Understanding Pre-Diabetes

Transcript

"For most people, you mention pre-diabetes and it doesn’t mean anything to them. It just means, well I might get it. What they don’t realize is that your blood glucose level is elevated then you’re sort of pre-disposed to that, unless you make a change."

Pre-diabetes means that the level of glucose in your blood is higher than normal, but not high enough so that you have diabetes. Yet if you don’t do something now, you will get type 2 diabetes.

Here’s why. Your body changes food into glucose, a form of sugar and uses it for energy. When your body is working normally your blood glucose levels are in a healthy range. But in some people glucose builds up in the bloodstream. If you have pre-diabetes your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not as high as type 2 diabetes.

If your levels get higher, however, and you do develop type 2 diabetes, you are at increased risk for: heart attack, stroke, circulation problems, kidney disease, eye disease, neuropathy, and amputation.

There are many factors that make you more at risk for pre-diabetes. Some you can’t do anything about like: your age, family history, ethnicity, having a history of gestational diabetes or having a baby that weighed more than nine pounds at birth.

But other risk factors are under your control, like: your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, your blood pressure, your activity level and your weight.

"People talk about weight gain in terms of how they look, that’s one thing in terms of vanity but weight gain can definitely increase your probability or the possibility that you’ll have diabetes."

The first step to reducing these risk factors is to make a plan.

Your plan should include: working with your healthcare team to monitor your blood glucose, healthy food choices, regular physical activity, possibly taking oral medications, and finding support. If you take small steps in these areas, you may improve your glucose levels and your entire health now and in the future.

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