Prediabetes is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Though it doesn’t always mean you will end up with type 2 diabetes. Learning to do some different lifestyle changes though may help you bring your chances down even more. Prediabetes is when you have abnormally high blood sugar most often due to insulin resistance. You may not always have symptoms with Prediabetes, but some people may experience excessive hunger, excessive thirst, fatigue, frequent urination or weight gain. Early intervention may be key to stopping the progression to type 2 diabetes.
Diet
Diet can be extremely important when you first get a Prediabetes diagnosis. What you eat can help you manage your blood sugar. Managing your weight can also make it easier to control your blood sugar. Body fat held around the stomach is linked to insulin resistance. If you are eating a diet that is filled with refined and processed carbohydrates which digest quickly can cause spikes in your blood sugar. Learning what foods to eat and what to cut down on may be extremely beneficial. Some nutritionists say everyone should follow a Prediabetes diet even if you don’t have the condition.
A Prediabetes diet does not mean that you no longer can eat anything with taste or sugar in it. It just means you need to be more aware of what you are eating, and maybe cut down on your portion sizes of certain foods. Some foods you may want to skip are the sugary beverages. This includes lemonade, sweet tea, punch, fruit juices, coffee, and alcoholic beverages. Foods that have added sugar should be consumed in moderation as well, like jams, jellies, syrups, agave, honey, candy, desserts, sweets, and baked goods. Empty carbohydrates are another food to skip. These include chips, pretzels, crackers, white rice, white bread, and white pasta. Foods that have saturated fats, trans fats, are high in cholesterol or sodium should also be avoided.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is a list of foods that contain carbohydrates. Where they are on this list shows how quickly the food will spike your blood sugar levels. Rice has a glycemic index level of 67, where nuts have a glycemic index level of 22. Knowing where some foods land on this glycemic index scale can help you steer clear of some foods that are too high. Manufacturers though do not have to put the glycemic index level on the labels of their foods. Foods that tend to be high in fiber tend to be low in the glycemic index. Low glycemic index foods are steel-cut oats, stone-ground whole wheat bread, carrots, field greens, beans, sweet potatoes, corn, and whole wheat pasta.
Fiber
Filling up with fiber can be a huge benefit when you have Prediabetes. Fiber makes you feel fuller for longer, so it helps control weight gain and excess eating. Foods high in fiber are fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. Vegetables that are particularly good for a Prediabetes diet are peppers, asparagus, broccoli, and mushrooms. Don’t get too caught up on how you buy your fruits and vegetables, canned, frozen, fresh, or organic. All have healthy benefits for someone with Prediabetes.
Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are also an essential part of a Prediabetes diet. Examples are avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds. This doesn’t mean you can’t have butter, but instead of picking butter all the time, think of substituting in olive oil. Polyunsaturated fats are also very healthy for you. These include walnuts, flaxseed, and fish. You can get flaxseed oil to add into some of your recipes, or smoothies and just a teaspoon can do the trick and not change the taste of your food or smoothie. Healthy grains are also a good thing to make sure you are getting enough of. Like quinoa, or brown rice.
Fasting
Sometimes skipping meat can be a good idea. Getting away from animal products can help your cardiovascular health, weight gain, and even hypertension. Adding in some plant based proteins can be an option. Tofu, beans, nuts are all good vegan protein choices. Other healthy proteins are fish. These are high in omega-3 fatty acids which your body needs. Salmon and herring are good fish options. Lean meats are also a good option on a healthy protein. Skinless chicken, eggs, tofu, tempeh, fish, beans, legumes, and shellfish are all examples of lean meats.
Hydration
Staying hydrated is also essential. You can sometimes confuse thirst for hunger. Before you reach for a snack try to evaluate if your body could just be thirsty instead of hungry. Also drinking water can keep you feeling full for longer which can help with portion control, and overeating. Drinking plenty of water also will make your body perform at it’s best.
A Prediabetic diet plate may look like half being filled with a non-starchy vegetable such as carrots, a fourth of it being filled with a healthy protein, the other fourth being filled with a whole grain option. Next add in a small amount of healthy fats such as nuts or avocados. Then pick either a fruit or dairy to have as well. Drink with a glass of water or non sugary beverage and you have a healthy plate ready to go. You don’t have to skip out on dessert, but maybe save the decadent desserts for special occasions instead of nightly.
Does the Purium lifestyle work in a diabetes diet?
The Ultimate Lifestyle Transformation is all about detoxifying and creating lasting change.
The products in this 30-day program will nourish and detoxify your body with vegan protein, greens, healthy fats, gut health, organic super fruit, and natural colon cleansing support. Not to mention that the products that comprise the program are great for those eating a diabetes-conscious diet, too.
Here’s how:
- Super Amino 23: Pure, vegan protein support. Composed from legumes, Super Amino 23 helps support the body’s production of protein. As an essential macronutrient, protein is important for diabetics. Protein can help you full, decreasing the likelihood of snacking and accidentally tilting your glucose levels over the limit. (2)
- Power Shake: Alkalizing greens & antioxidant-rich Rice Bran Solubles. Nutrient-rich greens can help support blood glucose levels, especially Vitamin C (3). In addition, antioxidants support the body’s response to inflammation and protect the eyes from macular degeneration (which are important for diabetics). (4), (5)
- Apothe-Cherry: Antioxidant-rich fruit. Antioxidants help support the body by fighting free radicals damage. Plus, tart cherries in Apothe-Cherry help support better and deeper sleep with natural melatonin and anthocyanins (6). Tart cherries have been linked to balanced blood glucose for diabetic patients (7). The National Sleep Foundation reports that deeper sleep can also help blood glucose levels. So, tart cherry is a definite must-try for diabetics!
- Biome Medic: Gut-supporting probiotics, prebiotics and herbs. New studies are discovering that the gut microbiota (bacteria living in the gut) may play a role in diabetes. (8) This is because microbiota can be associated with the metabolic syndrome and how the gut processes food and sugars.
- Control Pre-Meal Capsules: Contains whole foods and plants that may support blood sugar levels and neutralizing starches found in processed carbs
These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recommended use of Purium Health Products is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or medical condition. Always consult with a professional medical practitioner before taking any dietary supplement, especially if pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medications or under a doctor’s medical care.
Sources:
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/ss/slideshow-prediabetes-diet
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/prediabetes-diet
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-to-eat-if-youve-been-diagnosed-with-prediabetes/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/prediabetes/diet/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311056#glycemic-index
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-diet/art-20044295
Studies
- Tabák, A. G., Herder, C., Rathmann, W., Brunner, E. J., & Kivimäki, M. (2012). Prediabetes: a high-risk state for developing diabetes. Lancet, 379(9833), 2279.
- Batterham, R. L., Heffron, H., Kapoor, S., Chivers, J. E., Chandarana, K., Herzog, H., … & Withers, D. J. (2006). Critical role for peptide YY in protein-mediated satiation and body-weight regulation. Cell metabolism, 4(3), 223-233.
- Ellulu, M. S., Rahmat, A., Patimah, I., Khaza’ai, H., & Abed, Y. (2015). Effect of vitamin C on inflammation and metabolic markers in hypertensive and/or diabetic obese adults: a randomized controlled trial. Drug design, development and therapy, 9, 3405.
- Ma, L., Dou, H. L., Wu, Y. Q., Huang, Y. M., Huang, Y. B., Xu, X. R., … & Lin, X. M. (2012). Lutein and zeaxanthin intake and the risk of age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition, 107(3), 350-359.
- Chen, X., Rong, S. S., Xu, Q., Tang, F. Y., Liu, Y., Gu, H., … & Zhao, C. (2014). Diabetes mellitus and risk of age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One, 9(9), e108196.
- Howatson, G., Bell, P. G., Tallent, J., Middleton, B., McHugh, M. P., & Ellis, J. (2012). Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European journal of nutrition, 51(8), 909-916.
- Ataie-Jafari, A., Hosseini, S., Karimi, F., & Pajouhi, M. (2008). Effects of sour cherry juice on blood glucose and some cardiovascular risk factors improvements in diabetic women: A pilot study. Nutrition & Food Science, 38(4), 355-360.
- Aydin, Ö., Nieuwdorp, M., & Gerdes, V. (2018). The gut microbiome as a target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Current diabetes reports, 18(8), 55.
- Furmli, S., Elmasry, R., Ramos, M., & Fung, J. (2018). Therapeutic use of intermittent fasting for people with type 2 diabetes as an alternative to insulin. Case Reports, 2018, bcr-2017.
