Ask a Doc: At risk for diabetes? Simple lifestyle changes could save your life – AZCentral.com

Dr. Tiffany Pankow, Special for The Republic | azcentral.com 7:00 a.m. MT June 2, 2017

Dr. Tiffany Pankow(Photo: HonorHealth)

Question: What can I do to prevent becoming diabetic?

Answer: More than one in three Americans has prediabetes, and 90 percent of them dont know it.

With prediabetes, your blood sugar levels are impaired but arent high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Because most people dont have symptoms, it can go undetected without screening.

Unfortunately, many with this condition will develop diabetes within a short time if the condition isnt addressed.

If you have prediabetes, youre at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. If diabetes develops, add blindness, kidney failure, and loss of limb from amputation to the risk list.

The good news is that you often can prevent diabetes with healthy lifestyle modifications, education, and sometimes, medication.

Identifying the early stages of glucose impairment before diabetes develops is an important way to reverse and prevent chronic disease.

If you have one or more of the following risk factors, talk to your doctor about screening for prediabetes with a blood test:

If you have prediabetes or are at risk for developing diabetes, several lifestyle changes can greatly decrease your risk. Although making lifestyle changes can be challenging, even small adjustments can have lasting results:

Losing 5-7 percent of your body weight can prevent or delay the progression to diabetes.

Replacing processed and packaged food with vegetables, fruits and lean protein such as chicken, fish, and turkey improves nutrition and decreases calories.

Avoiding white flour in pasta, pastries and bagels and instead choosing whole-grain options for carbohydrates can improve blood sugar levels.

Increasing exercise to a goal of 150 minutes per week and getting enough restful sleep can also help lower glucose levels and prevent diabetes.

Managing stress is another important component of a healthy lifestyle.

Limiting added sugar in foods to 25 grams (6 teaspoons) a day for women and 37.5 grams (9 teaspoons) for men is an American Heart Association recommendation.

For more information or to find a doctor to help you with screening or treatment for prediabetes, visit honorhealth.com/medical-services/primary-care.

Tiffany Pankow, MD, specializes in family medicine with HonorHealth Medical Group. She can be reached at 480-882-7360 or visit https://www.honorhealth.com/physicians/tiffany-pankow

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Ask a Doc: At risk for diabetes? Simple lifestyle changes could save your life - AZCentral.com