Type 2 diabetes is a largely preventable disease, but it does take some discipline on your part. Diabetes is a serious disorder that can change your life for the worse. The good news is that with a few lifestyle changes that also produce weight loss, you can reduce your risk dramatically.
Diabetes is heavily associated with being overweight and sedentary, so prevention will focus on losing weight and exercising.
How serious is diabetes?
The effects of uncontrolled diabetes are life altering:
- Lifelong diet control and need for exercise
- Daily medications (with their own side effects) and / or insulin injections
- Neuropathy (nerve damage)
- Blindness, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy
- Kidney failure
- Gum disease, leading to loss of teeth
- Lack of circulation to the limbs, sometimes resulting in gangrene or amputation
- Death from accumulated effects
Are you at risk?
Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:
- Obesity
- Age
- History of gestational diabetes
- Insulin resistance and impaired glucose tolerance
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Family history of diabetes
- Poor diet high in refined carbohydrates and little physical activity
Any of these risks, except for diabetes history and age, can be reduced. Here’s how.
Eat the diet you were meant to eat.
We don’t care what the latest food pyramid scheme is…you do not need that many carbohydrates in your diet.
Many traditional doctors will tell you to follow the latest government guidelines for eating. The latest one says that women 31–50 years of age should eat six servings of grains a day, which is equal to 6 slices of bread or 6 cups of cereal. That’s entirely too much. We recommend reducing wheat as low as possible and consuming perhaps one or two servings of alternative grains, such as oats, quinoa, and spelt bread.
In general, you want to eat anything you can find, pick, hunt, or grow in nature. Eat organic as much as you can, and eat plenty of fermented foods such as pickles, kefir, and sauerkraut. Think whole foods, not boxed foods.
Get out there and move.
We don’t like to do boring exercises, so we assume you don’t either. We focus on fun and movement! Add extra steps to your day wherever you can. Walk instead of ride. Climb stairs instead of taking the elevator. Dance in your bathroom while you’re getting ready. The name of the game is FUN.
Our diabetes prevention program includes changing diet and moving, but we also look at you as an individual and tailor our recommendations accordingly. We may prescribe chromium or cinnamon, or we might set up a session with a yoga master or an acupuncturist. We also specialize in homeopathy, so we can help you with any issues that may arise as you change your lifestyle to prevent diabetes.
We customize a plan for you, so let’s get started today!
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