Prediabetes - Home Treatment
You play a major role in managing prediabetes and preventing it from turning into type 2 diabetes.2, 5 You can do this by:
- Watching your weight.
- Making healthy food choices.
- Being active.
- Not smoking.
- Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Watch your weight
Losing 5% to 10% of your body weight may help you prevent or at least delay type 2 diabetes.6 For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, losing 10 to 20 pounds can reduce your risk.
Losing weight can also lower insulin resistance. The more you lose, the more you benefit, as long as you do it in a healthy way.2
Losing weight can be hard, but you can do it. The easiest way to start is by cutting calories and becoming more active. For help, see the topic Weight Management and:
-
Healthy Eating: Recognizing Your Hunger Signals. -
Healthy Eating: Getting Support When Changing Your Eating Habits. -
Fitness: Adding More Activity to Your Life.
Make healthy food choices
Planning meals to manage prediabetes can often mean looking at food in a new way. There are several easy ways to make healthy changes to the way you eat. One way to start is by eating foods that are low in saturated fat and high in fiber. Or you might try cutting down on foods that are high in calories but low in nutrition, such as soda.
A registered dietitian can help you make a meal plan that fits your lifestyle.
For help, see the topic Healthy Eating and:
-
Healthy Eating: Cutting Unhealthy Fats From Your Diet. -
Healthy Eating: Changing Your Eating Habits. -
Healthy Eating: Staying With Your Eating Plan.
Get active
The more active you are, the more sugar (glucose) your body uses for energy. This keeps the sugar from building up in your blood. Being active also:
- Helps your body respond better to insulin and lowers your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
- Helps you reach and stay at a healthy weight and reduce belly fat.
- Lowers cholesterol.
- Raises high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol.
- Lowers high blood pressure.
Don't worry. You don't have to sign up for a gym membership or train for a marathon to get the activity you need to manage prediabetes. Even everyday activities can help.
Try to do moderate activity at least 2½ hours a week. Or try to do vigorous activity at least 1¼ hours a week. It's fine to be active in blocks of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week.
Any type of activity helps, including:
Moderate activity is safe for most people, but it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before you start an exercise program.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

