Diabetes is one of the most worrying health concerns for millions of people across the world. Here are three ways that you can help ensure that you don’t develop it.
Moderate exercise
Getting exercise is a great way to ward off the risk of diabetes but you don’t need to spend hours and hours of your day working up a sweat at the gym or playing intense sports to reap the diabetes-preventing benefits of exercise.
It seems that it’s the simple stuff that is important. Research suggests that two and a half hours per week of even leisurely physical activity—like brisk walking—is enough to significantly improve glucose tolerance. That means if you can commit to a 30-minute walk five times per week then you’ll be fine. Though of course, if you’re up to the challenge, more exercise is naturally even better.
Moderate weight loss
The evidence regarding weight loss and its effectiveness in preventing diabetes is compelling. Studies have shown that it only takes around a 5 to 7 percent weight loss to delay by several years the onset of diabetes among overweight people suffering with prediabetes.
To put that in perspective, a 5-foot-4 woman with pre-diabetes who weighs 160 pounds would only need to lose about 11 pounds to significantly reduce her risk of developing diabetes. A man who is five-foot-11 and weighs 220 pounds would need to lose about 15 pounds to hit this target.
Curcumin supplements
Recent research released from Thailand, which was published in Diabetes Care, suggests that supplementing curcumin – the active ingredient in the anti-inflammatory, turmeric – may help protect against diabetes among people with pre-diabetes.
Although it was only a very small study, it was well put together and showed a very promising clinical benefit. Of the group who were randomly assigned to take 500 milligrams of curcumin supplements three times daily, none of them progressed to develop type 2 diabetes after nine months.
Three Potential Ways to Fight Off Diabetes
