Do you have borderline diabetes? Let's talk about prediabetes

Has your doctor ever told you that your blood sugar level is a little higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes? You may have heard this called "Sugar Borderline". In medical terms, we call this condition Prediabetes . It means the stage before diabetes. Don't be alarmed or scared when you hear this word. Because this is not diabetes. However, this is a very important signal from our body. Our body is reminding us to "be careful, it's time to make some small changes in your lifestyle."

What exactly is prediabetes?

Simply put, prediabetes is when your body doesn't use the hormone insulin properly. Insulin is what helps convert the sugar, or glucose, in the food we eat into energy. In prediabetes, this process is a little impaired. As a result, blood sugar levels are a little higher than normal.

So, let's see how we can make this difference.

Step One: Let's give our bodies a little exercise.

When you exercise, your body uses the sugar in your blood to produce energy. So, when you make it a habit to exercise daily, over time your blood sugar levels will naturally be controlled. It will also increase your body's sensitivity to insulin. This means that your muscles can more easily use sugar to produce energy.

Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week is enough. You don't have to do a lot of strenuous exercise. Even something as simple as this will do:

• Brisk walking: Walk briskly around the house or on the street until you break a good sweat.
• Water aerobics: These are a lot of fun.
• Take a dance class: it's good for the mind and good for the body.
• Cycling: Riding a bicycle is also good exercise.

In addition, it's even better if you can do strength training at least two days a week. This means lifting weights, doing exercises using weights, or doing exercises using your own body weight (e.g. push-ups, squats).

If you have never exercised before, talk to your doctor about what exercises are safe and suitable for you.

Step Two: Control Your Weight

There's no rule that everyone with prediabetes needs to lose weight. But if you're a little overweight, research has found that losing 5% to 10% of your total body weight can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by more than 50% .

Fat around the belly is especially dangerous. This extra fat can change our body's hormonal activity and appetite. It can also damage the cells that help us use insulin. Therefore, reducing belly fat is a great help in controlling blood sugar.

Step Three: Change your eating habits

This is the hardest thing for many people. But it's not a big deal if you start with small changes. Stay away from ultra-processed foods that are high in added sugar. That means things like sugary drinks, candy, biscuits, cakes, and foods made with white flour. These foods have very little nutritional value, and they cause blood sugar to spike quickly.

More simple tips to change your eating habits:

• Reduce the amount you eat: Reduce the amount you share on your plate a little.
• Boil and bake food: Instead of deep frying, try boiling, baking, or grilling your food.
• Use olive oil: Instead of butter or margarine, use something like olive oil or coconut oil.
• Go meat-free one day a week: Eat a meal made with vegetables and herbs.

If you are having trouble planning a meal plan that suits you, consult your doctor . He or she can refer you to a dietitian/nutritionist. They can create a healthy eating plan that is specific to you and that you can stick to.

Let's look at other important points

Sleep well.

Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can make it harder to control blood sugar and appetite. Sleeping less than 5-6 hours a day increases your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Poor sleep quality can also contribute to this. If you have chronic sleep problems, avoid drinking coffee in the evening. Also, avoid drinking alcohol close to bedtime. These can disrupt your sleep. If these things don't help, talk to your doctor.

Avoid smoking.

Smokers are at a higher risk of developing prediabetes than non-smokers. The nicotine in cigarettes makes it difficult for the body to use insulin properly. Therefore, quit smoking as soon as possible. Get the necessary advice from your doctor .

Get regular medical checkups.

Your doctor can check your blood sugar levels to see how you're doing. He or she can decide if your lifestyle changes are working or if you need to start taking a medication like metformin to control your blood sugar.

Prediabetes doesn't always cause symptoms. This means you may not know you have it, even if you have it. So if you have risk factors, talk to your doctor about them during your annual checkup.

Risk factors for prediabetes:

• Weight gain (Overweight/Obese)
• Over 40-45 years of age
• Inactive lifestyle
• Having a close family member with diabetes
• Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• If you had gestational diabetes during pregnancy

If you are diagnosed with prediabetes, your doctor will tell you what steps to take next.