It's Runs in the Family, how can I prevent it?

Question

My mother, her sister and her niece all had diabetes along with my grandmother. So it runs in the family, what are some things that I can do to prevent it. I know for one I don't exercise as much as I should and I drink soda almost daily. I also have a sweet tooth. How can I prevent myself from acquiring what many of my family members have?

Answer 1

diabetes is a disorder in which the insulin in your body will decrease and evantually disappear so any thing you will do to slow this process will help you
-reduce your sweet intake,carbohydrate
-exercise
-avoid obesity
but the key thing is to control your diet

Answer 2

I have the same problem, it runs in my family also. My sister is now diabetic. I'm not sure that it can be prevented, but I started watching what I eat and the quantity. Smaller meals, and stopped drinking soda at home every day. I will have a soda when we go out to dinner or to a friends house.

Same with sweets, little by little , I began to cut back. Also, when I heard about green tea, I started drinking it. I then began using less and less sugar, stretching it out over time so that I wasn't doing it cold turkey. Sorry about the pun. Anyway, I then got a glucose monitoring kit to check myself once in a while after eating. So far, so good.

Just by cutting your daily intake of sugary sweets, you can help keep your levels in check. Just trying to eat in moderation will help you too. Using substitutions in cooking can sometimes be beneficial to keep sugar to a minimum. I also exercise 3x a week and drink plenty of water. Then I started taking Melaleuca vitamins and that has helped immensely.
I noticed that after drinking soda, my levels were much higher, so you may want to try getting away from them. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

1 See your doctor and good dietian. Those are absolute musts. You can not prevent being a diabetic,; but you can reduce it by what you eat and exercies and knowledge. You want you glucose level to be in the 80's to 115 area. too low and too high are both bad.
2.Read. Check out internet. Start with books like Books for dummies on diabeties . They start out with more bacis information that does not use complicated medical terminology. Make sure when you see your doctor they explain in terms you will understand. Make them repeat it. All hospitals are able to print handouts for you.
3. Learn your body. What foods elevate your blood sugar. Some foods are naturally high in sugar like peas ,carrots ,potatoes strawberries. Learn about the glycemic index.
4All simple carbohydrates turn into glucose which is the first source of energy for the body. But diabetics do not process it correctly or not at all depending on which type diabetic you are. If you must eat bread products, use whole grain wheat type products. More nutrious. anything bleached like white bread or white rice has had nutrients bleached out then added back. Not as healthy as the real thing.
5 Labels with sugar ,syrup, things like crose in the ending are all sugars.
6 Simple carbohdrates act almost exactly like sugar. They are bread, potatoes, noodles etc. Complex carbohydrates are in the fruit and vegtable catagory. It takes longer for the body to digest and convert to energy and is done over a longer period of time. so does not elevate glocose levels too high too fast. Gives the body time to deal with it slowly and more naturally.
7 Exercise is also key factor on how much you are allowed in your diet. The higher your activity level; the higher the need for all food group including carbs(sugar etc).
8 Illness has direct impact on blood glucose. It can raise it very high.
9 Read medication labels carefully. Most of sugar free meds are in special section in your stores and phramacies.
10. It takes time to learn everything. There are many people availble to help you. No two people are the same. Most diets are anywhere from 1500 ADA(american diet association) to 2200 ADA. Depends on your activity level which you should work out with the doctor and dietian.

Answer 4

There is nothing that you may do to absolutely prevent the possibility that you may become a diabetic but there are some things that certainly will help. Remain lean = body mass index of < 25 (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), exercise, restrict 'sweets', restrict salt, restrict fats - fried foods - red meat - cholesterol, follow your glucose monthly at home with a glucometer (goal fasting < 100), and follow your blood pressure monthly at home 1st thing in AM (goal 110/060). If values exceed these consult your physician. The changes leading to diabetes are present for a decade before diagnosis. Good luck.

Answer 5

If it is type II diabetes (adult onset), it is more important to keep your weight down than what you eat. If you look at your family members with diabetes, do they have large tops and flat behinds?That is the typical shape of someone who has or will get type II diabetes. Do you have that shape? If so, you could take chromium every day. It helps regulate blood sugar and is safe.

You could also ask a dr. to prescribe Glucophage (metformin). It is a diabetes medicine that can be used to prevent diabetes.

Here is an article about metformin preventing diabetes: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/preventionprogram/index.htm

Answer 6

It's a great start that you are concerned now.
You should seek professional advice because everyone's body is different (there are many factors such as genetics, gender, race, height weight....). I'd first start with a registered dietician. Tell him/her your family history and you areas of concern. This way you can start a diet and a lifestyle that is taliored to you and not something you read off the internet. He/She will be able to tell you what a safe blood sugar level is, how many kilo-calories you need to be consuming for weight loss if needed, how much complex carbohydrates you should consume... all that good stuff. Good luck!

Answer 7

Slowly change your diet.
Learn to eat 4-5 small meals a day, every 3 hours.
Eat foods that digest very slowly such as apples, banannas, etc.
Drink the SMALL SIZE soda, not the large.
The best exercise for you is stretching and aerobics. Keeps the metabolism UP. So you will desire less food and soda.

Don't treat diabetes with fear. I have had it for 20 years. With diet, exercise, especially weightlifting for me, I am stronger and healthier than ever. I am age 54.

Answer 8

Stick to diet soda. Eat sweets in moderation, or try the sugar-free stuff. Some of it is really good, but don't eat too much or it can give you diahrreha. Walk. Walking 1-2 miles is the best way to start getting in shape. Try to keep fatty and processed foods to a minimum. Eat more Raw foods (Fresh, unprocessed food). Cut back on all soda. Drink more water.

Answer 9

It depends on the type. If you family has type 2 than learn to eat healthy, limit high fatty foods ( with type 2 it is about weight, most of the time). If they have type 1 then there is nothing you can do. but it may not effect you at all, my 3yr old daughter has type 1 and I don't and neither does my son, husband, or immediate family.

Answer 10

Hi Kevin

You can heal yourself from the diease, but it does take an open mind and learning about cleansing (colon and liver) the body of toxins and nutrition. Here are some tips to use:

Cause
Malnutrition and malfunction in connection with a bad pancreatic condition cause diabetes. Stay away from sugars and starches which will go into diabetes very quickly due to a weakened pancreas. Baking soda and aluminum cookware greatly aggravate diabetes.

Quick Action Plan for Diabetes


1. Be aware for early signs of blood sugar problems. Have the proper yearly tests performed.

2. Keep in mind that the goal of diabetic treatment and self-care is to restore blood sugar levels close to normal and to correct related metabolic disorders. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by eating small, frequent meals throughout the day that emphasize fresh, organic foods that are low on the glycemic scale, such as raw and lightly steamed vegetables, low sugar whole fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes, yams, wild fish, poultry, lean cuts of beef, bison meal lamb or veal.

3. Minimize or eliminate your intake of simple carbohydrates and all sugars, as well as tobacco and processed "junk foods." In addition, reduce your intake of alcohol and caffeine. Both alcohol and caffeine could be enjoyed on special occasions, rather than daily or even weekly habits.

4. Remain hydrated; drinking adequate quantities of pure water is essential for all aspects of your health.

5. Engage in regular light exercise and stress reduction because they are keys to maintaining lower levels of blood sugar.

6. Consider supplementing with nutrients such as B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, chromium, magnesium, potassium, essential fatty acids, CoQ10, alpha lipoic acid, and vanadium. Stabilized rice bran supplements can also be helpful.

7. Herbs such as astragalus, bitter melon, fenugreek, garlic, ginseng, Gymnema sylvestre, and huerque can also provide significant benefits.

8. If you have already developed Type I or Type II diabetes, combine the above self-care natural cures with professional care from a holistically oriented physician or other alternative health care practitioner. Particularly useful professional care therapies for treating and preventing diabetes include chelation therapy, food allergy testing, parasite testing and if necessary, cleansing, oxygen therapy, and professional dietary and nutritional counseling. Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine can also be helpful.

9. Prevention, if you are pre-disposed and managing a diabetic condition, is a life-long commitment. By committing to the guidelines above, you can significantly improve your symptoms, and, if you suffer from Type II diabetes, quite possibly reverse them altogether. Implementing diet and lifestyle changes can help improve your energy levels, and your confidence in your ability to experience greater health.

Best of health to you

Cheers