Posted by Health Handouts | Posted in Health Tips, Wellness Tips | Posted on 04-11-2010
What is pre-diabetes?
In pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not as high as with diabetes.
Pre-Diabetes is becoming more common in the U.S.. As many as 50 million people have pre-diabetes.
What if you have pre-diabetes?
Pre-diabetes increases your risk for developing kind 2 diabetes. Many people with pre-diabetes develop kind 2 diabetes within 10 years.
People with pre-diabetes are also at risk for developing heart disease, or having a stroke.
Diabetes can damage almost every part of your body. It may make you blind, damage to your heart and blood vessels, or cause kidney problems, stroke, or nerve damage. For women, diabetes can complicate pregnancy.
If you’ve pre-diabetes, you can lower your risk of developing diabetes by –
• Losing some weight. When you’re overweight, attempt to lose ~5% of your body weight by making small changes in your diet and getting regular exercise. This can help to delay, or even stop you from having Type 2 diabetes.
Need some helpful tips on losing weight?
• Speak with your health care team for help in losing weight.