8 Ways to Reverse Prediabetes Naturally

1. Eat a "clean" diet

The biggest risk factor for prediabetes is a diet rich in processed foods, which contain everything except nutrition like fat, calories, and sugar. Red meat can also aggravate the problem. Eating a well-balanced diet can help restore normal blood sugar levels. It may reverse prediabetes and help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Include low-fat and low-calorie foods in your diet. As :

• fruits with complex carbs

• vegetables

• lean meats

• Whole grains

• healthy fats, like avocado and fish

Read more - (Can type 2 diabetes cause heart problems )

2. Exercise regularly

Lack of physical activity is another risk factor for prediabetes. Exercise is not only good for energy and mental health, but it can also lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity. This allows the body's cells to use insulin more efficiently.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), exercise can lower blood sugar for up to 24 hours after a workout.

Start by exercising for short periods of time in the beginning and then gradually increase the intensity and length of the workout after a few days. You should do moderate physical activity for 30 to 60 minutes at least 5 days a week. Exercise may include:

• Walking

• biking

• jogging

• float

• aerobics

• play game

3. Lose Extra Weight

One benefit of a regular exercise routine is that it helps you lose excess weight. In fact, reducing body fat by 5 to 10 percent can improve your blood sugar levels and help reverse prediabetes. For some people, it's about 10 to 20 pounds. When your waist size increases, insulin resistance also increases. Healthy eating and regular exercise are both ways to lose weight. Also, eating five or six small meals throughout the day instead of three large meals may help.

4. Stop smoking

Many people know that smoking increases the risk of heart disease and lung cancer. But smoking is also a risk factor for insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes.

Over-the-counter products like nicotine patches or nicotine gum can help you quit smoking.

Read more - (10 Home Remedies for Diabetes)

5. Eat less carbs

It is important for you to choose your carbohydrates carefully even in your balanced diet. To help overcome prediabetes, it would be better to eat less carbohydrates. In the form of complex carbohydrates, you can eat the following food like -

• vegetables

• Whole grains

• beans

These carbs are rich in fiber and keep you feeling full for a long time. They also take longer to break down, so they are absorbed slower into your body. It helps prevent blood sugar from rising.

Avoid simple carbohydrates as these are quickly absorbed and cause an immediate rise in blood sugar. As:

• candy

• Curd

• Honey

• Juice

• some fruits

Refined carbohydrates also work fast and it would be better not to take them like-

• white rice

• white bread

• pizza dough

• breakfast cereal

• pastries

• Pasta

6. Treat sleep apnea

Also keep in mind that sleep apnea is linked to insulin resistance. In this condition, breathing stops repeatedly throughout the night due to relaxation of the throat muscles. Symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• snoring loudly

• panting during sleep

• suffocation during sleep

• waking up with a headache

• daytime sleepiness

Read more - (Diabetes Symptoms in Women)

7. Drink more water

Drinking water is another excellent way to help reverse prediabetes and prevent type 2 diabetes. Drinking more water can help control blood sugar levels.

8. Talk to a dietitian to know what to eat

It can be difficult to know what to eat due to prediabetes. Even if your doctor makes dietary suggestions, it is helpful to consult a registered dietitian nutritionist.

An RDN can provide nutritional guidance and advice about which foods to eat and which to avoid.

Even though some people manage prediabetes by making lifestyle changes, this is not enough for everyone. If your blood sugar does not improve and you are at high risk of diabetes, talk to your doctor.

Medicines that can help lower blood sugar and reverse prediabetes include metformin (Glucophage, Fortamet) or a similar medicine. Metformin has been found to reduce the risk of diabetes by 30 percent. It can also reduce your appetite, which can also help you lose weight.

Read more - (Nutrition for Diabetes Control)

Prediabetes can progress to type 2 diabetes. So it's important to keep track of your symptoms and talk to your doctor if you develop any early symptoms of diabetes.

These signs vary from person to person but there are common symptoms like –

• increased urination

• abnormal appetite

• blurry vision

• Tiredness

• feeling very thirsty

Prediabetes does not mean you will develop type 2 diabetes. But you will need to take quick action to reverse the situation. For this, it is important to bring blood sugar into a healthy range. With this, you will not only avoid type 2 diabetes but also the complications associated with this condition such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and others.