Pre-Diabetes - How Do I Know If I Might Have Pre-Diabetes?

Pre-diabetes is something that many of us are not entirely familiar with. The term seems almost vague to people who have never been diagnosed, yet it is a remarkably common condition. Pre-diabetes is what we call a condition that results in blood glucose levels that are elevated but too low to be diagnosed as diabetes.

Pre-diabetes is somewhat like an early warning system for patients. A diagnosis of pre-diabetes lets us know that it is time to make some pretty big lifestyle changes. When pre-diabetes is diagnosed, it is time to start taking better care of our diets, our exercise habits, and even our bodies a bit more carefully.


Diabetes can have many dangerous effects, and controlling the condition before it has fully developed is always the best course of action when possible. If you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, it is very important to learn all the steps you can take to lessen your chances that the disease will progress.

There is much you can do when you are diagnosed. For starters, take a careful look at your diet and your overall weight. If you are significantly overweight, you should know that obesity is one of the most common factors in the development of diabetes. Even if you have a completely healthy weight, your diet will have to undergo some pretty large changes.

Because diabetes means that your body is not using glucose properly and producing enough insulin, you will have to eat properly to ensure that you do not build dangerous glucose levels in your bloodstream. This means cutting out simple sugars as much as possible and striving to lose even ten pounds. Studies show that losing ten to fifteen pounds and adding even ten minutes of exercise daily can significantly reduce our chances of developing pre-diabetes and diabetes.

Pre-diabetes increases our chances of having a stroke or heart attack by almost fifty percent. This means that we must take extra precautions to ensure our health. Proper glucose monitoring and intake coupled with a healthier diet and lifestyle can do much for us, and can slow the onset of diabetes by as much as fifty eight percent.

The diagnosis of pre-diabetes can be worrisome, but it should serve as a wake-up call. With the right treatment and the proper self care, we can do a lot to reduce the risks of diabetes and associated complications. For this reason, knowing about diabetes before it has fully developed can truly help to save lives.

Get your Pre-diabetes and diabetes advice at http://www.thediabetesdoc.com

This content is provided by Dr Pieter De Wet a general practitioner and in practice for 23 years. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.