Pre-diabetes doesn't just mean that your blood sugar levels are slightly elevated. It's an actual diagnosis that signifies you are at the stage just before type 2 diabetes. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for you to be diagnosed as having diabetes.
So how do you know if you have pre-diabetes? Two different blood tests are used to diagnose this disorder:
- A fasting glucose of 100-125 mg/dl indicates pre-diabetes
- A blood glucose of 140-199 mg/dl, two hours after you've drunk a sweet liquid containing 75 grams of glucose (an oral glucose tolerance test)
You can prevent pre-diabetes from becoming full-blown diabetes by making these lifestyle changes right away:
- Eat a diet low in calories and fat and containing plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five days each week.
- Lose weight — a loss of 10-15 pounds will make a big difference for most people.
Once you have type 2 diabetes, it doesn't go away — so make these small changes now to avoid the even bigger changes you'll definitely have to make if you develop diabetes. Be in the know: ask your doctor about getting tested for pre-diabetes.
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