The early warning signs of type 2 diabetes include increased thirst, hunger, and urination. In addition, fatigue, blurred vision, and losing weight can be symptoms of the condition. How can you prevent this from happening? The British Heart Foundation (BHF) warned of high blood sugar – that is, diabetes – which gradually develops “after the age of 40”. It is closely related to being overweight, being physically inactive, and having a family history of the disease, such as having a father or mother with it.
Too much sugar in the bloodstream can be dangerous as it can damage the arteries and increase the risk of heart disease.
Maintaining a healthy weight – with a body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9 – can be achieved through diet and exercise.
This leads to the third and fourth lifestyle habits to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
The BHF encourages people to be “more active” in everyday life – essentially to train daily.
The BHF offers people the opportunity to register for the My Step Challenge.
There you have the option to choose your fitness goal, be it:
50k Step Challenge;
250k Step Challenge;
Half a Million Step Challenge;
Or create your own challenge.
“Missing a day just means starting all over again tomorrow. Your health is worth the effort now and in the future,” said the BHF.
Exercise not only minimizes the risk of type 2 diabetes, it can also be seen as a miracle cure for disease prevention.
The fourth and final lifestyle tip from the BHF to reduce the risk of diabetes is “healthy, balanced diet”.
Three tips for a healthy diet
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables
- Choose whole grain bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes
- Opt for low fat, low salt, and low sugar
Try to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. One serving is equivalent to a handful.
Swap saturated fats (like butter) for unsaturated fats (like olive spread).
And also refrain from adding salt to your kitchen or having salt on the dining table.