What is Prediabetes
and Can it be Reversed?
A Holistic Health Coach Answers
Your Prediabetes Questions
Being informed about Prediabetes is a key ingredient to your better health.
To help you understand prediabetes, the following are some questions I am most often asked as a Certified Diabetes Educator. Your health questions deserve answers. Read on to learn more.
What is Prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition also known as Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) that may lead to Type 2 Diabetes if untreated. We can reverse it with changes in lifestyle. Prediabetes can appear at any age, and it may go undiagnosed for years while it silently does damage to tissues within the body.
Why do millions of people have this disease?
Prediabetes has reached epidemic proportions and “What is prediabetes” is an important question for all of us. About 35% of the adults in America have prediabetes, which means their blood sugar levels are higher than normal — higher than is healthy — and it is actively putting them at risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Prediabetes is an illness that builds over time and likely has no symptoms. This makes it easy to overlook. The CDC says 90% of those who have this health condition do not know it. But do not be fooled! You can turn this around…
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and chronic condition that causes blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise higher than normal. Risk factors include an over-weight, sedentary lifestyle, family history, ethnicity, and age. It usually appears in older adults, but it’s becoming more common in children and teens. Type 2 is the most common form of Diabetes.
When you go to the doctor and ask “Can prediabetes be reversed?” one of the first skills they may suggest you learn is how to test your blood sugar. We teach that at Holland Health Coaching, and you can learn to do this as well in your hometown.
The second important skill for everyone with prediabetes–as well as any other chronic illness–is to practice Reframing this illness in your mind. We teach at Holland Health Coaching that when you Change your Thoughts, you can Change your World.
Can Prediabetes be reversed?
As a result of embracing self-care at home, such as healthy eating and increased activity, 90% people with prediabetes can regain their health.
By this I mean that Type 2 Diabetes does not have to happen just because you have prediabetes! You can make lifestyle changes that transform your future. Consult with your medical professionals and consider getting guidance from a qualified health and wellness coach.
What’s the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that damages the pancreas so that it produces little to no insulin. This creates dangerously high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Because of this, it typically first appears in children and young adults (sometimes called “Juvenile Diabetes”). Only 5% of people with Diabetes have this form of the disease. Prediabetes does NOT lead to Type 1 Diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and chronic condition that causes blood sugar (glucose) levels to rise higher than normal.
Risk factors include an over-weight, sedentary lifestyle, family history, ethnicity, and age. It usually appears in older adults, but it’s becoming more common in children and teens. Many parents ask can prediabetes be reversed in my child’s life?
Before being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes is developing. However, people with Prediabetes can avoid Type 2 Diabetes by embracing self-care and lifestyle changes at home.
Do people with Prediabetes always get Type 2 Diabetes?
No. In fact, 90% of people with prediabetes can avoid Type 2 Diabetes by embracing self-care at home. That involves making lifestyle changes with trusted medical professionals and a health or wellness coach. Those who are successful at reducing their risk of Type 2 Diabetes have improved their meals and increased their activity levels.
What are the symptoms of Prediabetes in adults?
Unlike Type 2 Diabetes, prediabetes often has no symptoms. That’s one of the reasons why people with prediabetes may lack a sense of urgency to make lifestyle changes. But even though the disease is invisible, it can actively cause progressive damage and take a serious toll on the body. You can find out if you have prediabetes today using a simple form that you grade at home.
What are the symptoms of Prediabetes in children?
According to my friends at the American Diabetes Association, children and teens with prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes often feel no symptoms. Still, parents can be on the lookout for some developing symptoms of type 2 diabetes in children:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent or nighttime urination
- Blurry vision
- Unusual fatigue
If you suspect that you have prediabetes, and fear that your children might also have this disease, I hope you will check out the Create a Wellness Plan for Your Family.
What exactly is blood sugar?
Whenever we eat a meal, our bodies break down the food into different sugar molecules. The main type is glucose, which is the fuel our cells need for energy. That glucose level in our blood is what people refer to as blood sugar. Perhaps you are new to the science behind carbs, glucose, and high blood sugar? It will be helpful for you to learn more about balancing blood sugar in the days and months to come.
Why is stable blood sugar so important?
Stabilizing our blood sugar is essential for our health, energy, and weight management. The key to accomplishing that is by balancing insulin, which means eating the right combination of carbs, healthy fats, and proteins.
What does my A1C number mean?
The A1C test measures your average blood sugar level for the past 3-4 months. It measures the percentage of glucose attached to the hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein molecules in your red blood cells). This test for people with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes is usually performed 2-4 times per year as a guide to successfully keep track of the disease.
What are Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia?
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar happens when the pancreas is secreting too much insulin in response to a fast rise in blood sugar. There are several causes: a missed meal, too much exercise, or by over-eating too many “junky” foods.
People suffering from hypoglycemia suddenly notice dizziness, sweating, heart palpitations, and numbness or tingling of the lips. Left untreated, hypoglycemia may even involve lapsing into a coma. Be proactive about getting medical attention.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar occurs when excessive amounts of glucose in the blood cause the human body to stop functioning normally. Everyone with hyperglycemia needs to understand what action to take so that their glucose/insulin balance is improved. Uncontrolled hyperglycemia is the cause of Diabetes, responsible for the onset of the disease and its complications.
What are the health risks of prediabetes/diabetes?
These striking statistics paint the true picture:
- Diabetes is contributing factor to those who suffer greatly from Covid-19. Learn more here.
- Untreated prediabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes, which causes more deaths every year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
- Type 2 Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. and can shorten life spans by 10-15 years.
- Additionally, having Type 2 Diabetes nearly doubles your chance of having a heart attack and significantly increases your risk for diseases of the eyes, nerves, kidneys, and heart, as well as stroke.
- Heart attacks and strokes are the leading causes of death for people with Type 2 Diabetes (not the Diabetes itself).
- Type 2 Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness and kidney failure in the U.S. and Canada.
- People with Type 2 Diabetes are more likely to have other illness, too. Common illnesses are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arthritis, body aches and pains, obesity, depression, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, and other autoimmune diseases.
- Having prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes dramatically increases the risk of the most common cancers.
- Type 2 Diabetes is responsible for 60% of the non-traumatic foot and leg amputations in the U.S.
- Health complications from Type 2 Diabetes in America cost $69 billion every year.
- Because of this, prediabetes has a staggering growth rate and affects more than 86 million Americans.
- This means that more than 1 in 3 Americans have prediabetes in 2017, compared with just 1 in 10 people in 2014.
- Prediabetes is a hidden danger: 90% of people with the disease don’t even know they have it, and their bodies are silently being damaged every day.
- Within five years, 15-30% of those with prediabetes will develop Type 2 Diabetes.
When should I call the doctor?
If you have a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately. For less urgent concerns, consult with your physician during an office visit. People with prediabetes and Diabetes should have their blood sugar checked regularly to watch the disease. Be sure to discuss those results with your doctor. By doing this, you can understand any warning signs that could need immediate help. You can print out the Starting Line worksheet and use it to discuss diabetes with your doctor.
Are prediabetes tests covered by insurance?
Generally yes, but it depends on your coverage. Here’s something to keep in mind: to receive full reimbursement from insurance companies, doctors are required to fully document the blood sugar levels of their patients with Diabetes. Make sure you develop a strong relationship with your doctor and understand how these tests are used as a measure of your success.
Can I fight prediabetes by simply reducing calories?
No. The best way to fight prediabetes is by balancing your insulin and stabilizing your blood sugar. Rather than just cutting calories, it’s more important to eat the right combination of carbs, healthy fats, and proteins.
Are sugary foods my main problem with prediabetes?
Not necessarily. Prediabetes is often the long-term result of eating unhealthy foods and failing to get adequate exercise. Thinking of this, are you eating the right types of carbs? Healthy fats? Lean proteins? By this I mean that cutting down on sugar is certainly a step in the right direction, but fighting prediabetes is more about making broad lifestyle changes.
Will cutting carbs make me more healthy?
It depends. Specifically, some carbs are necessary for your body to have energy, but we all could be more picky about the kind of carbs we consume. Look closely at the amounts of starch, sugar, and fiber in the carbs you like to eat. Choose wisely and combine them with healthy fats and proteins to stabilize your blood sugar. Here’s a label-reading guide for you.
Does fat make me fat?
No. Healthy fats are essential for our body to work properly. For example, it’s important to eat the right kinds of fat in the right amounts (they are typically high in calories), but we still need them. Research now shows that trying to lose weight with low-fat diets can have negative outcomes if people end up overloading on highly refined carbs. If you have a negative pattern of thinking about being overweight or feeling set apart because of your prediabetes, I hope you will take a moment to reframe your thinking about your amazing body!
How often can I “cheat” on my prediabetes diet?
You can actually fight Prediabetes by ditching the idea of a diet. This is to say that it’s better to stabilize your blood sugar than deprive yourself of food. That means you can stop focusing on what you CAN’T eat and start concentrating on what you NEED to eat.
Instead of cutting calories and feeling deprived, commit to eating the right combination of healthy foods.
When you give your body the energy it needs through slow-digesting carbs, lean proteins, and healthy fats, you’ll control your insulin [unless you have Type 1 Diabetes, in which case you’ll need to work with your doctor on supplementing insulin]. Creating a lifestyle of balanced portions of healthy food is critically important! You’ll stabilize your blood sugar. And you’ll drop excess weight without the stress of “not cheating.”
Can I skip exercise if I just improve my diet?
Increasing your activity level is an important part of fighting prediabetes. Activity is as important as adjusting your food choices in a way that stabilizes blood sugar. To clarify, you don’t have to spend two hours every morning at the gym to make that happen. Instead, try building in more activity to the tasks you already do every day. Little changes can lead to big results.
Will I need to take medication for prediabetes?
In most cases, physicians do not prescribe medicine to control prediabetes. Instead, they recommend making improvements in diet and exercise. However, if the disease progresses to Type 2 Diabetes, doctors typically prescribe medication and strongly urge significant lifestyle changes. If those adjustments don’t improve blood sugar levels, patients will need daily insulin shots to keep their bodies functioning properly. That is a KEY PART of the Solution StarterTM Prediabetes Program. We help you avoid the slide into Type 2 Diabetes!
Where do I start to make positive changes in my lifestyle?
In most cases, the starting point is getting the support you need by consulting with your medical professionals. Additionally, you also have the option of getting support from a qualified health coach. With expert guidance, you can begin adjusting your diet to stabilize insulin and blood sugar. You can find the inspiration to begin increasing your activity level and reducing stress. And if you want an innovative, comprehensive way to strategically fight prediabetes, sign up for the Solution StarterTM Prediabetes Program.
Solution StarterTM – Where Better Health Begins
What can you do to discuss prediabetes, avoid the progression to Type 2 Diabetes, and pass along all that you learn to friends and family?
In the link that follows, I’ll tell you more about the Solution StarterTM Prediabetes Program. You’ll enjoy a unique, online program that’s educational, interactive, and even FUN! Plus, it’s been scientifically proven to get results in the fight against prediabetes. A combination of my years as a diabetes educator and a holistic health coach, this course provides the proven strategies and holistic support you need for change.
There is a bright future for you!
I hope this Q&A page has helped you begin to answer your Prediabetes questions. Remember – Prediabetes does not need to define your life. I hope you keep reading and find the free resources and service offerings inspire you to make the change you’re seeking. If you still have questions about how to get stared, we here at Holland Health Coaching are happy to help you.
Here’s to good health!
Coach Georgianne Holland
Certified Holistic Health Coach, CHHC
Certified Diabetes Educator, CDE
Member of the American Association of Diabetes Educators
Member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners
Member of the American Holistic Health Association
Food As Medicine and Mind-Body Medicine Practitioner
Creator of the Solution StarterTM Program for Prediabetes and the Homemade Health E-Newsletter.
Holland Health Coaching is located in Colorado. We welcome everyone to join us in our wellness practice. Please enjoy the free resources and expert tools you’ll find on our website.
Coach Georgianne does not replace your doctor; she helps you work with your medical team for your greater good health.