QUESTION: What can you tell me about prediabetes and how do you know if you have it? My husband, 62, who is in pretty good shape, was recently diagnosed with prediabetes and had no idea. Could i have it too?
ANSWER: Underlying the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes today is a much larger epidemic called prediabetes, where blood sugar levels are higher than they should be, but not high enough to be called diabetes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 84 million Americans today have prediabetes. If left untreated, it almost always turns into type 2 diabetes within 10 years. And if you have prediabetes, the long-term damage it can cause – especially to your heart and circulatory system – may already begin.
But the good news is that prediabetes doesn’t mean you are meant to be full blown diabetes. Prediabetes can be reversed and diabetes prevented by making simple lifestyle changes, such as: B. Lose weight, exercise, eat healthy and reduce carbohydrates. Oral medications may also be an option if you need more help.
Because prediabetes doesn’t usually cause any outward symptoms, most of the people who have it don’t notice. The only way to know for sure if you have it is to do a blood test.
