By Dr. Yvette-Marie Pellegrino
Lady’s Island Internal Medicine
When your average blood sugar levels (AIC) are on the verge of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, it’s prediabetes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 98 million Americans have this condition. Of these, 80% don’t know it.
Why are they left in the dark? One simple reason: many people with prediabetes don’t experience any symptoms.
This silent condition can be dangerous. Left unmanaged, it can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and more. There is good news, though. You can reverse prediabetes.
While prediabetes doesn’t always cause noticeable symptoms, when visible symptoms do arise, they may include the following:
- Abnormally dark skin in your armpit or on your neck or back; or
- Skin growths that develop in the armpit or on the neck or back.
The definitive sign of prediabetes is elevated blood sugar. A simple blood test can help you to better understand your health risks. Two types of blood tests can detect prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
- A1C test — With A1C, you learn the average amount of glucose in your blood over a period of three months. When your blood contains 5.7 to 6.4% glucose, you have prediabetes. AIC of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes.
- Fasting plasma glucose test — This blood test provides a snapshot of your blood sugar levels after eight hours of fasting. Blood sugar between 100 and 125 mg/dL is prediabetes, according to the National Institutes of Health. Any higher than that is diabetes.
Not sure where to get tested?
Through the Beaufort Memorial Mobile Wellness Unit, you can receive free blood sugar checks, along with other free and low-cost health screenings, right in your community, at no charge.
Testing is especially important if you’re at higher risk for diabetes and prediabetes. Risk factors include:
- Age — Once you reach age 45, your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes increases.
- Ethnicity — Your risk is higher if you are African American, Alaskan or American Native, or Latino or Hispanic.
- Family health history — If you have a sibling or parent with Type 2 diabetes, you’re more likely to develop prediabetes or diabetes.
- Personal health history — Living with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or previously experiencing gestational diabetes or birthing a baby of nine or more pounds increases your odds of future diabetes.
- Weight — Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood.
Whether you want to avoid prediabetes or prevent Type 2 diabetes, you can do it. To make it happen, adopt a healthy lifestyle that promotes weight loss.
Run from prediabetes
Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity, five times a week. You don’t have to run a marathon for it to count. Walking, swimming or any other physical activity counts.
On busy days, you can even split your activity up into multiple sessions. Three 10-minute sessions give the same benefit as one half-hour session.
Eat healthily
Focus on increasing the amount of fiber in your day. Fiber improves blood sugar control and promotes weight loss by making you more satisfied. Foods high in fiber include fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans.
Additionally, use these tips to maintain control over blood glucose levels.
- Cut back on sugar-sweetened drinks.
- Choose lean proteins like chicken, turkey or fish.
- Plan meals with more fresh vegetables and fewer starches or fatty meats.
- Track what, how much and when you eat, and review your food journal regularly to identify where you can make improvements.
- Use spices instead of fats and oils to add flavor to your foods.
- When you eat out, ask how foods are prepared and opt for grilled or broiled options instead of fried.
Deal with life’s stresses
Stress causes many to abandon weight-loss plans. By coming up with plans to deal with stressful moments, you can weather life’s storms.
A few ways to reduce the effects stress has on you include:
- Performing a simple series of yoga moves;
- Prepping and cooking your meals during the weekend;
- Taking a short walk.
Yvette-Marie Pellegrino, M.D., FAAFP, is a primary care physician at Beaufort Memorial Lady’s Island Internal Medicine. Board-certified in both family medicine and obesity medicine, Dr. Pellegrino oversees “Healthy Weight,” the hospital’s medically supervised weight loss program.
