Diabetes is a devastating condition, and like most diseases scientists and doctors have failed to find a cure. Given the extremely high cost of healthcare in the United States, you must do everything in your power to reduce your chances of getting it in the first place, which can be accomplished by adhering to the following lifestyle changes to avoid diabetes.
Dramatically Reduce Your Sugar Intake
The majority of processed and packaged foods sold in the market today have some type of sugar in them. While you don’t have to stop eating sugary foods entirely, you want to dramatically reduce your consumption of cookies, donuts, cakes, muffins, and candy. Sweet beverages such as wine coolers, fruit juice, coffee, and soda should be avoided too. Soda in particular is bad because of its acidic properties which can eventually cause dental issues. Switch to lower-sugar snacks or eat foods with natural sugars such as fruit.
Start Doing Aerobics And Strength Exercise
One of the reasons why diabetes has skyrocketed in Western nations is because many people lead a sedentary lifestyle where they spend too much time sitting down when working and playing. The human body wasn’t meant to sit idle for long periods of time, so exercising at least three or four times per week will greatly reduce your chances of getting diabetes and many other health problems, especially as you age. While many people use the excuse that they don’t have enough time, this isn’t true and there is no need to purchase gym equipment or memberships as there are simple exercises such as pushups and jumping jacks that can be performed at home by almost anyone with no equipment.
Drink Water And Consume Fiber
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that juice or soft drinks are an alternative to water, but they aren’t. Consuming large amounts of water each day is essential as it enables you to control your blood sugar along with your insulin levels, lowering your chance of getting diabetes. Adding fiber to your diet is also important as it contributes to your gut health while helping keep your weight under control. Fiber also does a great job of preventing spikes involving insulin and blood sugar.
Stop Smoking
With all the information publically available about the dangers of smoking, anyone still smoking cigarettes or using tobacco has little regard for their health. Those who smoke contribute to their insulin resistance, which increases the likelihood of them developing type 2 diabetes. Ceasing smoking or tobacco usage will lower one risk of developing it.
Of the suggestions above, quitting smoking and exercising regularly is the most important step you can take to avoid becoming a diabetic. While dietary changes also help, it isn’t necessary to completely cut out sugar unless you already have prediabetes. Once you get full-blown diabetes, it is incurable and you’ll probably have it indefinitely, and if you improperly manage it you can develop complications that can wreck your life and/or finances if you’re forced to be hospitalized. Until a cure is found, prevention is the best solution. Remember to follow these recommendations and monitor your blood sugar levels with an OKRA Pro: Bluetooth Glucose Meter.