As diabetologist Valeria Orlenko

said

, currently there are many reasons to consider prediabetes not a condition, but a disease.

This is manifested by metabolic changes that already begin to occur in the body at this stage.

They can lead to diabetes-like complications.

Who is at risk?

Provided that you have at least one of these factors, you should consult a doctor and check the state of carbohydrate metabolism:

  • low physical activity;

  • women who gave birth to a child weighing more than 4 kg or had gestational diabetes;

  • presence of type I diabetes in relatives;

  • arterial hypertension over 140/90 mm Hg.

    Art.

    or the use of antihypertensive therapy;

  • clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance (polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity);

  • HDL cholesterol level is less than 0.9 mmol/l and/or triglyceride level is more than 2.82 mmol/l;

  • the presence of cardiovascular diseases.

Prediabetes: treatment

You can use

the FINDRISC test

for self-control.

It contains eight simple questions with answers and total points.

However, even if the test shows a high probability of type II diabetes, it is not too late to change everything.

The doctor highlights eight important steps that will help you reduce the risk of developing a serious disease:

  • Awareness of the problem is probably the most important step, because it is very important to understand that you need to start acting.

  • Fighting excess weight - the nutritionist assures that even reducing excess body weight by 7% will help on the way to recovery, for this you need to eat healthy food that has fewer calories.

  • Using a "healthy plate" — 50% of your meals should be non-starchy vegetables (asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc.).

    Another 25% are starchy vegetables (potatoes, corn, peas).

    The last 25% is protein (vegetable or animal).

  • Exercise - you can start with regular walks - make it a rule to walk briskly for 30 minutes every day.

    After that, you can add other physical activities.

  • Healthy sleep — it should last 7-9 hours a day.

    To improve it, it is better to limit the use of alcohol, caffeine and establish a sleep regime.

  • Quitting smoking - it is better to forget about this bad habit, because smokers have a 30-40% increased chance of developing diabetes.

  • Adding pills is, of course, something you should discuss with your family doctor.

    Medicines are recommended to be added only in some cases.

  • Support - above all, it is very important for a person to be supported by loved ones, friends, and relatives.

    • Read also:

    • It turns out that posture matters: how to sleep to wake up refreshed and healthy

    • It will seriously undermine health: why you can't drink coffee with milk

    • Can people with gastrointestinal diseases drink coffee: a gastroenterologist gave an answer