6 Ways to reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes
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Throughout life, it’s always important to look after yourself. Your physical and mental well-being both contribute to your overall health as well as other factors in your life. If you are not looking after yourself, you may start to feel drained, tired, unwell, and unproductive among many other things.
One part of your overall health to be aware of is diabetes. Diabetes is a medical condition that has affected many people and will continue to do so. Being aware of diabetes and making changes to your day-to-day life can not only help reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes but it will also benefit you in other areas of your life. For example, exercise, drinking plenty of water, and losing excess weight are three ways to combat diabetes. These three ways will also help your mental and physical well-being.
Below we have put together a guide on 6 ways to reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes. If you think you are suffering from diabetes and are diabetic, it’s important to see a Diabetic Nephropathy Doctor as well as apply some of the changes below to your daily routine.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise has many benefits from helping you lose weight, feel better about yourself, reduce the chances of getting ill and also help with diabetes. If you are not exercising much at the moment, try and make some small changes to your daily routine in order to improve how active you are. There are many simple ways to get active that don’t involve joining a sports team such as playing with your pets, choosing the stairs instead of a lift, or parking further away to make sure you are walking more. If you enjoy exercise, try going on a run regularly, taking up swimming or cycling. If you struggle with motivation, you could try and get your friends or family members involved and take part in the activity with you.
Reduce excess weight
The more overweight you are, the higher the risk of you developing diabetes there is. In order to lose weight, concentrate on your calorie intake. Try to exercise more and also review the type of food that you are consuming on a day-to-day basis. Even the smallest amount of weight loss can have a great effect on you losing weight. Not only that, but by losing weight you will find your energy levels will be higher, you will be more productive at work, improve your breathing and increase your mobility. As well as preventing type 2 diabetes, you will also reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Drink plenty of water
How much water do you drink on a daily basis? Do you manage to achieve the recommended 2-3 liters of water a day? If you don’t this is an area that you can improve on which will also help reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes. Water is important for many areas of your health and by being aware of how much water you drink, you can easily increase the amount you consume. Try to fill up a 2-liter bottle of water each day and make sure it’s finished before you go to bed. There are plenty of apps that you can use to track your water consumption as well as water bottles that keep track as well.
Quit Smoking
Smoking has many negative effects on your health as well as contributing to diabetes. Not only are you at risk of developing cancer, but you can also develop hearing loss, vision loss, infections, and heart disease among many other things. Quitting smoking can be hard, but with the right motivation and support, it is possible and will benefit you hugely. Even reducing the amount you smoke on a daily basis will make a big difference.
Reduce highly processed foods
By reading through this article, you’ll notice the theme that most ways to prevent diabetes will also help reduce other negative things in your life. Research has shown that by eating high amounts of processed foods, you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Highly processed foods can include chips, burgers, hot dogs, candy bars, etc. Try to eat fresh foods and when you are feeling hungry, turn to fruits and vegetables instead of snacking on chips or candy bars. Use an app to record your daily intake. Using an app will break down all the nutrients in the foods you are eating and tell you what you are overindulging on as well as may be deficient in. It could be that you think you are eating a healthy diet without processed foods when in fact you aren’t. Once you have tracked your diet for a few weeks, you’ll quickly learn about the food you are eating and will be more aware when deciding what to eat.
Improve your sleeping pattern
Sleep doesn’t directly link to reducing your chances of getting type 2 diabetes but it has a knock-on effect. Less sleep will result in your feeling tired which then could lead to you snacking more and eating sugary snacks to keep yourself awake. The recommended amount of sleep that you should get on a weekly basis is 7-9 hours. The older you are the less sleep you are required to get. Tips to improve your sleep include making sure the room is pitch black, reducing screen time before going to bed, trying to exercise more, and reducing your caffeine intake late in the day.
The above six are a few of many ways in which you can reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes. To sum everything up, by living a healthy active lifestyle, you’ll find you reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes as well as many other illnesses.
What tips do you have to reduce the chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Is there anything we have missed that you think should be included? What changes will you be making to your daily routine to be more healthy? Let us know in the comment box below.
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