Whether you have prediabetes, have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or if your diabetes has been out of control for a long time, it's never too late to stop diabetes in its tracks.
Losing weight and reversing prediabetes can take anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months, to a few years, but the window of time to reverse prediabetes after a diagnosis is between 2-6 years – so you have time!
There is no single timeline for reversing prediabetes. For some patients, a return to normal blood sugar levels may come over a few months, while for others, it may take years.
Nearly 70% of people with prediabetes develop diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association, which means you have an over 30% chance of reversing it if you take action right away. The risk factors for prediabetes include: Being over 45.
Avoiding excessive intake of added sugars by limiting sugary beverages, cakes, cookies, candy and snacks. Limiting portion sizes of refined carbohydrate foods such as white bread, white rice and white pasta.
Not everyone with prediabetes will go on to develop diabetes. Over the short term (three to five years), about 25% of people with prediabetes develop full-blown diabetes. The percentage is significantly larger over the long term. Getting the wake-up call of prediabetes can be very useful.
Cut out added sugar
While there are many diet recommendations out there, one of the simplest ways to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and reversing prediabetes is by simply cutting out added sugar.
When stress levels rise higher over time, it increases the secretion of certain hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol and may increase your risk for health issues like prediabetes.
HIIT exercises like aerobics or interval jogging for about 30 minutes three to five times a week can help to manage prediabetes.
Most people diagnosed with prediabetes develop Type 2 diabetes within 10 years. This means you should have time to prevent this from happening. On the other hand, it takes about three years to reverse prediabetes.
Regular exercise, such as walking, can help prevent or reverse prediabetes and insulin resistance. If someone is typically inactive, they can start by taking a 5–10 minute walk on most days of the week, gradually working up to 30 minutes.
Prediabetes can progress to diabetes within a year, but it is also reversible. If you have risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes, talk to a healthcare provider about getting your A1C levels checked.
For most people without diabetes, normal blood sugar levels are: between 4 and to 6 mmol/L before meals. less than 8 mmol/L two hours after eating.
If your cells become too resistant to insulin, it can result in elevated blood sugar levels, which can lead to weight gain, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Losing weight with insulin resistance is more difficult because the body stores excess blood sugar as fat.
Prediabetes is not simply the result of high body weight – though obesity is one underlying cause of insulin resistance. Many individuals with excess weight may never develop prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, while some people with prediabetes never have excess weight.
According to an ADA expert panel, up to 70% of individuals with prediabetes will eventually develop diabetes.
Studies have shown intermittent energy restriction to be efficacious in preventing and managing prediabetes and DM, with remarkable improvements in the metabolic and cardiovascular biomarkers of individuals with DM.
The Bottom Line. Bananas are a delicious, nutritious and affordable food for everyone, including those with diabetes. Eating this healthy fruit can help stabilize blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and improve heart health.
If you ignore prediabetes: It worsens and can become type 2 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes, health care costs could increase by nearly $10,000 each year. Your risk increases for heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.
Prediabetes usually happens when your body has a problem with insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. A problem with insulin could be: Insulin resistance, a condition in which the body can't use its insulin properly.
Prediabetes doesn't always have symptoms, so it's important to get blood sugar levels tested, especially if you're at high risk.