Wright Now Fitness: How Exercise and Diet Can Reduce Your Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
(PRWEB) December 17, 2014 -- Almost 30 million children and adults in the US have diabetes. 79 million adults in the US over the age of 20 have prediabetes. Half of adults aged 65 or older have prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as full-blown diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA, 2012), an individual’s chances of having prediabetes go up if he or she:
• Is age 45 or older
• Is African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Asian American or Pacific Islander
• Has a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• Is overweight
• Is physically inactive
• Has high blood pressure or takes medicine for high blood pressure
• Has low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and/or high triglycerides
• Is a woman who had diabetes during pregnancy
• Has been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome
The good news is that there are many lifestyle changes that a person with prediabetes can make to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. Some of these important lifestyle changes include losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and physical activity.
Being overweight can lead to many health problems in addition to diabetes including metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and hypertension. It only takes an initial weight loss of 5-10% of a person's bodyweight to see noticeable improvements in glucose metabolism, cholesterol levels, and hypertension! A combination of diet and exercise, in addition to being more active in daily life (walking to work, walking at lunch, walking instead of driving, taking the stairs, etc.) is the ideal way to achieve weight loss.
Eating a healthy diet made up of low fat and low calorie nutrition packed foods can make a great difference in weight loss and diabetes prevention. A low fat, low calorie diet should include fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meat, poultry, fish, and beans, and whole grains. A Mediterranean diet may help prevent type 2 diabetes and improve glucose metabolism.
Both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training can greatly help to prevent diabetes and enhance blood glucose control. Furthermore, regular exercise can help to decrease hypertension, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, and decrease body fat. Exercising 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week can make a big difference in helping to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. 9 out of 10 of those with prediabetes do not know they have it. Unless a person makes health and lifestyle changes including increased physical activity and weight loss, 15-30% of those with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 5 years!
Now is the time to make a change! Regular exercise, eating a nutritious diet, and maintaining a healthy weight is important for not only those people with prediabetes, but it is important for everyone.
I will see you at your next workout!
Aaron Wright, AHFS, CPT
Look Younger. Feel Stronger. Live Longer.
Aaron Wright, creator of the Wright Now Fitness System, a comprehensive DVD and digital exercise system "for everyone", is an ACE advanced health and fitness specialist, ACE certified personal trainer, orthopedic exercise specialist, functional training specialist, sports conditioning specialist, therapeutic exercise specialist, exercise programming expert, and health and wellness speaker.
Please visit us at http://www.wrightnowfitness.com for more information on our DVD and digital download/instant streaming workouts and more tips and advice on the benefits of diet and exercise to prevent diabetes.
NOTE: Always consult your physician or health care provider before beginning any exercise program.
Michelle Wright, Wright Now Fitness, 925-876-3009, [email protected]
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