Diabetes afflicts millions of people around the world and can lead to severe conditions if left untreated. People diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease, blindness, and a blood circulation decrease, leading to complications like ulcers.
Thus, living with diabetes means you must try to heal wounds like ulcers and contend with possible vision loss. You must also take daily insulin shots. Even with a family history or other health problems, contracting diabetes isn’t a certainty, though. Here are some essential ways to prevent type 2 diabetes and increase insulin sensitivity.
Cut Out Sugar and Bad Carbs
Eating a diet with high levels of sugar and refined carbs increases the risk of developing diabetes. Sugar and refined carbohydrates stimulate insulin production to flush sugar from the bloodstream into cells. When you constantly consume sugar, your pancreas, which produces insulin, can’t keep up and decreases your insulin sensitivity. This battle between sugar and insulin production can lead to diabetes.
Work Out
When we work out, our cells absorb insulin more easily. Fitting in at least 30 minutes of daily exercise means your body needs less insulin to control blood sugar levels. While any workout is beneficial, more intense workouts, such as HIIT or strength training, provide the most advantages for increasing insulin sensitivity.
Quit Smoking
Did you know smoking causes diabetes? Not only does smoking increase your odds of developing heart disease and cancer, but it also interferes with insulin sensitivity. Even though you might gain weight after quitting, smoking will lower your risk of diabetes.
Lose Weight
The extra weight many people carry around their midsections is called visceral fat. It indicates your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes or even prediabetes. Losing visceral fat decreases inflammation within the body and promotes insulin sensitivity.
The more weight you lose, the better. But even losing a few pounds can be advantageous. For every pound you lose, the chances of developing diabetes go down almost 10 percent.
You can begin to incorporate the essential ways to prevent type 2 diabetes with small steps at first. They might be seemingly insignificant, but they’re still steps towards your goal of staying healthy.
