Type 2 diabetes: Is it possible to prevent diabetes?

The incidence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Adult onset diabetes (also known as type 2 diabetes) is now being diagnosed in young children, teenagers and young adults. This is disturbing because type 2 diabetes used to be considered an older person's disease. however, this is no longer appears to be the case. With childhood obesity on the rise as well, there seems to be a connection between the two with diet and weight as major contributing factors.

If you are overweight, eat a poor diet and have a sedentary lifestyle, you may be increasing your chances for diabetes, no matter how old you are. If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, or have other risk factors like a genetic pre-disposition for diabetes, a family history of diabetes, or have developed diabetes during pregnancy, it is very important that you start taking action immediately to prevent diabetes.

Steps you should take to prevent diabetes:

There has been a recent study released that followed the patient's health records for over a sixteen year period. It concluded that being overweight was perhaps more of a contributing factor than just exercise by itself in preventing diabetes. Women who had a body mass index (BMI) of 40 were 28 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women of normal weight and BMI. Patients who were obese, that exercised three to four hours a day for five days each week, were still 11 times more likely to develop diabetes than their slender counterparts who did not follow a regular exercise program.

This is not saying that you shouldn't exercise, but it simply advises that, if you are overweight, then your primary focus should be on weight loss to prevent diabetes. If you can maintain a normal weight and BMI, then you will exponentially reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Following a regular exercise program is not a guarantee that you will prevent diabetes, but you will burn off extra calories and improve your cardiovascular function and circulation, which are both common complications of type 2 diabetes.

No matter what type of diet you are following, make sure you are eating whole foods(preferably organic), that are rich in complex carbohydrates (because they break down slowly), with plenty of vegetables, that are low in fat and high in fiber. Make nutrient dense foods your first choices. If you consume meat, cut down on the portions and try organically raised meats which have no growth hormones in them. The problem is that processed foods have high amounts of chemicals, preservatives, dyes and other food additives, as well as greater amounts of salts and sugars. Read the ingredients and see for yourself. Your goal is to prevent diabetes, and these foods will eventually contribute to a pre-diabetic condition. They are convenient but not worth the risk!

It is a proven fact that one of the most important steps you can take to prevent diabetes is to cut back on your sugar intake. In type 2 diabetes, your body can no longer manage it's production of insulin. If you are a big soda drinker or you love your desserts, your system is being continually burdened with large sugar spikes that will eventually destroy your body's ability to properly manage your blood sugar. If you have to drink soda, purchase some of the newer products that are made with Splenda(R) instead of sugar. Although I don't drink much soda, I have tried these Splenda(R) drinks and they do taste like sugar. Even better, they don't have that wired aftertaste like regular diet sodas have. Try using this sweetener in your coffee or lemonade and substitute Splenda(R) for recipes that require sugar.

It seems that processed convenience foods are one of the main culprits in the rise of diabetes cases, as well as the increased incidence of obesity in young children and adults, because these types of foods were not nearly as abundant three decades ago as they are now. To prevent diabetes, develop and practice good dietary habits. Make sure your children have healthy eating habits as well. Having good health is well worth its weight in gold!

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