Changing your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention — and it’s never too late too start.

It becomes even more important to make diabetes prevention a priority if you’re at increased risk of diabetes, such as if you’re overweight or you have a family history of the disease or you have been diagnosed with prediabetes (also known as impaired fasting glucose).

Consider these diabetes prevention tips listed below:

Cut sugar and refined carbs from your diet

Eating foods high in refined carbs and sugar increases blood sugar and insulin levels, which may lead to diabetes over time. Avoiding these foods may help reduce your risk.

Work out regularly

Performing physical activity on a regular basis can increase insulin secretion and sensitivity, which may help prevent the progression from prediabetes to diabetes.

Drink water as your regular beverage

Drinking water instead of other beverages may help control blood sugar and insulin levels, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes.

Control your weight

Excess weight is the single most important cause of type 2 diabetes. Losing weight can help if your weight is above the healthy-weight range. Losing 7-10% of your current weight can cut your chances of developing type 2 diabetes in half.

Don’t smoke

Add type 2 diabetes to the long list of health problems linked with smoking. Smokers are roughly 50% more likely to develop diabetes than nonsmokers, and heavy smokers have an even higher risk. Quitting has been shown to reduce this risk over time.

Diabetes prevention — African woman using diabetes test kit

Eat a high fibre diet

Consuming a good fiber source at each meal can help prevent spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels, which may help reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

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Optimise Vitamin D level

Consuming foods high in vitamin D or taking supplements can help optimize vitamin D blood levels, which can reduce your risk of diabetes.

Drink coffee or tea

Drinking coffee or tea may help reduce blood sugar levels, increase insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of diabetes.

Minimise intake of processed foods

Minimising processed foods and focusing on whole foods with protective effects on health may help decrease the risk of diabetes.

The medical information provided in this article is provided as an information resource only. This information does not create any patient-physician relationship and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

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Related topics: diabetes Diabetes prevention