

  4. Quit Smoking

According to various studies, people who smoke cigarettes or consume nicotine are at a higher risk of developing diabetes later on in their lives. The estimate is around 30% to 40% higher than the average non-smoker. Quitting smoking will not only decrease your chances of becoming diabetic, but it will also improve your overall health and wellbeing. 

  5. Sleep Well

Sleeping for too long or too little could cause high-carb meal cravings, which as explained in the previous points will lead to weight gain and create further complications such as diabetes. The ideal duration for sleeping is said to be a solid seven to eight hours per night. If you suffer from sleep-related problems such as sleep apnea, do not ignore or dismiss it. Seek professional help as soon as you can. 

  5. Be Aware of Your Chances

It is true that the choices you make in your day to day life plays a big role in determining your chances of developing diabetes 2. However, there are some things that are just out of your control. Genetics, for instance, is one prime example. Therefore keeping in mind and being informed about the combinations of risk factors that affect your likelihood is crucial. Below, are some of the most common risk factors out there:

• Being obese or overweight.
• A history of heart-related problems.
• Suffering from depression.
• Being of the following ethnicities: American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic or Latino, African American, Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian.
• Having low levels of the good cholesterol known as HDL. 
• Having a history of diabetics in your family. 
• Older than forty-five years. 
• Gave birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds. 
• Suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, for short. 

  6. Monitor Your Blood Sugar Levels 

A very easy way of making sure nothing is wrong is to monitor your blood sugar levels on a daily basis. There are small portable devices, which you can find at almost any local supermarket, that measure how much sugar there is in your blood. These devices are called glucometers or a glucose meter. Having it around the house and checking your levels from time to time can help you detect warning signs. With the help of your doctor, you can also set a glucose target level that is best for you, and then try to maintain it by all means. The closer you get to this number, the better you’ll end up feeling. 

  7. Boost Your Vitamin D Intake

Controlling your blood sugar levels requires vitamin D. In fact, research has shown a clear correlation between type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and vitamin D deficiency. However, it is still unclear whether vitamin D supplements can prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes. 

In general, medical professionals usually advise people to get a regular blood checkup to track their vitamin D levels and receive an adequate amount of it, accordingly. 

In general, try to consume more vitamin D-rich meals to lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that if you decide to make any and all of these changes, you will surely improve your health and more importantly lower your risk of developing serious diseases such as type 2 diabetes, especially in your younger years. On top of this, you will most likely feel more energetic and confident. 

According to a recent study, millions of Americans have diabetes but they don’t even know it. Even though some may not be as obvious, most of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes start appearing at the earlier stages. Needless to say, it is highly important that you talk to your physician as soon as you experience any of the below symptoms:

• Increased thirst and urination
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Unexpected weight loss
• Increased hunger
• Slow-healing sores and frequent infections
• Red and swollen gums
• Tingling or numbness in your hands or feet

Diabetes is a serious condition, and so the earlier you get diagnosed, the higher your chances are of treating it. 

All this may sound a bit overwhelming at first, but the main takeaway is to take care of your mental and physical health by adopting as many of these life changing habits as you can, even if it takes you a very long time. That being said, these are all general measures. At the end of the day, your healthcare provider and physician will know what is best for you.