Prediabetes

What Foods to Avoid to Reverse Prediabetes?

Health

Prediabetes is a state where your glucose levels are above the normal range but not near to the point of touching type 2 diabetes. The root cause for this upsurge is unfamiliar, but it is linked with insulin resistance. A condition where your cells quit answering to the hormone insulin. As we all know, the pancreas produces insulin, and glucose enters it into cells. When the body fails to use insulin correctly, glucose gathers in the arteries. 

Prediabetes doesn’t have specific symptoms. In some people, it develops dark skin around the neck and elbows. However, a routine blood test can identify prediabetes. If the test result ranges between 100 and 125, it is considered a sign of prediabetes. The A1C test is another way to measure blood glucose over the last three months. 

If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, it doesn’t mean you have type 2 diabetes; it can be reversed effectively by altering your diet and lifestyle. However, the early sign of diabetes indicates that you are on the path of having an illness that is risky for your heart and nervous system and impacts overall health. 

Foods you must Avoid 

A healthy diet is crucial for everyone, but people who have diabetes need to pay extra attention to what and how much to eat. The first thing you need to cut from your diet is carbohydrates, the primary source of sugar or glucose in your body. Foods high in sugar and loaded with liquid sweeteners will cause a quick spike in blood sugar, so cutting these foods is vital for diabetes management. 

Let’s have a look at some drinks and food items you need to avoid to reverse prediabetes:

  • Lemonade
  • Sweet tea
  • Punch
  • Fruit juices
  • Coffee drinks
  • Alcohol
  • Jams and jellies
  • Syrups
  • Agave
  • Honey
  • Candy
  • Desserts
  • Sweets
  • Baked goods
  • Chips
  • Pretzels
  • Crackers
  • White rice
  • White bread
  • White pasta
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How is Diet Connected to Prediabetes?

Several factors lead to prediabetes. Genetics can be the reason. If diabetes runs in your family, you are likely to have it. However, other factors play a significant role in expanding this disease. Obesity and low physical activity can be the potential cause of diabetes. Due to insufficient physical activity, sugar from the food starts stored in your arteries and restricts insulin from flowing correctly into cells. 

Mostly, people think carbohydrate is the main culprit for diabetes, but the amount and type of carbs from the food impacts blood sugar. A diet rich in nutritional value and healthy carbs can also keep blood sugar levels high. When you consume extra calories, it gets stored as fat in your body, leading to gaining weight. Body fat, particularly in the abdominal area, is associated with insulin resistance. 

How to Reverse Prediabetes?

As per the extensive research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, few significant lifestyle changes can help reverse prediabetes. The changes are connected with the food options and physical activities, and they can bring better results than the medication. You need to consult your nutritionist and choose the best way to change your lifestyle. Here are the functional changes that help reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes and reverse prediabetes. 

Weight Loss 

According to the research, a weight loss of nearly 5 to 7 % can radically decrease the chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes. It is found that small changes in food habits and increased physical activities are beneficial for weight loss and help maintain it. Maintaining an ideal weight can keep blood sugar levels away from the danger zone. 

Regular physical activity

Regular physical activity is the main contributor to reversing diabetes, and an inactive lifestyle is considered a significant risk factor for both diabetes and prediabetes. Due to less physical activity, cells become less active and slowly lose their sensitivity to insulin. 

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As per CDC, a minimum of 150 minutes per week of regular exercise or activity is enough to maintain the blood glucose in the targeted range. The type of activity is an entirely personal choice; it could be walking in the park, taking a Zumba class, swimming, and more. 

Now it is clear that physical activity enhances your energy and decreases insulin resistance, letting your body cells respond to insulin correctly.

Food choices

Physical activity might be the main contributor, but our food directly affects the results. The choice of food impacts the body’s functioning and impacts body weight. Body weight can be the factor that triggers prediabetes, so you need to keep the food that improves your health, such as foods with high fiber, fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. 

Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an eating method in which you limit your eating to particular times. Many research studies recommend that intermittent fasting may help reverse prediabetes. Additionally, it helps you lose weight and keep it under control; while intermittent fasting, you consume fewer calories, so the body needs to use the glucose from the stored fat. 

Eat High Glycemic Foods

Diet is the critical component of a prediabetes treatment plan. If you are overweight, eating healthy food is essential. It would help if you kept an eye on what is inside your body and what nutrition it has. Foods with a low rank on the Glycemic Index are best for type 2 diabetes, as they directly impact your blood sugar. However, it is found that high-carb food can slow your metabolism, cause weight gain and raise insulin resistance. 

Drink Plenty of Water

Water has zero calories, carbs, and sugar, so drinking water is considered the best for reversing prediabetes. Also, it is a vital factor of any healthy diet and weight loss program. Water plays a role in managing the blood sugar levels in the body. It has many benefits and can be a healthy alternative to sugar sweetener drinks such as smoothies, fruit juices, and sweetened beverages. Water helps cut down the sugar intake and keeps the blood glucose level under control. 

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