In the video: Everything you need to know about prediabetes (AP, Reuters, Getty Images, Shutterstock)
In Israel there are more than half a million diabetics and hundreds of thousands more who are pre-diabetic and may not be aware of it. If you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, it means that your blood sugar levels are not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes, but they are high enough to indicate a need for change. So what changes should you make in your life?
A normal fasting blood sugar level is below 100, while a prediabetes person has a blood sugar level of between 100 and 126 mg/dl. Once the levels have exceeded 126, it is classified as type 2 diabetes. This indicates that the body is resisting insulin activity or not producing enough of it to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Other names used to describe prediabetes are fasting glucose impairment, glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance, and latent diabetes.
Foods rich in carbohydrates raise blood sugar more than other foods. During digestion, the pancreas produces insulin, which then binds blood sugar and puts it into the cells as an energy source. If you are identified as pre-diabetic, sugar starts to build up in your bloodstream instead of fueling your cells. This occurs when insulin resistance occurs, believed to be the number one cause of prediabetes.
A healthy weight allows insulin to work more efficiently and can help keep blood sugar within the normal range. This is one of the reasons why a healthy diet and regular exercise are the best ways to help bring blood sugar back into a normal range.
A healthy weight allows insulin to work more efficiently. (Photo: ShutterStock)
What factors increase the risk of developing prediabetes?
The same factors that may increase a person's risk of type 2 diabetes may also increase the risk of prediabetes, such as:
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- Overweight or obesity
- Abdominal obesity
- Family history of diabetes
- Sedentary lifestyle
- 35 years and older
- Diagnosis of diabetes Previous gestational
- High level of triglycerides in the blood
- High blood pressure
- Lack of sleep
- Skip breakfast
- Turning night into day and disrupting circadian rhythm
When should I get tested?
If you are 35 years of age or older, you should check your fasting sugar every year during the physical exam. If you are a woman who has had gestational diabetes, it is important to check your blood sugar every year, as this increases the risk of developing prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
What are the symptoms of prediabetes?
People often don't know they have pre-diabetes because they may not experience any symptoms.
People with prediabetes or especially type 2 diabetes may experience some of the following symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Frequent urination
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger
Diabetes (Photo: ShutterStock)
What are the next steps?
Once diagnosed, you may be referred to a diabetic dietitian/dietitian who can customize a plan to help you manage your health and well-being.
You will also learn lifestyle skills for managing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. This may include meal planning, exercise, medication management, stress relief, and working on proper sleep. People with prediabetes may be able to prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes significantly through lifestyle changes, including achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Those with high glucose fluctuations should use a continuous glucose meter and monitor glucose levels regularly throughout the day, preferably with a continuous glucose meter without stabbing, which will reflect the state of glucose levels at any given time and will also help understand how foods affect sugar levels.
It is important to know that most prediabetes treatment plans do not include medication or routine blood sugar monitoring, but rather self-work to change a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
What are the consequences of diabetes?
Diabetes can have long-term health consequences, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is higher if there is prediabetes, and this increases the health risk for:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Eye damage, including blindness
- Limb amputation
- Renal failure
In any case, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your glucose levels, or if you develop any symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Prof. Julio Weinstein is Director of the Diabetes Research Unit at Wolfson Hospital and a senior diabetes physician at DMC Diabetes Center
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