Before people develop Type 2 diabetes, they almost always have “pre-diabetes” — blood glucose levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. The good news is there are things you can do to prevent or delay the development of full-blown disease.

Stan Hilman was happily eating his way through life until he learned it was jeopardizing his health.

“I brought it upon myself by eating the wrong stuff and never thinking that this would catch up with me. But it does,” says Hilman.

Stan is hardly the only one. It’s estimated 79 million people, or 35 percent of the U.S. population have pre-diabetes. People poised on the brink of full-blown disease are fueling the diabetes epidemic.

“Diabetes is expected to double, as far as the prevalence, by 2050,” says Sharon Krispinski, a diabetes educator for Lee Health Solutions.

About 70 percent of pre-diabetics will eventually develop Type 2 diabetes. But new research suggests they may be able to detour the disease process through aggressive life-style changes.

“It’s healthy eating; it’s more high fiber foods, more non-starchy vegetables, lean protein. And it’s exercise,” says Krispinski.

“When they told me that I was pre-diabetic, I attended classes with Lee Memorial and found out what things are proper to eat and things to stay away from,” says Hilman.

“We emphasize to our patients that even with a modest weight loss, a 5 to 10 percent weight loss, they can significantly improve their blood sugar,” says Krispinski.

Doctors can use three different tests to tell if you have pre-diabetes: the AIC test, the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). It put Stan on a path to wellness.

“I want to be healthy,” says Hilman.

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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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Dr. Oz talks about the new test to find out if you’re prediabetic from the American Medical Association, the Ad Council, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Diabetes Association.

Find out how to take the quiz: http://www.doctoroz.com/article/quiz-are-you-prediabetic
Subscribe to Dr. Oz’s official YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/doctoroz
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Preventing high blood sugar starts with living a healthy lifestyle. Determine if you’re living a healthy lifestyle with advice from a registered nurse in this free video on diabetes.

Expert: Kelly Henry, RN, CDE
Bio: Kelly Henry has been a registered nurse for more than 25 years and a certified diabetes educator for more than 13 years.
Filmmaker: Christian Munoz-Donoso
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It’s a growing health concern. Studies show more than three million people are living with type 2 diabetes. Teresa Spano, a naturopathic consultant with Lee Health, says what you eat, when you eat, and how you feel after you eat, can all help determine if you’re living with pre-diabetes. “Pre-diabetes is more referring to when your fasting glucose levels are going up, usually you can see the hemoglobin A1C that is starting to climb, it’s not necessarily in the diabetic range but it’s getting there.”

Discussing a patient’s sleep patterns, exercise, and diet can help determine if they’re at risk for developing diabetes. “There is a lot of gray area in between completely normal and actually being diabetic, which is where the pre-diabetic range is really where you can help people so much before they actually get to full blown diabetes,” said Spano.

Health experts may also use the waist to hip ratio to determine if patients are at risk. This ratio look at how the patient is carrying their weight: in their belly or in their hips and thighs? If patients have more belly fat, they are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “A lot of people just don’t really know that they are creeping up towards that, which is probably the scariest thing about it,” said Spano.

Experts encourage healthy diets of fruit, vegetables, and fiber, and limiting animal protein. “Exercise is so important when it comes to preventing diabetes. Sleep is always important as well, stress reduction. It’s really the core for everything you hear for staying healthy,” said Spano.

A blood test to check a patient’s A1C, triglyceride levels, and cholesterol can ultimately decide if a patient is at risk for type 2 diabetes.
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Foods that diabetics should avoid are processed carbohydrates and sugars, so pastas, bagels, brownies and other high-carb, high-sugar foods should be reduced in a diabetic diet. Find out how to choose better options for diabetic meals with health advice from a registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist in this free video on nutrition.

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