Prediabetes: It Might Be You!
One of every three adults has prediabetes. Problem is, most of them don’t know it. Are you one of them?
Prediabetes is pretty much what it sounds like. It’s when your blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. Basically, your body isn’t producing enough of the insulin that helps muscle and other tissue absorb the body’s glucose. And when that happens, there ends up being a backlog of unused sugar in your bloodstream.
What to Do If It’s Prediabetes
There are three different blood tests that your doctor can do to determine if you have prediabetes. If your doctor diagnoses you with prediabetes, take it as a call to action.
Look to make healthy changes in these areas and you may delay or avoid diabetes altogether:
- Your diet. Now’s the time to get serious about eating healthy foods. Follow your doctor’s guidance on what to eat—and what to avoid.
- Your exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, five days a week. Tap into your One Pass fitness benefit to help you reach this goal.
- Your lifestyle. Smoking, ongoing stress and sleep issues are risk factors for diabetes.
If you need a helping hand, your doctor may refer you to a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), where you can learn ways to eat healthier, be more active and manage stress. You may also want to talk with your doctor about whether an oral diabetes medication may be helpful in addition to making lifestyle improvements.
