How to Prevent Your Prediabetes from Turning into Full-Blown Diabetes

From scheduling an appointment with your primary care provider to implementing several lifestyle changes to improve your overall health, there are many measures you can take to prevent prediabetes from developing into type 2 diabetes. 

Jason W. Sims, DO, and our team at The Higher Care Clinic (Thc2) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, specialize in offering primary care services that can catch potentially serious medical conditions in their early stages of development. If you’re concerned about worsening prediabetes symptoms, here’s what you need to know. 

What is prediabetes? 

Prediabetes is a warning sign that your body has trouble processing sugar properly. It’s a condition in which your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not quite high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. The good news is that if you catch prediabetes early, you can take steps to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. 

Preventing prediabetes from progressing into full-blown diabetes 

If you've been diagnosed with prediabetes, here are several lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent it from turning into type 2 diabetes:

Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Losing even a small amount of weight (5%-10% of your body weight) can significantly reduce your risk.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a diet high in fiber and low in saturated and trans fats can help regulate your blood sugar levels. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats is ideal.

Exercise regularly

Physical activity can help improve insulin sensitivity and lower your blood sugar levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking) most days of the week.

Manage stress

Stress can raise your blood sugar levels. Engage in stress-reducing activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing.

Get enough sleep

Lack of sleep can affect your body's ability to regulate blood sugar. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

The right primary care provider for prediabetes

Scheduling a primary care appointment is crucial in alerting you to underlying causes for concern and improving your quality of life. Dr. Sims and our team at The Higher Care Clinic combine routine checkups, lab tests, and screenings to review your prediabetes symptoms and find the right treatment plan. Here are just some of the ways this can help.

Regular check-ups

We monitor your blood sugar levels and other vital signs at regular check-ups, which helps us detect any changes early on and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan.

Medication management

If medication is needed to help control your blood sugar levels, we can prescribe it and monitor your response.

Lifestyle counseling

We provide guidance and support for making healthy lifestyle changes.

Referrals

If you need additional support for managing your prediabetes, we can refer you to specialists matching your treatment plan.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, don’t panic! It’s not too late to make healthy lifestyle choices and reduce risk factors. We offer guidance and monitoring to help you develop a treatment plan. 

To learn more about prediabetes and diabetes prevention, contact The Higher Care Clinic or request an appointment using our online scheduler to book your first appointment with Dr. Sims today.