It's never too late to start making changes to your lifestyle, which could be a significant step toward diabetes prevention. The most prevalent form of diabetes, type 2, can be halted with lifestyle adjustments. If you already have type 2 diabetes due to being overweight or obese, having high cholesterol, or having a family history of the disease, prevention is crucial.

A change in lifestyle can stop or delay the beginning of the disease if you have prediabetes, which is elevated blood sugar that is not yet diagnosed as diabetes. Making a few little lifestyle adjustments today may help you prevent potential major health issues associated with diabetes, such as damage to your nerves, kidneys, and heart. Starting is never too late.

1. Reduce excess weight - Obesity lowers the risk of developing diabetes. People in one significant trial who lost roughly 7% of their body weight by dietary and exercise improvements saw a nearly 60% reduction in their chance of acquiring diabetes. Greater advantages will result from further weight loss. Based on your current body weight, choose a weight loss target.

2. Increase physical activity - Regular exercise has a variety of advantages. Exercise benefits include:
- Reduce your blood sugar levels
- Lose weight
- Improve your sensitivity to insulin, which keeps your blood sugar levels within a reasonable range.

Most people set objectives to encourage weight loss and keep a healthy weight.

3. Consume wholesome plant foods - Plants supply your food with vitamins, minerals, and carbs. Sugars, starches, and fiber are all types of carbohydrates. These are the sources of energy for your body. Foods high in fiber encourage weight loss and reduce the incidence of diabetes. Consume a range of wholesome, high-fiber foods.

Among the advantages of fiber are:
- Reducing blood sugar levels and slows sugar absorption
- Preventing the digestion of dietary cholesterol and lipids
- Managing other risk factors, such as blood pressure and inflammation, that have an impact on heart health

4. Consume good fats - Since fatty meals are heavy in calories, they should only be consumed occasionally. Your diet should contain a range of foods with unsaturated fats, also referred to as "good fats," to aid in weight loss and management.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are both types of unsaturated fats, support normal blood cholesterol levels as well as heart and vascular health.

5. Avoid fad diets and opt for healthier alternatives - Numerous fad diets, including the paleo, keto, and glycemic index diets, may aid in weight loss. However, there is little information available regarding the long-term advantages of these diets or their use in preventing diabetes.

Your eating objective should be to reduce weight and then go forward maintaining a healthier weight. Therefore, making healthy food choices requires a plan that you can stick to as a lifelong habit. Over time, you might benefit from making healthy options that incorporate some of your own gastronomic preferences and cultural customs.


When to visit the doctor:
All persons age 45 and over, as well as the following groups, should undergo routine testing for type 2 diabetes with diagnostic tests:

• Individuals under 45 who are overweight or obese and have one or more diabetes risk factors
• Pregnant women with gestational diabetes
• Those with prediabetes who have received a diagnosis
• Children who are overweight or obese, have a history of type 2 diabetes in their family, or who otherwise have a risk

Tell your doctor about your worries regarding diabetes prevention. He or she will be appreciative of your efforts to avoid diabetes and perhaps provide more recommendations in light of your medical background or other circumstances.

Reference:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-prevention/art-20047639