Get News & Updates Directly To Your Inbox
Get News & Updates Directly To Your Inbox
Find A Doctor Or Hospital In Your Network.
With diabetes, the body can no longer make enough insulin or use the insulin it does make to control blood sugar (blood glucose). Out-of-control blood sugar boosts your risks for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, blindness and advanced memory loss. So, being proactive is important.
Of course, there are some risks that you have no control over, including your:
Moms-to-be are at risk for gestational diabetes. The condition can strike suddenly during a pregnancy.
Factors like these are all beyond our control. For that reason, they are called non-modifiable risks. But here’s the good news: there are many risks that are modifiable. You can control them with a little bit of effort.
When you work to stay fit and healthy, you are fighting disease and illnesses that can rob you of a happy, active life. Here are some risk factors you can modify.
Weight. Carrying extra pounds is hard on your organs and joints. It derails your body’s natural functions. Sure, losing weight can seem daunting, but every pound you lose can help improve your health. Studies show even a modest weight loss of just seven to 10 percent of your body weight can lower the risk of developing diabetes by nearly 60 percent.
Sedentary lifestyle. People live differently than they did a century ago. Our tech-heavy lifestyles mean we spend a lot of time sitting, and that isn’t healthy. Some experts even said sitting is the new smoking. There are so many good reasons to move your body. Besides helping you maintain a healthy weight, physical activity lowers your blood sugar. It also boosts your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range. Try to exercise at least three days a week for at least 30 minutes each time, and don’t go more than two days without physical activity.
Out-of-control numbers. Three numbers are important indicators of good health — blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure. They’re called the diabetes ABCs. When one or more of these levels are higher than they should be, it can damage your arteries. It also sets you up for a greater chance of diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Monitor these levels on a regular basis. Talk to your doctor about:
Smoking. You probably know smoking makes your heart work harder. Chances are you’ve heard it’s bad for your lungs, too. But did you know it can raise your blood sugar? If you smoke, you’re risk for Type 2 diabetes goes up by 30 to 40 percent.
Lack of sleep. Most of us skimp on shut-eye from time to time. “Too much to do and not enough hours in the day” is a common complaint. We power through fatigue with coffee and energy drinks. It may seem harmless, but when you log less than seven hours of sleep each night, you boost your risk for insulin resistance. Not sleeping also makes you hungrier, so you’re tempted to reach for junk foods high in carbohydrates and sugar. And in this case, less really is more. Less sleep makes it more difficult to stay at a healthy weight and lose weight if you need to.
Poor diet. In a time when frozen and fast foods make it far too easy to choose convenience over nutrition, we’ve moved away from what our bodies really want and need — fresh, healthy foods that aren’t loaded with hidden sugars and fats. Eating well and in moderation is one of the best things you can do to lower your chance for diabetes. Choose foods that are naturally rich in nutrients, and low in fats and calories. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and heart-healthy fish are all good choices. Sticking to regular mealtimes is good, too.
Be proactive about diabetes prevention. Schedule your annual physical exam. Ask your doctor if you should be screened for diabetes, and discuss steps you can take to reduce your risks.
Find more helpful information about diabetes in our easy-to-understand video collection:
Originally published 11/9/2016; Revised 2022, 2024
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, a Division of Health Care Service Corporation,
a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
© Copyright 2024 Health Care Service Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Telligent is an operating division of Verint Americas, Inc., an independent company that provides and hosts an online community platform for blogging and access to social media for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico.
File is in portable document format (PDF). To view this file, you may need to install a PDF reader program. Most PDF readers are a free download. One option is Adobe® Reader® which has a built-in screen reader. Other Adobe accessibility tools and information can be downloaded at https://access.adobe.com.
You are leaving this website/app ("site"). This new site may be offered by a vendor or an independent third party. The site may also contain non-Medicare related information. Some sites may require you to agree to their terms of use and privacy policy.
Powered by Telligent