Prediabetes, also referred to as non-diabetic hyperglycemia, is a condition in which blood sugar is high but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes. Many people with prediabetes have no symptoms. However, progression from pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes isn’t inevitable without intervention. With lifestyle changes, weight loss, and medication, it’s possible to reverse prediabetes. We will discuss the symptoms and primary causes of prediabetes, along with the blood test range that indicates prediabetes. We will also go through a low-carbohydrate diet, which could help improve your blood glucose management, insulin resistance, and weight.
What are the symptoms of prediabetes?
Most individuals who have prediabetes show no symptoms at all. For this reason, it’s critical that you visit your primary care physician on a regular basis so they may perform screenings to monitor your blood sugar levels. You can only determine if you have prediabetes in this manner.
For the small percentage of individuals who do have prediabetes symptoms, they could show the following signs: Acanthosis nigricans is the darkening of the skin in your armpits, back, and sides of your neck. Skin tags and alterations in the eyes may result in diabetic retinopathy.
What are the causes of prediabetes?
Insulin resistance is the primary cause of both prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Several other causes can contribute to insulin resistance, including genetics, excess body fat, especially in your belly and around your organs (visceral fat), physical inactivity, eating highly processed, high-carbohydrate foods and saturated fats frequently, long-term steroid use, hormonal disorders like PCOS, hypothyroidism, and Cushing syndrome, chronic stress, and a lack of quality sleep.
What blood tests indicate prediabetes?
To detect or diagnose prediabetes, three blood test techniques are advised. Check them below:
Fasting blood sugar test
Prediabetes range fasting blood sugar: 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) is diagnosed as prediabetes.
A1C Test
Your average blood sugar level for the previous two or three months is determined by the A1C test. Results ranging between 5.7% and 6.4% are considered prediabetes.
Glucose Tolerance Test
It measures your blood sugar before you drink a liquid that contains glucose and checks it 1 hour, 2 hours, and possibly 3 hours afterward. At 2 hours, 140 to 199 mg/dL indicates you have prediabetes.
Can you reverse prediabetes with a diet?
Yes, an Indian diet plan that emphasises nutrient-dense foods can help treat prediabetes by lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, improving insulin sensitivity, and regulating blood sugar levels. A healthcare professional can make suitable changes while keeping the following things in mind:
- Including healthy fats: An Indian diet plan includes healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds, and oils, which can help improve insulin sensitivity.
- Emphasising complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, which are rich in fibre and take longer to digest, leads to a slower and more gradual rise in blood sugar levels.
- Keeping up a diet that’s rich in lean proteins like lentils, beans, and dairy.
- Avoiding or limiting foods that are high in refined sugars and unhealthy fats, such as fried foods, sugary drinks, and desserts, can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar levels, leading to insulin resistance.
Studies have shown that a low-carbohydrate diet could help improve your blood glucose management, insulin resistance, and weight. A low-carb diet might be advantageous for those with prediabetes as well, even though the majority of the research that is currently available focuses on type 2 diabetes rather than prediabetes specifically.
Also, it is noteworthy to keep up a moderate weight and exercising regularly reduces the risk of prediabetes.
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