AVOIDING DIABETES
It takes strong commitment and persistence to make the lifestyle changes that reduce your
risk for diabetes.
1. Make exercise a priority. Working your muscles with regular physical activity greatly improves circulation and your ability to use insulin and absorb glucose. Studies show that just taking a brisk half-hour walk every day reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30%. And adding more physical activity during the day reduces your diabetes risk even more.
2. Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight is the major cause of type 2 diabetes. It increases your risk by seven times. Obesity makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone at a healthy weight. But, if you’re overweight, losing just 7% to 10% of your current weight can cut your chance of developing diabetes in half. Healthy weight loss is the best thing you can do to decrease your diabetes risk.
3. Eliminate refined carbohydrates.
Sugar, sugary soft drinks, fruit drinks and fruit juice, white bread, white rice, white pasta and other refined carbohydrates cause a fast and furious rise in blood sugar. Eating these high glycemic foods greatly increases your risk of developing diabetes.
4. Focus on plant foods.
A diet high in fiber foods, such as colorful vegetables,beans, fresh fruits and 100% whole grains lowers your risk of diabetes and helps keep your appetite and calories under control.
5. Choose healthy fats.
The fats you eat affect your diabetes risk one way or another, so it’s important to learn differences. Fats found in omega 3 fish, such as salmon and tuna, raw nuts, seeds, whole grains and olive oil help to lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Whereas trans fats do just the opposite by contributing to diabetes.
6. If you smoke, quit.
Diabetes is just one of the many smoking health risks on the long list of health problems caused by
tobacco use. Smokers are at least 50% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers.
7. Manage blood pressure and cholesterol. Diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure all damage blood vessels. And when they team up together, they increase your risk for heart attack, stroke and
other deadly conditions. But if you exercise regularly, eat for great health and manage your weight, you can lower blood pressure and cholesterol naturally.
It takes strong commitment and persistence to make the lifestyle changes that reduce your
risk for diabetes.
1. Make exercise a priority. Working your muscles with regular physical activity greatly improves circulation and your ability to use insulin and absorb glucose. Studies show that just taking a brisk half-hour walk every day reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 30%. And adding more physical activity during the day reduces your diabetes risk even more.
2. Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight is the major cause of type 2 diabetes. It increases your risk by seven times. Obesity makes you 20 to 40 times more likely to develop diabetes than someone at a healthy weight. But, if you’re overweight, losing just 7% to 10% of your current weight can cut your chance of developing diabetes in half. Healthy weight loss is the best thing you can do to decrease your diabetes risk.
3. Eliminate refined carbohydrates.
Sugar, sugary soft drinks, fruit drinks and fruit juice, white bread, white rice, white pasta and other refined carbohydrates cause a fast and furious rise in blood sugar. Eating these high glycemic foods greatly increases your risk of developing diabetes.
4. Focus on plant foods.
A diet high in fiber foods, such as colorful vegetables,beans, fresh fruits and 100% whole grains lowers your risk of diabetes and helps keep your appetite and calories under control.
5. Choose healthy fats.
The fats you eat affect your diabetes risk one way or another, so it’s important to learn differences. Fats found in omega 3 fish, such as salmon and tuna, raw nuts, seeds, whole grains and olive oil help to lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Whereas trans fats do just the opposite by contributing to diabetes.
6. If you smoke, quit.
Diabetes is just one of the many smoking health risks on the long list of health problems caused by
tobacco use. Smokers are at least 50% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers.
7. Manage blood pressure and cholesterol. Diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure all damage blood vessels. And when they team up together, they increase your risk for heart attack, stroke and
other deadly conditions. But if you exercise regularly, eat for great health and manage your weight, you can lower blood pressure and cholesterol naturally.