Pre-diabetes or Impaired Fasting Glucose or Impaired Glucose Tolerance.
Pre-diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition where blood glucose numbers are above the normal range. In pre-diabetes, your blood glucose level are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.
Pre-Diabetes Risk Factors You Shouldn’t Ignore
According to the American Diabetes Association, fasting blood glucose between 100-125mg/dl and A1c between 5.7-6.4% is considered pre-diabetes.⠀
More than 80% of people with pre-diabetes don’t know they have it.
You may be at risk of getting pre-diabetes, if you are overweight (BMI>25), 45 years or older, have a parent, brother or sister with Type 2 diabetes, had diabetes during pregnancy, gave birth to more than a 9lbs baby, or are physically active less than 3 times a week.
Specific Conditions and Ethnic Groups at Higher Risk for Pre-Diabetes
- If you have Acanthosis Nigricans (dark patches of velvety skin in your body folds like neck, armpits), or polycystic ovarian syndrome, you may be at risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes.⠀
- Certain ethnic groups including South Asians, Hispanic, African Americans and Native Americans are at more risk of having pre-diabetes than white.
Early Testing for Pre-Diabetes:
- If your fasting blood glucose is abnormal your provider will check hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c ) which will give your average glucose for the last 3 months.⠀⠀
- Sadly, there are no clear symptoms of pre-diabetes and often people don’t know that they have it until they have already developed type 2 diabetes. Therefore it is important to be proactive and get your blood tested for glucose.⠀⠀
Preventing Type 2 Diabetes:
- If you know you have pre-diabetes you can prevent it from getting diabetes if you follow healthy diet and exercise. That’s why it is important to change your lifestyle before you develop Type 2 diabetes.
- Remember even if you make a small change you will see the difference and it is possible to prevent type 2 diabetes.⠀
Good News: You Can Prevent Type 2 Diabetes with Healthy Habits
Good news is that even if you have pre-diabetes, if you take good care of yourself by eating vegetables, drinking water, exercising and cutting down on processed and packaged food like sweets, cookies you may not develop Type 2 diabetes.
You can follow this link and calculate your risk for pre-diabetes .⠀
Beans: A Nutrient-Packed Superfood for Health
The American diabetes association has listed beans as a superfood. They are packed with vitamins and minerals including magnesium and potassium. They are very high in fiber which helps us with digestion.
Beans do contain carbohydrates, but ½ cup also provides as much protein as an ounce of meat without the saturated fat.
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