How do you prevent and control diabetes if you are already diabetic?
How to prevent and control diabetes relies on the same lifestyle habits. According to the CDC, 90–95% of diabetes is type 2. That means you acquire it through lifestyle habits.
The answer is more simple than we make it, but the executing it is a tough part for many people. I think to help prevent and reverse diabetes, you need to know what you want and what you don’t want. People will do what they value. People need to understand that when they have diabetes, it puts them at risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, erectile dysfunction, amputation, poor wound healing, etc. Imagine your blood flow is a thick sticky honey instead of the free flowing of water.
I know someone who has diabetes type 2, went into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and almost die. He was on multiple blood sugar pills, insulin, cholesterol, and high blood pressure pills. He adjusted his lifestyle. Now he only takes 1 tiny cholesterol pill. No more insulin. No other pills.
Here are the suggestions:
Eat a whole food diet. When you feed your body with the nutrient dense food, it can have a chance to recover and heal.
Avoid processed food, refined carbohydrates such as cereal, waffles, bread, donuts, etc. These are loaded with sugar, additives, preservatives that is going to make your pancreas work extra hard. A reason people develop diabetes is because they become insulin resistant from constant consumption of highly processed refined carbohydrate.
Stop eating when you are 80–90% full. Overeating creates not only problem to your digestive tract, but also putting extra work on the pancreas to send out enzymes and insulin.
Avoid snacking when not hungry. Creates a habit of unnecessary overeating especially when you reach for processed food/junk food.
Drink water instead of pop drinks, commercial fruit and vegetable juice, sugary drinks, and even alcohol. The amount of sugar that is in a can of 355ml of Coca Cola is about 33–39g of sugar. American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoon (25g) of added sugar for a woman per day.
More dietary fiber. That is from vegetables and fruits. Not from Metamucil. Fiber helps regulate your sugar and keeps you full longer. It also helps give your colon food that supports healthy gut microbiomes.
Exercise regularly. We all know the amazing benefits of exercise on our mental and physical health. If you have a desk job, go for a 5–10 minute walk every hour. If you don’t feel motivated, have an accountable buddy or sign up with a trainer.
Get 7–8 hours of sleep. This helps with balance your leptin and ghrelin hormones so you don’t get crazy cravings.
Don’t go shopping when you are hungry. You are more likely to buy anything, everything, and food that are convenient (junk/processed).
Know how important getting rid of diabetes can do to improve your quality of life. Think of a reason that is so meaningful to you. Your big why. If you want to stick around to see your daughter get married. Be independent at 60 instead being stuck in a nursing home bed. Have good intimate relationship with your spouse. Not get erectile dysfunction. Be able to walk instead of having your limbs amputated.
I hope this helps bring awareness to change your mindset. Without a change way of thinking, no action will be taken. Knowledge is only powerful when it is actually applied.
There are many more suggestions I can make. In the meantime, pick 1 of the tips, and start using it. Let me know how it goes.
Your friend,
Jenny
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