10 Most Effective Lifestyle Measures To Control Prediabetes

What if you are diagnosed with prediabetes? Reversal of prediabetes is possible. In our earlier blogs, we have even discussed the ways to reverse prediabetes naturally.
But if you are looking at something some specific lifestyle changes to manage prediabetes and have healthy 45 plus years, you have reached the right place. Today, we will discuss the 10 most effective lifestyle measures to control prediabetes.
10 Most Effective Lifestyle Measures To Control Prediabetes

You are aware that prediabetes if controlled at this stage, can help prevent many other complications like diabetes, its complications, and heart disorders. The best way to reverse prediabetes is to set your routine right and follow these essential lifestyle tips for prediabetes.

Follow these 10 most effective lifestyle measures to control prediabetes.

1. Cut the Carbs – Reduce the use of refined flour and sweet foods like bread, cakes, cookies. These foods cause a sudden spike in your blood sugar level and reversing prediabetes may become difficult. Instead, take complex carbs like whole wheat, brown rice, and oats. Not just this, reducing your overall carbohydrates intake can make a lot of difference too. Several studies have shown that having a diet low in carbohydrates can help in reducing your blood sugar levels. This can control insulin resistance, help reverse prediabetes, and prevent diabetes.

2. Get plenty of fiber – For prediabetics and diabetics, the best form of sugar is fiber. Fiber-rich foods include raw fruits and vegetables, sprouts, nuts, oats, and whole grains. It not only provides you with energy for a long period but also helps to reduce blood glucose levels over a period. Additionally, it makes you feel full, satisfied, thus managing your appetite, and helps control your weight. All these effects jointly help you maintain good health and control prediabetes.

3. Drink more water – Choose water as your first choice of a drink. This can help you avoid sugary beverages and colas that cause a spike in blood sugar. Drinking water is beneficial to get rid of body toxins, thus improving your digestion and metabolism. This can have an impact on your blood sugar levels too. Moreover, prediabetics and diabetics are more prone to dehydration – you can prevent this by having plenty of water during the day. This is an important lifestyle measure to control prediabetes.

4. Avoid processed food – Processed foods, ready to eat meals and junk foods are linked to increased risk of heart diseases, obesity, and diabetes. Limit intake of such foods and replace them with more natural, whole foods and freshly prepared home-made foods to control prediabetes.

5. Go for a walk every day – Exercises have shown a great impact on blood sugar levels. You can perform any form of exercise, based on your health, every day. Walking is considered as the safest exercise for most people. So, as one of the effective lifestyle measures to control prediabetes, go for a walk every day. At least 30 to 40 mins a day or if possible. You can choose to walk twice a day for some time. Also, remain active throughout the day, it will help you reduce blood sugar.

6. Do Pranayama /yoga – Yoga and pranayama have shown great effects to reduce blood sugar levels and are effective for prediabetics. Pranayama or breathing exercises help reduce stress, release toxins through better exhalation, and improve mood. Yoga is best performed under an expert’s guidance or chooses the yoga asanas that you can comfortably perform. Most yoga poses stimulate internal organs, improve metabolism, and help remove wastes, resulting in better functioning of your system. With these positive benefits, yoga and pranayama can help control prediabetes.

7. Go to bed on time – While it is known that sleep helps your body and mind to heal, reduce stress, maintains hormonal balance, and controls appetite, it is one of the effective lifestyle measures to control prediabetes. However, getting enough, good quality sleep at night is very important. Staying awake at night for long or making up for the lost hours of sleep over weekends does not work much. To reduce the risk of diabetes, go to bed on time every day, and have a good sleep at night.

8. Get your vitamin D – It is noted that deficiency of vitamin D is related to diabetes. Hence, prediabetics can be cautious and get vitamin D to prevent diabetes. Daily exposure in the sun for some time is enough. Those with a deficiency can take supplements, with your doctor’s advice.

9. Drink tea or coffee – Apart from water, you can choose to have tea or coffee, without added sugar. Green tea, white tea, or black coffee too is also popular these days. Some studies suggest that the antioxidants present in these drinks, especially green tea can help reduce blood sugar levels. This can be a great chance to control prediabetes.

10. Use natural herbs – As your food choices change, you may notice a difference in your taste. You can use natural herbs to add taste, with a healthy punch, and help control prediabetes. Most of the herbs have medicinal properties in them and can enhance the colour and flavour of your food healthily. Ginger, fenugreek, coriander, mint, basil are all flavourful ingredients with healing properties. Curcumin, the main component in the golden spice turmeric, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. It can help lower inflammatory markers, reduce insulin resistance, and lower the risk of diabetes progression. Thus, using natural herbs can be considered as one of the effective lifestyle measures to control prediabetes.

These lifestyle measures are simple, yet effective. You need to be determined and follow them religiously once you make up your mind. In our next blogs, we will continue our journey to find ways to reverse prediabetes and stay healthy.