10 ways to prevent diabetes and reduce the risk of complications

Browse By

10 ways to prevent diabetes that can be easily done by yourself. It may start from adjusting eating habits and exercising. Because diabetes is often caused by abnormalities in the production and function of insulin, which is a hormone that helps burn and change glucose from food into energy for the body. When insulin is abnormal, it results in chronically high blood sugar levels and a risk of diabetes, especially in people who are insulin resistant and the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. ทางเข้า UFABET สำหรับสมาชิกใหม่ สมัครวันนี้ รับโบนัสฟรี However, maintaining normal blood sugar levels may help reduce and prevent diabetes.

10 ways to prevent diabetes

Here are some ways to prevent diabetes that you can do yourself:

1. Eat foods high in fiber.

Eating a healthy diet that contains fiber from fruits and vegetables may help control weight, slow down the absorption of sugar, and reduce the risk of diabetes. Since the body cannot digest fiber, fiber passes through the digestive tract and helps you feel full longer. It may therefore help reduce cravings for food and snacks between meals, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.

High-fiber foods such as:

  • tomato
  • bitter
  • Green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli, cauliflower
  • Chickpeas
  • Peanuts
  • Oatmeal
  • Whole grains such as Job’s tears, brown rice, and corn.
  • Whole wheat bread

High-carbohydrate, low-fiber foods, such as white bread, white pasta, processed foods, and sugary drinks, should be avoided as they can increase the risk of high blood sugar.

2. Choose to eat healthy fats.

You should choose to eat foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good fats for the body and may help prevent diabetes and heart disease.

Foods that contain good fats, such as:

  • Almond
  • Peanuts
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Salmon
  • Mackerel
  • Sardines
  • Tuna
  • Sunflower Seed Oil
  • Olive oil
  • Canola oil

However, you can eat other types of meat, such as pork and chicken, but you should choose lean or low-fat types.

3. Avoid salty foods.

Eating salty or high-sodium foods may increase the risk of high blood pressure, which can lead to chronic diseases such as kidney disease, heart disease , stroke, and diabetes. To reduce this risk, you should eat no more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day, or the equivalent of about 5 grams (1 teaspoon) of table salt.

High sodium foods to avoid include:

  • Processed meats such as sausage, ham, bacon, and sausage
  • Canned foods such as canned fish, instant soup, canned tomatoes
  • Processed foods such as macaroni and cheese, potatoes, and general frozen foods
  • Fermented foods such as fermented fish, pickled vegetables, and preserved fruits
  • Snacks such as saltine crackers, potato chips, cookies, and donuts
  • Seasonings such as soy sauce, sauces, salad dressing, ketchup, salt, soybean paste

4. Exercise

Regular exercise may help stimulate insulin to work more effectively, leading to lower blood sugar levels and helping to control weight. Moderate intensity exercises such as brisk walking, swimming, running, cycling can be done for 30 minutes a day or at least 150 minutes / week. If doing high intensity exercises such as yoga, weight lifting, bodybuilding, you may exercise only 2-3 times / week.

5. Lose weight

Losing excess weight can help lower blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of developing diabetes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that if people with prediabetes lose at least 7 to 10 percent of their body weight, they may be able to reduce their risk of developing diabetes.

6. Get enough rest.

Getting enough sleep, about 7-8 hours/night, may help reduce cravings that cause the body to become insulin resistant and feel hungry enough to overeat the next day, which can increase body weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, putting you at risk for health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and depression.

7. Manage stress

Although stress does not directly cause diabetes, it can increase blood sugar levels. This is because when the body releases cortisol, a stress hormone, it can reduce the effectiveness of insulin, leading to insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels, which can increase the risk of diabetes. Therefore, you should relieve stress regularly by doing activities you enjoy, such as yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, listening to music, reading books, drawing, or watching movies. Try not to let stress build up because it can lead to health problems, such as diabetes.

8. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol can raise blood sugar levels, increase calories and triglycerides, make it harder to lose weight, stimulate appetite and increase the risk of diabetes. Drinking no more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day and avoiding mixing them with sweetened drinks, soft drinks or soda may help reduce the risk.

9. Stop smoking.

You should quit smoking permanently because smoking can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 30-40 percent when compared to people who don’t smoke. This is because the nicotine in cigarettes can damage tissue cells so that the body doesn’t respond to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to rise. It can also increase the risk of other health problems such as heart disease, kidney failure, nerve damage, sexual dysfunction, and vision problems.

10. Annual health check

Regular health check-ups to check blood sugar levels and body systems related to diabetes may help you know if you have health problems such as diabetes, nerve damage, or kidney damage, and if you do, you can get treatment in a timely manner.