Are you at risk for Prediabetes or Diabetes? March 25 is Diabetes Alert Day

“Think of prediabetes as a warning sign; you don’t have diabetes yet but without making lifestyle changes people can progress into Type 2 diabetes.”
 
OWEN, Wis. – According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, more than 135 million people in the U.S. have diabetes or prediabetes. Of those adults, one in five did not even know they had the condition.
 
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition characterized by high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood and can cause a heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or loss of feet or legs.
Prediabetes, on the other hand, is when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not quite at the diabetes level yet.
 
“It’s so important to understand the difference between prediabetes and diabetes,” said Alisha Natzke, APNP, a Family Nurse Practitioner at Aspirus Health. “Think of prediabetes as a warning sign; you don’t have diabetes yet but without making lifestyle changes people can progress into Type 2 diabetes.”
 
Diabetes risk factors include:

• Being overweight
• Having a parent or sibling who has Type 2 diabetes
• Lack of physical activity (fewer than three times per week)
• Some ethnic groups are at a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes

• Increase your physical activity. Before you jump into a rigorous exercise routine, talk to your doctor about what physical activities are most beneficial for your body. Start slowly to avoid injury and work your way up to 30 minutes of exercise five days per week. Things like walking, swimming, and dancing could help keep your blood sugar from spiking.
• Choose foods wisely. Carbohydrates like bread, grains, starches, milk, and fruits have the biggest effect on blood sugars. Focus heavily on controlling portion sizes of those foods and balance them with foods like vegetables, lean proteins, and heart healthy fats. A registered dietitian should help you customize a meal plan.
• Check blood sugar regularly. Keep an eye on what you eat and how it affects you by testing your blood sugar.  A fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) is considered prediabetes.
• Get in the know. Talk to a certified diabetes educator to learn how to self-manage type 2 diabetes, including ongoing treatment. Diabetes educators provide information about how exercise and food choices affect blood sugar and prevent things like eye or kidney damage. The more you know, the easier it is to make healthy choices.
• Check in with your primary care clinician regularly. Treatment needs to change depending on your blood sugar levels. Make appointments for regular checkups to ensure you are up to date on your regimen.