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What Is Prediabetes & What You Can Do About It

Did you know that 38% of adults 18 years or older — 97.6 million people — suffer from prediabetes? Or what about the fact that 48.8% of adults aged 65 or older (27.2 million people) also have it? When left unchecked and untreated, 38.4 million people — 11.6 percent of the entire population — will develop type 2 diabetes. The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do to help prevent the development of prediabetes.1 

What Is Prediabetes? 

According to the Mayo Clinic, prediabetes is when you have higher than normal blood sugar.2 But what does that mean? It starts with your diet.  

When you eat, your body breaks down food into dietary sugars, including glucose, which enter the bloodstream. Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin to help the sugars in your bloodstream enter your cells and be converted into energy.  

With insulin resistance, your cells don’t react appropriately to the insulin, resulting in excessive blood sugar. Over time, the pancreas tries to compensate by producing more and more insulin until it wears out and can no longer make the adequate amount needed to manage the rising blood sugar levels. 

Even if you don’t develop type 2 diabetes, having prediabetes can still negatively affect your body, especially your kidneys, heart and blood vessels.  

Researchers and doctors have not determined an exact cause for prediabetes/diabetes, but most agree that one of the most significant factors is a family history of the disease.  

What Are the Symptoms? 

While there are no signs that you are pre-diabetic, there are numerous symptoms that could mean you have developed type 2 diabetes. Some of these signs may indicate other health issues, and it’s always smart to visit a doctor for evaluation.  

According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are: 

  • Increased thirst 
  • Frequent urination 
  • Increased hunger 
  • Fatigue 
  • Blurred vision 
  • Numbness or tingling in the feet or hands 
  • Frequent infections 
  • Slow-healing sores 
  • Unintended weight loss 

What Can You Do? 

If you think you have developed prediabetes or are concerned you are at risk for doing so, first talk to your doctor. There are also plenty of lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent prediabetes. 

Exercise 

Regular exercise — even low-impact activity, such as walking 20-30 minutes per day — helps lower blood sugar levels while also improving your body’s sensitivity to insulin (which means it becomes better at processing the sugars you take in). 

Eating Healthy 

While cookies and cake may taste delicious, the sugar content in most processed foods can cause many adverse health effects, including weight gain, blood sugar problems and an increased risk of heart disease. By cutting them out — or at the very least cutting down the amounts you consume — your body has less sugar to metabolize and process. 

Quit Smoking 

We all know that quitting smoking has numerous health benefits, and helping prevent diabetes is another you can add to the list. By quitting smoking, you can help your body better manage its insulin levels, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels. 

Losing Weight 

Like everything else on this list, losing weight offers multiple health benefits. In one large study by the Diabetes Prevention Program with nearly two decades of data, increasing physical activity and losing about 5-7% of body weight can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by 58%.3 

Increase Fiber Intake 

Did you know most adults only get about half their recommended fiber each day? Fiber is a critical component of a healthy diet, helping support: 

  • Blood sugar control 
  • Triglyceride and cholesterol levels 
  • Digestive health 
  • Weight management 

Meet Co.Lab™ Sugar Stop 

Sugar Stop is a high-fiber dietary supplement powered by our Sugar Stop Blend, which contains four ingredients that have been shown in scientific studies to help block carbohydrate absorption to prevent added weight gain and keep you feeling full and satisfied. 

The sugar stop plant-powered blend contains ingredients which have been shown to: 

  • Help Block up to 40% of Sugars From Starch-Based Foods  
  • Help Block up to 20% of Sugars From Sucrose (Table Sugar)  
  • Support a Healthy Weight  

Incorporating these lifestyle changes and adding Sugar Stop to your daily routine can help you manage your blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy weight, both shown to help prevent prediabetes. Protect your health and make these changes today.   

Sources:
1 https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/php/data-research/index.html
2 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prediabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20355278
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1282458/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.