Have you notice your vision getting blurry lately?

The signs for pre-diabetes are subtle which makes it necessary for us to be mindful of minor changes in our bodies and our general health and well-being.  Visiting with your doctor is important but you have ultimate control over how you feel.

Unlike Ebola disease, which is fatal in a short time, diabetes gives us a warning with signs such as periodic blurry vision or feeling occasional numbness in the extremities. This can go on for up to a year or more before full-blown diabetes is diagnosed.

In many cases there are no obvious symptoms, and without regular checkups, up to half those diagnosed with pre-diabetes will progress to full-blown diabetes.

Risk factors for pre-diabetes

If you have a family history of this disease or – of Native American, Asian Pacific or Black ethnic background – your likelihood of developing this disease is greater than other groups.

Being overweight or obese is also a major contributor to developing pre-diabetes. And unfortunately, our population’s waist-sizes continue to expand to the point where clothing manufacturers are now forced to advertise clothes in larger sizes. A phenomenon that was not in vogue twenty years ago.

If you are continually exposed to stressful situations, your likelihood of developing pre-diabetes will increase since stress can have a definite impact on our bodies. The main causes of stress in our lives are – relationships, our job and family situations.

A major factor which will lead to higher blood sugar levels is the type of foods we are being fed by the food industry. As you adopt the habit of reading product labels you will begin to notice the unusual amounts of sugar in most packaged foods.

Restaurant are just as guilty in that they add excess salt and sugar to their foods. And chain restaurants are even worse in that they use poor fats to fry their chips and other foods.

To prevent pre-diabetes we must be mindful of everything we put in our mouths and not trust our health to poor food choices made by others.

How to prevent pre-diabetes

The good news is that once it’s been determined that you are pre-diabetic, there are steps you can take to reverse the condition. Even better, you can prevent pre-diabetes from happening in the first place.

There are two major steps to take in order to keep your sugar levels in the normal range – tweaking your diet and becoming more active.

It may be necessary to visit with a dietician who can lay out a healthy eating plan for you including types of foods and when to eat for optimum energy and overall health.

Start a consistent activity that will raise your heart rate and get your blood moving more efficiently throughout your body.

If your are overweight or obese then get a physical exam by your healthcare provider. Follow their advice and the guidance of a good personal trainer as to how to begin a safe exercise program. For more on this visit How to Prevent Pre-diabetes

If you have been prescribed medications to control your blood sugar then by all means take them with the eventual goal of weaning yourself off them.

Be vigilant and you can prevent pre-diabetes

So if you are feeling unusually tired lately or have to rub your eyes to get a clearer view or you have noticed persistent numbness in  your hands and feet from poor circulation, get professional advice and guidance. You may be in the early stages of a major disease.

The consequences of diabetes are life-changing and should be motivation enough to warrant periodic physical exams . . . especially as we age.

P.S.  Life-style change is the key to preventing full-blown diabetes with its many complications.  A major factor in this change is adopting a consistent exercise program. It doesn’t have to be iron-man type training but can include things like swimming twice per week and thirty minutes of walking or cycling each day.

P.P.S.  Visit How to Prevent Pre-diabetes  for tips of doing targeted exercises to slow down and prevent tingling in your hands and feet.