What It Means To Be Pre-Diabetic

What are symptoms of pre-diabetes?

Most of the time, pre-diabetes doesn’t cause any symptoms. That’s why annual blood sugar testing is so important. Diabetes symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination and neuropathy, or tingling in your hands and feet.

Can I prevent diabetes?

In many cases, yes — with some lifestyle changes. These include:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Talk to your primary care provider about what your ideal weight should be.
• Choose “brown” foods. Replace white rice and grains with whole-grain options like brown rice and whole-grain bread. Avoid processed white bread.
• Ditch sugary drinks. Choose water or zero-calorie drinks instead.
• Think high-fiber and high-protein. Upping your intake of this type of food gives you more nutritional bang for your buck, and keeps you fuller longer, so you don’t have spikes in blood sugar.
• Exercise daily. Taking regular walks — even 10 minutes after a meal — helps your body process blood sugar.
• Quit smoking or vaping. Easier said than done, right? MetroHealth provides support, motivation and treatment to stop nicotine use for good. Visit the Nicotine Dependence Prevention and Treatment Program for details.
• Get treatment for other conditions that increase your risk of diabetes. These include polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and obstructive sleep apnea.

If weight is causing my pre-diabetes, what resources are available to help?

• Talk with your primary care provider about your risk as well as treatment options to help reach a healthy weight.
• If you struggle with obesity, making and sticking with lifestyle changes is difficult. MetroHealth offers STRIDES, a diabetes prevention program focused on preventing and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Call 216-778-2363 to see if you qualify for this one-year program.
• Talk to your primary care provider about oral or injectable medications. Metformin is used to prevent diabetes in people with a history of gestational diabetes who are less than 60 years old, with a BMI over 35. Medications like Contrave, Victoza, Wegovay and Ozempic can help with weight loss and lowering blood sugars as well. Read this blog to see if weight-loss medication is right for you.

What should people with pre-diabetes eat?

For pre-diabetes and diabetes, follow the American Diabetes Association healthy eating plate:

• More non-starchy vegetables, such as dark, leafy greens, carrots and squashes. This should make up half of your plate.
• Lean protein or plant-based proteins, including beans, legumes, chicken, turkey, fish, seeds and nuts. This should make up one-quarter of your plate.
• Quality carbohydrates, such as berries, citrus fruit, whole grains and low-fat milk and yogurt. This should make up the remaining quarter of your plate.

Can I still enjoy holiday favorites?

Of course! There are lots of swaps you can make — for example, pile your plate with leaner white meat turkey and fiber-rich roasted sweet potatoes instead of mashed potatoes. If you want to try something new, Dr. Gandhi recommends a hearty, delicious curried chickpea stew with roasted veggies. Love baking? These maple pumpkin spice oatmeal cookies mean you can satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthier way. Moderation and enjoyment are key.

You can also check out these Be SimplyWell food blogs:

• Change Up Your Party Food Favorites
• Healthy Food Hacks
• Six Steps to Healthy Weeknight Wins