02 July 2024

Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Before It's Too Late

Type 2 diabetes, which typically starts from an unhealthy lifestyle, can still be prevented. The way to prevent this condition is by focusing on maintaining normal blood sugar levels.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Diabetes:

1. Maintaining an Ideal Body Weight
   Obesity disrupts metabolism, making the body's cells unable to respond well to insulin. Clinical trials by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that losing weight can reduce the risk of diabetes by up to 58%.

2. Eating a Balanced Diet
   To prevent diabetes, make sure your plate contains complete and balanced nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals.

3. Monitoring Sugar Intake
   This includes artificial sweeteners, liquid or crystalline sugars, and natural sugars in honey, juice, and fruit concentrates.

4. Controlling Portion Sizes
   Using a small plate can unconsciously help you eat smaller portions. Ideally, it’s better to eat smaller amounts more frequently rather than large portions at once.

5. Increasing Physical Activity
   Make it a habit to move more and avoid prolonged sitting or lying down. Physical activity boosts metabolism, enhances sugar storage in muscles, and improves insulin response.

6. Regular Exercise
   Exercise increases your body's sensitivity to insulin, reducing the risk of insulin resistance. Commit to at least 30 minutes of exercise daily to prevent diabetes.

7. Quitting Smoking
   Type 2 diabetes is most common among smokers. If you are a smoker, the best way to prevent diabetes is to quit. While it may be challenging, start gradually.

8. Reducing Sweet Food Consumption
   Instead of eating sweets, engage in stress-relieving activities like reading, exercising, or chatting with friends.

9. Not Skipping Meals
   Skipping meals doesn’t help prevent diabetes. It can lead to overeating later due to increased hunger.

10. Drinking Plenty of Water
    Get used to drinking water by carrying a water bottle everywhere. Keep water available at your desk or in your bedroom.

11. Early Detection
    Besides adopting a healthy lifestyle, early detection is key to preventing diabetes.

Reviewed by: dr. Innosensius Ibnu Ishwara, M.K.K.

Source: Health Article, HelloSehat

Photo: freepik.com