Prediabetes, well you would think you either have type 2 diabetes or you don’t! In one way it’s true, you don’t yet have type 2 but it’s certainly trying to catch you. Already changes are going on inside your body and they have been for a time now, probably a couple of years. These changes have affected how your body uses both insulin and sugar.

Blood sugar levels vary through the day, your levels are lower before eating and naturally higher following a meal. Your recent test for fasting blood sugars showing you were prediabetic, would have been between 100 to 125 mg/dl (5.5 to 6.9 mmol/l). Levels higher than 126 mg/dl (7 mmol/l) indicate full blown type 2 diabetes. The impaired or prediabetic range for the glucose tolerance test is between 140 to 199 mg/dl (7.8 to 11 mmol/l).

What does this mean to you

• it means your pancreas may not be making enough insulin
• your pancreas is still making enough insulin but your body is not responding well to insulin’s commands
• the amount of insulin being produced, be it a normal amount or more, isn’t enough to “open the doors” to certain body cells, and the cells have stopped responding to insulin’s commands to let blood sugar in
• you eat more food than your body can deal with
• could be one or several of the above

What action should you take

• are you overweight or obese What is your waist measurement … 40 inches (100 cm) for a male or 34 inches (84 cm) for a female puts you in type 2 diabetes territory. Stabilize your weight then lower your weight to a healthy level. You will gain benefits from any weight loss. You could consult with a dietitian who specializes in diabetes or find a diet book that sets out a style of eating that you will stick with. It needs to be a long-term plan, slow and steady
• increase your physical activity. Keep it simple, maybe start walking. Start out small, ten minutes the first days and gradually increase the time up to 20 to 30 minutes four or five times a week. This helps with weight loss. But also with reducing your blood sugars; exercise uses glucose stored in your muscles which then signals your body to send along more from your bloodstream
• if your health care provider prescribed medications you will need to follow his instructions. When you lose weight have your health care provider review your medications. Weight loss and major lifestyle changes may actually be more effective than intensive medications.
• learn to monitor your blood sugar levels because that’s how you will know straight away if you are keeping your blood sugar levels near to normal

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