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Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

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What Is Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes?

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Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a health condition where your blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. It indicates that your body’s ability to manage blood sugar is becoming impaired—usually due to insulin resistance or reduced insulin production.

  • Insulin Resistance: The body’s cells stop responding properly to insulin, a hormone that helps move glucose from the blood into cells for energy.

  • Often develops without obvious symptoms, so many people don’t know they have it.

  • It significantly increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body can no longer regulate blood sugar effectively due to:

  • Insufficient insulin production, and/or

  • Increased resistance to insulin.

Over time, this leads to persistently high blood sugar levels, which can damage organs and blood vessels, resulting in complications like:

  • Nerve damage (neuropathy)

  • Vision loss (retinopathy)

  • Kidney disease (nephropathy)

  • Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes

Type 2 diabetes usually develops slowly and is heavily influenced by lifestyle factors such as diet, physical inactivity, excess weight, and genetics.

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How Managing or Reversing These Conditions Can Help with Your Health and Well-being

 

Addressing prediabetes early or working toward remission from type 2 diabetes can lead to significant

improvements in your overall health, longevity, and quality of life.

Benefits of Reversing Prediabetes

By adopting healthy habits, you can often return blood sugar levels to a normal range, which:

  • Prevents the progression to type 2 diabetes.

  • Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and other complications.

  • Improves energy, mood, and overall vitality.

  • Helps maintain a healthy weight, which supports many other aspects of well-being.

  • Promotes better sleep, digestion, and reduced inflammation.

Even modest changes make a difference. Losing just 5%–7% of body weight and becoming more active can reduce your risk of developing diabetes by over 50%, according to the CDC.

Benefits of Type 2 Diabetes Remission

Diabetes remission means achieving healthy blood sugar levels without needing medication (usually defined by an HbA1c of less than 6.5% for at least 3–6 months).

Health Improvements from Remission:

  • Eliminates or reduces the need for medication, lowering costs and side effects.

  • Reduces risk of long-term complications (heart attack, kidney failure, amputation).

  • Enhances mental well-being—people often report feeling in control, hopeful, and motivated.

  • Improves liver health, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

  • Can improve fertility, sleep, and sexual function, which are often negatively affected by diabetes.

Note: Remission is not a "cure." Ongoing monitoring and lifestyle management are essential to prevent relapse.

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How a Customized Plan Can Help You Achieve Your Goals

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Everyone’s body, background, and health status are different. That’s why a personalized care plan is critical—whether you're managing prediabetes, aiming for type 2 diabetes remission, or improving overall metabolic health.

What a Customized Plan Might Include

Nutrition Planning

  • Focus on low-glycemic, high-fibre foods: whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

  • Reduce or eliminate added sugars, refined carbs, sugary beverages, and highly processed foods.

  • Incorporate balanced meal patterns, such as:

    • Plate method: Half vegetables, one-quarter protein, one-quarter whole grains.

    • Mediterranean or DASH diets, known for their heart and blood sugar benefits.

  • For remission, some individuals may follow very low-calorie diets (800–1200 kcal/day) using meal replacement shakes (e.g., under supervision through programs like the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme).

Physical Activity Strategy

  • Aim for at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like brisk walking, cycling, or swimming).

  • Add 2–3 days/week of resistance training to improve insulin sensitivity and preserve muscle mass.

  • Break up long periods of sitting with movement throughout the day—every 30–60 minutes.

Weight Loss Targets

  • A small reduction in weight (5–10%) can:

    • Improve insulin function.

    • Lower fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels.

  • In people with obesity and newly diagnosed diabetes, losing 15 kg (about 2–3 stone) has been associated with achieving remission.

Behavioural and Emotional Support

  • Address emotional eating, stress management, and mental health.

  • Mindfulness practices like yoga, breathing exercises, or therapy can help sustain changes.

  • Join support groups, in-person or online, to stay accountable and connected.

Monitoring and Medical Follow-Up

  • Regular tracking of:

    • HbA1c (every 3–6 months)

    • Blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight

    • Daily or weekly glucose checks (as advised by your healthcare team)

  • Your healthcare provider can adjust medications or provide further testing based on your progress.

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