8 Lifestyle tips to avoid developing Diabetes

A lot of people in India are suffering from diabetes. In fact, millions of people are affected by the chronic disease. While some people develop diabetes because of poor lifestyle, others get it genetically or inherit it from the family. If diabetes is not controlled, it can cause kidney failure, heart disease, blindness and various other health conditions. Before a person develops diabetes, there is a time when blood sugar levels are not high enough to be categorised as diabetes. This phase is known as prediabetes. It is in this phase where you can take certain measures in order to prevent developing diabetes.

Ways to avoid developing diabetes

1. Exercise regularly

Exercising regularly or engaging yourself in a physical activity can effectively reduce risks of diabetes. This is because exercising increases insulin sensitivity of your cells. Your body requires lesser insulin to keep your blood sugar levels under control if you exercising regularly. Aerobic exercises, strength training and high-intensity interval training can help in reducing insulin resistance in obese, overweight and pre-diabetic people.

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Exercising regularly prevents risks of diabetes

2. Cut back on sugar and refined carbs

In order to prevent diabetes, you must minimise consumption of sugar and refined carbs. This is because your body quickly breaks down sugar and refined carbs into small sugar molecules. These sugar molecules get absorbed in your blood stream and increase your blood sugar levels. This stimulates pancreas to produce insulin. Insulin helps in getting sugar out of the blood stream into the body's cells. People with prediabetes have body cells which become resistant to insulin's action. Thus, the sugar remains in blood. This can lead to type 2 diabetes over time. People who consume lots of sugary foods and refined carbs are more prone to risks of diabetes.

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Cut back on refined carbs to prevent diabetes

3. Lose weight

A majority of people who develop type 2 diabetes are either obese or overweight. People with prediabetes are more likely to have abdominal fat or visceral fat. Excess of visceral fat can cause inflammation and insulin resistance, thereby increasing risk of diabetes. Reducing even a small of weight can help in reducing risk of diabetes. Exercising regularly and a diet rich in proteins and fibre, and less carbs can help you lose weight effectively.

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Losing weight can reduce risks of diabetes

4. Watch portion size

In order to prevent diabetes, you need to be careful of portion size and make sure you do not consume food in large quantities. This is especially important for overweight and obese people. Eating too much food at one time can cause a spike in your blood sugar and insulin levels, thus increasing risk of diabetes. Studies have shown that practicing portion control can help in lowering blood sugar and insulin levels.

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Portion control is important to prevent diabetes

5. Drink lots of water

Along with flushing out harmful toxins from the body and aiding weight loss, drinking lots of water can help in preventing diabetes. When you drink more water, it helps avoid sugary drinks and drinks with preservatives. Moreover, drinking water can help in improved control of blood sugar and insulin response. Sugary drinks like soda or soft drinks can increase risks of type 2 diabetes.

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Drinking water can help you avoid sugary drinks and soda

6. Smoking

Apart from cancer, another major health hazard caused by smoking is diabetes. Studies have linked smoking or exposure to smoke to type 2 diabetes.

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Smoking causes cancer

7. Stay active

Apart from exercising regularly, eating right and drinking lots of water, it is important to stay active throughout the day and avoid sedentary behaviours. Try walking wherever possible, take stairs, avoid elevators, etc, as they will help in preventing risks of diabetes.

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Staying active is important to avoid diabetes

8. Avoid processed foods

Processed foods come with high amounts of preservatives and sodium. They can contribute to increasing your blood pressure and can even cause heart disease, obesity and diabetes. They are high in saturated fats which are very harmful for the body. Consumption of processed foods should be avoided in order to prevent risks of diabetes and numerous other health problems.

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Processed foods can increase blood pressure