Did you know that more than one-third of adults have a disorder that multiplies their risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease? According to the CDC, even though prediabetes can be tested and indicated through a simple blood test, most people with this remarkably common blood sugar irregularity are unaware of their risk and position. The leading cause of about 70% of heart attacks and almost all cases of type 2 diabetes is known as a disorder called insulin resistance(IR). Thank goodness, Dr. Bob discovered these three easy ways to prevent diabetes, which will show some easy steps to avoid the risk of insulin resistance or even help to regress it, if you are already prediabetic.

1. Be aware of your risk. It is quick and easy to get tested for diabetes, prediabetes, or insulin resistance and is usually covered in your health plan. It is recommended by the American Diabetes Association(ADA) that you get tested if you are 40 years or older or if you have a history with obesity or a history of diabetes in your family. The most accurate test, according to the ADA, is the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), this is a two-hour test in which you would consume a sugary liquid after fasting the night before. Then blood would be taken each hour to measure your glucose levels. There has been research proving that other screenings that do not require you to fast are much less accurate, for instance, the A1c tests. In 2011, a study had discovered that out of about 550 patients, there were over 60% missed diagnoses of IR or prediabetes when using the A1c test. More than 25% of the patients were diagnosed as prediabetic when the highly accurate OGTT proved them to have regular blood sugar.
2. Shed some weight. Out of 90% of people diagnosed with diabetes are overweight, but with every 2.2 lbs lost, you can reduce the risk by 16%. There have been a few extensive studies that if you cut about 5% to 7% of your body weight as a prediabetic, diet and exercise will help reduce your risk for development by 70%.
3. Adhere to a plant-based diet. If you increase your intake on legumes, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and seeds and decrease your intake of animal products, you can substantially reduce the risk of diabetes. Dr. Bob recommends following a diet based explicitly on your DNA; for example, if someone has a particular haptoglobin genotype, he would support a gluten-free diet.
4. Get active. The most common and effective way to reduce your risk of diabetes is by committing yourself to perform thirty minutes of moderate to intense exercise. Not only will it help prevent diabetes, but, according to a recent study, engaging in exercise regularly can help regress or counter more than 40 different diseases like coronary artery disease even with people who carry high-risk genes such as 9P21-the heart attack gene. Check with your medical provider before starting a new fitness routine to make sure it will benefit you!
5. Watch what you sip. Drinking just one or two sugary beverages like soda or fruit drinks can increase your risk for cardiovascular episodes or mortality due to cardiovascular disease by 35% and your risk for diabetes by 26%, according to a study at Harvard. These sweet drinks are at the top of the list for added sugars in an average American diet. So instead of picking up that can of soda, grab a water, and add some fresh fruit or pick up some sparkling water to try from your local supermarket.
6. Ditch the use of nicotine and exposure to it. According to the CDC, if you smoke, you are increasing your risk of developing diabetes by almost 50 percent, which offers tips that have helped more than five million smokers kick the habit. Not only will ditching the nicotine and your exposure to it help reduce the risk for diabetes but also heart disease, which is the number one cause of death in America and other potentially deadly diseases.
7. Keep an eye on your blood pressure. After a seven-year study consisting of over four million healthy people with an average age of 46, evidence showed that those with high blood pressure were 77% more likely to get diabetes later in their life. About half of American adults meet the guidelines for high blood pressure, and many of these adults go undiagnosed. High blood pressure is easily treated and can even be prevented with some simple lifestyle and dietary changes and, in most cases, medications.
8. Take care of your mouth. About half of adults, 30 years and older have gum disease. Periodontal disease (PD) is a stubborn oral infection that can even lead to the loss of teeth. The high blood sugar level in both people with and without diabetes has been seen in patients with PD and has been linked to a higher risk of developing type two diabetes.
9. Relieve your stress. If you experience moderate-to-high levels of stress, your risk doubles for type 2 diabetes three years later, according to a 2017 study of 12,844 middle-aged women. Chronic tension within the body from stress was found by researchers to increase the stages of inflammatory compounds and even hinder your ability to metabolize glucose. One of the number one ways to decrease tension is to practice meditation and mindfulness.
10. Get a good night’s sleep. There have been many studies showing that it is vital to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep to tremendously decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes. There has been evidence that if you sleep for less than 5 hours or more than 9 hours, you are increasing your risk for type 2 diabetes by more than 50%. When you continuously miss out on your sleep, you may find that your production on insulin decreases, which regulates your blood sugar, and drastically increases your risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and many other similar chronic disorders.