Prediabetes is not a word I expected to hear from my doctor after a routine blood test. I was in my mid-50s and feeling not exactly spry, but not too bad either. I am not obsessive about my health but was in the habit of getting a physical every two to three years. The fall of 2022 was my time and that’s when a little number on my blood test changed everything.
My subsequent experience with prediabetes has been a journey, let me tell you. After three years, I’m still not where I want or need to be, but I have managed to lower and stabilize my blood sugar. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about diabetes and had some myths busted, including the conventional wisdom that diabetes prevention is primarily about sugar.
Prediabetes is a precursor for type 2 diabetes. Weight loss and changes in diet and exercise can help many prediabetics prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes – if they know they are prediabetic. And there’s the rub.
Prediabetes does not typically come with warning signs; you could be living with it and have no idea, like me.
I decided to write this blog series to raise awareness and share my accumulated wisdom – essentially everything I wish I had known when I learned I was prediabetic. I will also include lots of resources and information from organizations with expertise in diabetes and nutrition.
With this series I hope to inform and offer encouragement. The lifestyle changes needed to wrangle blood sugar down to an acceptable level are not easy and can take time to be effective. As the saying goes, old habits die hard.
As with anything in life, the key to dealing with prediabetes is knowledge and that is something I lacked completely when first diagnosed.
I started with small dietary changes thinking they would be enough but my numbers didn’t budge. I had no idea the scale of changes I had to make. As I made more adjustments to my diet and activity levels, I would see my blood sugar go down then bounce back up on my next blood test. It felt like the proverbial one step forward and two steps back.
Fortunately, my medical practice offers a prediabetes education program. I rebuffed the first suggestion that I attend a class. I figured I could manage everything on my own but after a couple of yo-yo experiences with my blood sugar, I decided to attend. I’m so glad I did. I found motivation there and learned a ton about what I needed to do to drive my numbers down.
Because this website is about food, I will devote most of this series to the dietary changes needed to manage blood sugar, but in my next couple of posts I will share some general information about prediabetes and look at risk factors, with special attention to the risks for women of menopausal age. (Exercise is another component of prediabetes treatment and a subject beyond the purview of this site. If you are prediabetic, be sure to speak to your doctor about a fitness program that works for you.)
The Series at a Glance
You’ve Been Diagnosed as Prediabetic – What Does This Mean?
Menopause and Prediabetes – Why Women Need to Be Vigilant
Prediabetes Diet – Controlling the Carb Load
Reducing Sugar – The Low-Hanging Fruit
Prediabetes Meal Planning – Striking the Right Balance
Prediabetes Nutrition – Tips for Increasing Fibre and Protein
Prediabetes Resources and Encouragement
Disclaimer: I am not a dietitian but have worked with one to learn all I can about prediabetes. I have also done a lot of my own research, from valid sources like Diabetes Canada and books and news articles written by dietitians and doctors. I am speaking here of my own experience and nothing I say should be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional. Always consult with a doctor or dietitian before making any lifestyle changes for prediabetes or any other condition.
Photo of sugar by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash.