BLOGGING THE VIEW: 5 simple ways to reduce the risk of diabetes

In South Africa, diabetes is fast becoming a public health crisis, with around 4.2 million adults living with the condition – more than 11% of the population.

Even more worrying is the fact that experts believe 45% of people are not aware that they’re living with diabetes.

As we commemorate World Diabetes Day on 14 November, consider these 5 health tips that will go a long way in reducing your risk of contracting Type 2.

1. Get active

Sorry, you aren’t going to avoid it – you need to do some exercise. Aim for at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, running, biking or swimming at least three times a week. The more you build this up, the better. In addition, resistance exercise such as yoga or Pilates could be performed two to three times a week. Keeping active helps you lose weight, lower blood sugar and boost insulin sensitivity to keep blood sugar in range.

2. Switch off the TV

In an effort to get active, you should consider switching off the TV more. Every two hours you spend watching TV – rather than being active – increases your chance of developing diabetes by 20%. The more TV you watch, the more likely you are to be overweight which contributes to diabetes.

3. Eat plant-based foods

Fibre-rich foods promote weight loss and lower your risk of diabetes. Try to incorporate new meals with varying ingredients such as fruits, non-starchy and leafy green vegetables, legumes and whole grains. These will slow the absorption of sugar, dietary fat and cholesterol. At the same time, stay away from foods that are high in sugar and have little fibre or nutrients.

4. Eat healthy fats

There was a stage when fats were avoided at all cost – not anymore! Just as long as they’re healthy, that is. Include good fats in your diet as these promote healthy blood cholesterol level, good heart and vascular health. Options of good fats to include are nuts and seeds, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines.

5. Avoid fad diets

Ignore all those ridiculous fad diets that are supposed to make you miraculously lose weight – they don’t work. Instead, rather focus on making healthier dietary choices, like those mentioned above, and make this more of a habit. A simple strategy is also to eat appropriate portion sizes – ditch the massive plate, eat your meal, and wait at least 10 minutes before heading for seconds.

Finally, an added suggestion is to stop smoking. If you are smoking, there are so many health reasons you should stop – Type 2 diabetes among them – so time to quit!

SOURCES:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-prevention/art-20047639
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/disease-prevention/diabetes-prevention/preventing-diabetes-full-story/
https://www.news24.com/life/wellness/diet/ticking-time-bomb-almost-50-of-people-living-with-diabetes-in-sa-dont-know-they-have-it-20221111

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