Here's What You Should Do If You Are At A Risk Of Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition which affects the ways your body uses blood sugars. This chronic condition requires healthy management of blood sugar levels. Multiple factors put you at a higher risk of diabetes. These can be both modifiable and non-modifiable. Some of these include unhealthy weight, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, prediabetes, poor cholesterol levels and family history. People above the age of 45 and those suffering from PCOS are also at a higher risk. If you have been diagnosed with one or more above mentioned risk factors, you must follow necessary precautions to control the disease from worsening.

Know how to control diabetes risk

Dr. Yogesh Yadav who is an Endocrinologist at Max Hospital explains that there are two categories of risk factors for diabetes mellitus (type-2) -

1. Non-modifiable risk factors like family history of diabetes (genetic), advancing age, past history of gestational diabetes. As the name suggests these factors can't be modified.

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2. Modifiable risk factors like obesity or being overweight, sedentary lifestyle, overeating, stress, high blood pressure or cholesterol levels, smoking etc. Everyone should try to keep the number of risk factors low by modifying these factors by-

• Regular exercise of minimum 30 minutes/day, including stretching exercises, aerobics and weight training
• Eat a healthy diet which includes more fibres (vegetables, salads), proteins (pulses, soya) and less of processed and oily foods (maida, juices, sweets and fried food items)
• Reduce bodyweight with regular exercise and dietary control if you are overweight
• Reduce stress by regular yoga and meditation and 7-8 hours of sleep
• Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption
• Control high blood pressure and cholesterol levels using lifestyle modifications and medicines, if prescribed by the doctor.

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If you are at a risk of diabetes, you must follow these tips to stay healthy. Also, stay in constant touch with your doctor to maintain healthy blood sugars.

(Dr. Yogesh Yadav, Consultant, Endocrinology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dehradun)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.