How to avoid diabetes as a prediabetic young woman

Some diseases consume your body within days. Some manage it within weeks, and some, like cancer, can take years.

But there’s 1 disease that no one warns you about, and we don’t educate people on. It’s a disease that takes years and years, carving at you from the inside out, consuming each organ, and destroying you piece by piece – And that’s diabetes.

As a prediabetic, I live constantly in the shadow of this disease, and it’s like walking a tightrope. I’ve had to adopt a different lifestyle to avoid it.

Here are some tips that I follow, as a young prediabetic woman, to keep diabetes away.

Monitored diet

I don’t calculate my daily calorie consumption. But I do keep an eye on my diet.

For example, if I’ve eaten a dessert that’s too sweet and has a lot of calories, I make sure that for the rest of the day, my meals aren’t too sweet.

Having a controlled diet and not eating too many sweets in a single day means the amount of insulin my body produces is enough to control my blood sugar level – This practice has helped me over the years, allowing me to avoid becoming a diabetic at a young age.

Sometimes it’s tough keeping an eye on my diet, especially during the festival season. But if you’re a prediabetic this step can make a big difference.

Limiting my consumption of junk food as much as possible has also helped me keep my blood sugar level in check – I try to only eat junk food twice a month, on my cheat days, no more.

Regular exercise

Prediabetic or not, nothing’s better than sweating for a few hours every day. It’s the best way to burn calories. And on days when it’s particularly tough to monitor my diet, I hit the gym and exercise for at least an hour.

If you don’t have access to a gym or dedicated exercise space, you can power walk 2-3 miles daily. This will burn enough calories to keep your blood sugar level in check. It’ll also help you stay healthy and fit overall, and prevent not only diabetes but several other diseases and disorders too.

On days when I can’t hit the gym, yoga’s also been a good workout for me. Some yoga poses (tree pose and extended triangle pose, for example) are great for digestion too.

You can choose and plan your own workout regimen, especially if you’re young. Stick to a certain type of exercise or combine a few different options; it’s your call – The bottom line here is burning excess calories and unnecessary fat.

No intoxicants

Although alcohol, smoking and even drugs have become a part of our daily lives, especially in urban cities, as a prediabetic I try to avoid them.

Smoking and alcohol consumption, in particular, can increase your risk of developing diabetes, and research has shown a direct link between diabetes and alcohol consumption.

Beer, wine and other types of cold drinks also have an excess amount of sugar. Regularly drinking such sugary drinks will increase your risk of developing diabetes – As a prediabetic, I avoid these types of drinks as they raise my blood sugar level by an unhealthy amount.

Even if you’re keeping tabs on your food and exercising, consuming alcohol and smoking will, over time, increase your risk of developing diabetes. It’s best not to consume these substances, or if you have to indulge, keep it to a minimum.

Regular check-ups

As a prediabetic, it goes without saying that bi-annual health checks are a must. Every year, around May/June and December/January, I get my blood sugar tested to make sure it’s under control and hasn’t crossed the threshold.

So far, all my lifestyle changes have helped me successfully avoid diabetes. But it’s still important to check regularly, and I never miss my 2 yearly check-ups.

I also have a good health insurance policy that covers the cost of these check-ups. If you’re prediabetic, I recommend you get a health insurance policy that covers these tests.

The cost of a blood sugar test isn’t expensive, but if you’re diagnosed with diabetes the cost of your medication could increase exponentially. And getting a health insurance policy means you’re not only covered for potential diabetes treatment but the treatment of other diseases as well.

Conclusion

I hope my tips and experience help you. By following them, as a prediabetic, you can prevent or delay the onset of diabetes as well as improve your overall health and well-being – I’m living proof that a few minor lifestyle changes can make all the difference.

And it’s important to remember that while lifestyle changes do take time and effort, they’re worth it in the long run.