We’re proud to be a part of National Diabetes Week. Our main goal here at The Doctor’s Kitchen Australia is to prevent disease and to help you make modifications to your lifestyle for long term, sustainable change. Let food be your medicine and become one of our many success stories in our fight against Type 2 Diabetes.
Prediabetes now doesn’t have to mean diabetes later. Learn how you can make healthy sustainable lifestyle changes to manage your blood sugar levels and minimise your risk to diabetes.
1. Prevention is possible.
The Diabetes Prevention Program, a large clinical trial, found that the onset of diabetes could be prevented or delayed by losing just 5 to 7 percent of body weight, that’s around 4 to 6 kgs for a person that weighs 90 kilos, and exercising for 30 minutes each day (mostly walking). So, even if your blood sugar is running high, you can take actions to make sure you don’t develop diabetes.
2. Forget diets. Let good food, fight fat.
If you want to see healthy changes that make you feel good on the inside and look great on the outside, eat a variety of delicious tasting foods including lean proteins and dairy, whole grains and legumes and lots of produce. Portion control is key. Aim for a plate that is half filled with non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter starchy foods or whole grains and one-quarter lean protein. This will fill you up on fewer calories and guarantee you a good dose of fibre to improve your blood sugar control.
3. Start small. There’s no need to be a pro-marathon runner.
Just like food, physical activity is like medicine – it lowers your blood sugar while also burning fat and relieving stress. But you don’t need to spend two hours a day running on a treadmill. The goal is to increase your heart rate through moderate intensity activities for about 30 minutes, at least 5 days a week. And those minutes don’t have to be all in a row – take a 15-minute brisk walk at lunch and again after work. Done. We’ve got some fantastic personal trainers that are willing to provide free consultations and exercise programs to help you get started.
Start where you are and make your goals achievable. Choose one fitness goal and one nutrition goal; for example, “I will take 30-minute walks after dinner on Mondays and Wednesdays and I will include one cup of vegetables at lunch on workdays.” Remember to track your progress and acknowledge your efforts. Write them down or use an app on your phone. You need to know when to pat yourself on the back. And be ready for slip ups, because they are a part of any new endeavour. It’s a chance for you to see what works and what doesn’t. So learn from them and jump right back on track.
Why not take advantage of all this good news and find out if you are at risk? Let food be your medicine!
The post Three important things to know about prediabetes appeared first on The Doctor's Kitchen Australia.