Prevention of Diabetes
Diet and Weight Loss
For most people with diabetes, diet control is the key to managing this complicated disease. Patients should meet with a professional dietitian to plan an individualized diet that takes into consideration all health needs.
General rules for healthy eating apply to everyone: limit fats (particularly saturated fats and trans–fatty acids), protein, and cholesterol, and consume plenty of fiber and fresh vegetables. All people with diabetes should aim for healthy lipid and control of blood pressure. For obese patients who cannot control weight using dietary measures alone, weight–loss drugs may be tried.
Exercise
Exercise helps tower blood glucose and increases insulin sensitivity, it also helps lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, decrease body fat and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Aerobic exercise is best. Regular exercise even of moderate intensity, improves insulin sensitivity. Patients who are taking medications that lower blood glucose, particularly insulin, should take special precautions before embarking on a workout program. Because diabetics may have silent heart disease, they should always check with their physicians before undertaking vigorous exercise.
Monitoring Blood Glucose
Patients should aim for pre–meal glucose levels of between 80 and 120 and bedtime levels of between 100 and 140. Usually, a drop of blood obtained by pricking the finger is applied to a chemically treated strip. The glucose level is read on a standard meter or a small, portable digital device.
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