Can Diabetes Be Prevented?

There are two major types of diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where your immune system damages your pancreas and destroys the cells that make insulin. Type 2 diabetes is where your pancreas can still make insulin, but it doesn’t respond to it properly anymore.

In both types of diabetes, cells can’t get into the cells properly, and it causes your blood sugar level to rise, which can damage your body, and if not treated, your body may experience other serious health conditions. It is important to know the ways we can prevent diabetes and if it can remain prevented.

Can diabetes be prevented?

Currently, no one knows how type 1 diabetes can remain prevented. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, but it mostly appears during childhood or adolescence. It is not contagious, so kids, family, and friends can’t catch it.

Type 1 diabetes can’t be prevented, but it can remain managed by keeping your blood sugar levels within the range recommended by your doctor. But there are other things you can do to manage it:

• Keep your food balanced and healthy – plan for every meal to have a good mix of the nutrients that you need like starches, fruits, vegetables, proteins, and fats, and learn what is the appropriate portion size for each food that is in your meal and avoid drinking alcohol.
• Have an exercise plan and schedule – everybody who is experiencing diabetes feels different and has different body types, so ask your doctor for what type of exercise is appropriate for you and what is the best time for you to start exercising every day.
• Consult your doctor about your medications – some diabetes medications can lower or raise your blood sugar level depending on what you are experiencing. The effectiveness of these medications depends on the timing and the size of the dose, so consult your doctor about what medications you should take.

Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes can remain prevented. Before, only adults remain diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but now, more kids and teens remain diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

With some lifestyle changes, you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. You can prevent it by:

• Weight control – this is important in preventing or delaying diabetes. By losing 5 to 10% of your current weight, and once you lose weight, it is important that you don’t gain it back when you gain back your weight that means that you don’t have a proper diet or you are not keeping your body active so that you can lose weight.
• Healthy eating plan – like in managing type 1 diabetes, a healthy eating plan or a healthy diet is important. To lose weight, it is important that your diet is healthy, and it should include small proportions of fat and sugar. You should also eat a variety of foods from each food group.
• Don’t smoke – Smoking can contribute to insulin resistance which can lead to type 2 diabetes. If you smoke or think of smoking, stop and avoid it.
• Talk to your health care provider – it is important that you keep your health care provider updated about the status of your disease so that they can suggest what is the best for you meal plan, medication, and exercise for you.