Pre Diabetes Is A Stage Between Normal And Diabetes Stage.

Pre diabetes is an intermediate stage that lies between normal and diabetes stage. When we say someone is in a stage of pre diabetes, we mean that the concerned person's blood sugar level is higher than normal, but not that high to fall into the category of type 2 diabetes. American Diabetic Association (ADA) defines it as a condition prior to the development of diabetes, but with an increased risk of having the disease sooner than later. Also called borderline diabetes, touch of diabetes etc., the name pre diabetes was chosen by the US health department and ADA in 2002.

However, it takes quite a long time for pre diabetes to finally reach the stage of. It has also been found that although pre diabetes in many cases finally reaches the stage of diabetes, it is often possible to return to the earlier stage by taking proper care of the situation. Those who suffer from pre diabetes show symptoms similar to those of diabetes at times. These occasional symptoms include too much thirst or hunger, tingling feeling in fingers and feet, frequent urge for urination, irritability, blurred vision, regular infections, skin itching.

Not all people run the same risk of having pre diabetes. Those who have more risk of pre diabetes are usually obese or overweight, have a family history of pre diabetes, or who suffer from stress and depression. The cause of pre diabetes, in which a person suffers from a little higher sugar level than normal, is entry of glucose into the blood cells because of disturbance in the mechanism of insulin. In this way, sugar keeps circulating in the blood stream but cannot penetrate into cells and tissue, to produce energy.

Unless a person goes for a medical check-up after experience some of the above mentioned symptoms, there is little chance that he/she would be aware of his/her high blood sugar level. It is wise for every person above the age of 45 to routinely consult a doctor and have medical check-ups. Two types of blood tests can detect whether you are suffering from pre diabetes or not; they are fasting blood glucose test and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). If you have fasting blood sugar level ranging from 100 to 125mg/dl, you have pre diabetes. In OGTT, if the body glucose level reaches 144-199 mg/dl after two hours, it suggests impaired glucose tolerance.

Pre diabetes is, however, a reversible condition which can be restored to normalcy by using proper medication and suitably changing one's life style. An appropriate combination of diet and physical exercise can go a long way in preventing pre diabetes.

Following the right type of diet plays an important role here. A person must eat only food with low fat and low calories, and consume as much fresh fruits and vegetables with lots of antioxidant as possible. Sedentary life style with no physical exercise is a surefire recipe for pre diabetes. Walk, use stairs as far as possible, and do at least some physical exercise on a daily basis to avoid pre diabetes. Get rid of your extra fat and keep an ideal body weight to help maintain a normal blood sugar level. All this will prevent pre diabetes from either occurring or worsening, ensuring you a healthy life.

• Janny Raines
• 05/04/2009, 4:59 PM
• 0 Comments