Diabetes Prevention

Changing your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention. It's never too late to get started and start taking control of your life. When it comes to type 2 diabetes - the most common type of diabetes - prevention is a big deal. It's especially important to make diabetes prevention a priority if you're at increased risk of diabetes, for example, if you're overweight or have a family history of diabetes.

Diabetes prevention is as basic as eating more healthfully, becoming more physically active and losing a few extra pounds - and it's never too late to start now. Diabetes can deliver serious health complications down the road to the liver, kidney and heart dammage if you do not implement some simple lifestyle changes now. Consider the latest diabetes prevention tips from the American Diabetes Association.

Tip 1: Get more physical activity - there are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you lose weight, lower your blood sugar and boosts your sensitivity to insulin - keep your blood sugar within normal range which helps. Research shows that both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes, but the greatest benefit comes from a fitness program that includes both.

Tip 2: Get plenty of fiber - it's rough, it's tough - and it may help you by reducing your risk of diabetes by improving your blood sugar control, lowering your risk of heart disease and by promoting weight loss by helping you feel full. Foods high in fiber include: fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Tip 3: Go for whole grains - whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes, although it is not clear why they help maintain blood sugar levels. Try to make at least half your grains whole grains. Many foods made from whole grains come ready to eat, including breads, pasta products and many cereals. Look for the word "whole" on the packages of your food items.

Tip 4: Lose extra weight - diabetes prevention may hinge on weight loss if you are overweight. You can improve your health with every pound you lose. And you may be surprised by how much. In one study, overweight adults reduced their diabetes risk by 1 percent for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight lost. Also, those who lost a modest amount of weight - at least 5 to 10 percent of initial body weight - and exercised regularly reduced the risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent over three years.

Tip 5: Skip fad diets and make healthier choices - Low-carb diets, the glycemic index diet or other fad diets may help lose weight at first, but their effectiveness at preventing diabetes isn't known nor are their long-term effects. And by excluding or strictly limiting a particular food group, you may be giving up essential nutrients. Instead, think variety and portion control as part of an overall healthy-eating plan. If you're older than age 45 and your weight is normal, ask your doctor if diabetes testing is appropriate for you. The American Diabetes Association recommends blood glucose screening if: being younger than 45 and overweight as well as being over 45 and overweight along with additional risk factors you may be at risk for type 2 diabetes - if you have a family history of diabetes or a sedentary lifestyle.

Ask your doctor about any concerns you have on diabetes prevention. He or she will applaud your efforts to keep diabetes at bay, and perhaps offer additional suggestions based on your medical history or other factors.