By understanding your risks, and making changes to your lifestyle, you can help reduce risks of type 2 diabetes. Risk factors include increased weight, cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride (blood fat) levels. Changing a lifetime habit isn’t easy, but it’s worth the effort.
Here are some tips to help you reduce your risk of type two diabetes.
1. Check your risk of diabetes
Diabetes is mostly caused by high sugar levels in the body. The body produces insulin which is meant to break down the sugar in the body. But when the body is unable to produce enough insulin to compensate for the amount of sugar in the corpse, the body’d sugar level rises. So cutting down on your sugar intake goes a longay to reduce your chances of suffering diabetes.
2. Manage your weight
The body’s resistance to the hormone insulin can be increased by excess body fat, particularly if stored around the abdomen. This can lead to type 2 diabetes.
3. Exercise regularly
Moderate physical activity on most days of the week helps to manage weight, improve blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce blood glucose levels.
4. Eat a balanced and healthy diet
Cut down the amount of fat in your diet, especially saturated and trans fats. Eat more vegetables, fruits and high-fibre foods. Cut back on salt.
5. Limit takeaway and processed foods
Takeaway and processed foods are usually high in fat, salt and kilo-joules. It’s better to cook for yourself using fresh ingredients whenever possible.
6. Limit your alcohol intake
Weight gain, increase in blood pressure and triglyceride levels are caused by too much alcohol intake. Men should have nothing more than two standard drinks a day and women should have no more than one.
7. Quit smoking
Smokers are more likely to develop diabetes as non-smokers.
8. Control your blood pressure
Most people can do this with a balanced diet, with regular exercise and by keeping a healthy weight. You might need medication prescribed by a doctor in most cases.
9. Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease
Obesity and physical inactivity are some risk factors diabetes and cardiovascular have in common.
10. See your doctor for regular check-ups
It’s a good idea to regularly check your blood glucose, blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels as you get older.
Image courtesy of: netdoctor.cdnds.net.
