Whether you call it sugar or diabetes, the illness can be deadly. Just this week, Phife Dawg, a member of the rap group A Tribe Called Quest, died from complications of type 1 diabetes. He was just 45 years old.
He knew he had diabetes. He’d been diagnosed. But the sad thing is, one in three people in the U.S. have prediabetes, increasing their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and they don’t even know it. Are you one of them? If so, there’s good news! There is one thing you can do to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes: Change your lifestyle! It’s the core tenant of our Change Your Lifestyle. Change Your Life. (CYL2) diabetes prevention program – a program model that is so effective and so needed, the Obama administration announced plans to have Medicare pay for it.
So how can you change your lifestyle? Here are three proven ways:
- Eat healthier – Add more fruits and vegetables to your meals and eat leaner proteins like skinless chicken and fish. Drink more water and if you can’t eliminate processed foods from your diet, significantly reduce the amount you eat. Learn how to read nutrition labels so you can make more informed decisions about what you put in your body.
- Get active – Move your body every day. Whether it’s taking a short walk, dancing around your house or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, be intentional about moving your body for at least 150 minutes each week. You don’t have to break out into a sweat, but you should do enough to get your heart rate up.
- Seek support – There will be times when you lose your motivation, so we encourage you to find support. Whether it’s your spouse, friends, church members or coworkers, find someone to support and encourage you on your journey to better health. That’s one reason our CYL2 program works. It gives you support and guidance through a lifestyle coach and a group-learning environment.
Don’t wait to change your lifestyle and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Start today!
Click here to find a diabetes prevention program near you. And if you want to know whether you are at risk, click here to take our short quiz.
Source: BWHIBLOG