I Was Diagnosed As Pre-Diabetic, What Do I Do?

Sadly, it is becoming more and more common to hear those words from your doctor, "Your blood work falls in the range of being pre-diabetic." Those can be shocking words to hear. It can feel scary and overwhelming, then you leave that doctor's office feeling lost and confused as what you should do, feeling as if now you are most likely doomed to have to take insulin the rest of your life. A lot of people wonder if there is anything that can be done to reverse this diagnosis and regain a normal blood sugar levels. I am here to tell you, yes, there are several things you can proactively work on, and here are my top 6 recommendations.

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1. Stop drinking sugary drinks. This includes fruit juices and sodas, sweet tea and lemonade. If it tastes sweet going down, it's elevating your blood sugar and you gotta cut it out. Drink water. Try adding in flavors like lemon, lime or frozen fruit to spruce it up.

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2. When you eat carbohydrates, make sure they contain fiber and are low on the glycemic index scale. Fibrous, green veggies will become your best friend. Beans in moderation are ok because they contain fiber. If you want to eat fruit, eat all the berries you like- they are low in sugar, high in antioxidants and high in fiber! 

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3. Don't eat carbohydrates by themselves. In order to help reduce the blood sugar spike that carbohydrates cause, you should always pair them with a protein and fat, this will help your blood sugar to remain more balanced after your meal.

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4. Start exercising every day. If you are sedentary now, plan to start small by lifting weights or walking for 30 minutes a day, 3 times per week. Work your way up to exercising 30 minutes per day. Bonus points if you exercise (walk) right after a meal. This will effectively pull your post-meal blood sugar down. We also offer fitness classes for everyone, no matter your spotting point, so check us out if you need help in this area! 

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5. Work on your sleep habits. Studies show that people with irregular or poor sleep hygiene are more likely to be diagnosed as pre-diabetic than those who have a sound, regular sleep cycle. A deeper dive shows that going to bed late & waking a lot during the night causes cortisol (your stress hormone) to be triggered and when cortisol is triggered, this messes with your body's ability to control your blood sugar levels.

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6. Eat fibrous veggies FIRST when eating a meal. The fiber from your vegetables forms a protective, net-like, coating in your stomach, which slows down the exit of sugar from your meal into your blood stream- meaning this slows the impact of a post-meal blood sugar spike.

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Try implementing these habits for 1-3 months and go back to your doctor for more blood work. I can promise you your doctor will look at you and say, "What did you do? Your numbers have improved!"

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For more help from a certified nutrition coach in Lakeland, FL, reach out to schedule a FREE Intro. We'd love to learn more about you and your specific goals. We can work together to see if we'd be the right fit to help guide you on your journey to better health! Schedule an intro HERE! 

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**It must be noted I am not a medical professional and that the statements mentioned in this blog are not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness, disease, or person. You must follow the instructions or your doctor while also doing your best to be proactive in the areas of your life over which you have control.

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