What’s the best way to eat if your primary care physician says you have prediabetes? Notably, starvation or fad diets don’t bring blood sugar levels into normal range. On the contrary, regularly spaced meals and snacks following proven eating plans, such as the Mediterranean diet, do help control blood sugar.
Here’s more about achieving healthier blood glucose levels through sensible eating, and where you can go for prediabetes treatment near you.
The Trouble with Prediabetes
While not true diabetes, prediabetes can progress to that full-blown diagnosis if your blood sugar isn’t kept in check. People with prediabetes still have borderline high A1C and fasting blood glucose levels.
It’s important to not let prediabetes progress to diabetes because of the harmful health consequences of diabetes. Those with diabetes are at a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and vision loss.
One in three American adults have prediabetes, but thankfully, research shows that regularizing exercise, hydration, sleep and eating habits can reverse this metabolic condition.
In particular, diet change is very effective. When you eat a healthy diet, your numbers on the bathroom scale and your numbers from your routine blood draws with your healthcare provider will improve.
The Diet That Can Treat Prediabetes
One of the best diets for treating prediabetes is the Mediterranean diet. This diet emphasizes healthy fats, whole grains and low-fat protein sources. This European way of eating benefits the cardiovascular system and evens out blood sugar levels, giving your body the fuel and nutrients it needs for optimal function.
This diet plan–really a way of life–can be customized according to an individual’s likes and dislikes. However, in general, this style of eating includes:
- Fish, such as salmon, which contains a high amount of beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids
- High fiber, low-carb vegetables, such as arugula and chickpeas
- Nuts, such a pistachios and cashews
- Low-fat dairy, such as Greek yogurt
- Fortified non-dairy almond milk
- Sardines and kale for bone-building calcium
Also, American nutrition experts recommend strictly limiting junk foods, such as store-bought cookies and chips, and avoiding as much white sugar as possible. These recommendations fit right in with the Mediterranean diet which includes fruit for dessert at dinnertime, rather than empty calorie pastries and cakes.
General Dietary Guidelines
To control blood sugar levels, stick with the Mediterranean diet and enlist the help of an expert in nutrition planning. Also remember that whatever you eat, portion control is very important. So, read food labels and restaurant nutritional content carefully for ingredients and portion sizes.
Also, when dining at home, try to divide your plate into sections:
- One-half for low-starch vegetables
- One-quarter for carbs
- One-quarter for protein
Aim for as little added sugar as possible–no more than 50 grams, or 12 teaspoons, a day. Again, your dietary coach can educate you on what foods in what quantities would work best for you.
Prediabetes Treatment Near Me in Oviedo, FL
At Diabetes & Weight Loss Center, Nurse Practitioner Adriel Perez and his team help many people learn what well-balanced, nutritional eating can mean for their overall health.
You can reverse prediabetes! So, call our office today at (407) 890-1876 to book an informative consultation with Adriel Perez. You can also request your appointment online. See you soon!
