Diabetes is prevalent in our society. In 2021, 11.6% of the U.S. population had diabetes.1 There are three types: gestational (pregnancy), type 1, and type 2.
The basis of each type of diabetes is glucose and insulin. When you eat carbohydrates (i.e. bread, pasta, rice, fruit, starchy veggies), the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream to bring the glucose molecules from the blood (complex carbohydrates breakdown to form glucose) into our brain, muscles, and other tissues for immediate use (energy) or transported to our liver/fat cells to store for later. While glucose is beneficial to our health, too much glucose in our bloodstream can lead to diabetes.
Type 1
An autoimmune disease, where your body mistakenly attacks the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin. As a result, little to no insulin is produced, leading to high levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Your body needs insulin from an outside source (i.e. medication) to manage blood glucose levels. Genetics is a risk factor for this type.
Type 2
The body has a hard time storing glucose with insulin for energy because either your body doesn’t respond to the insulin currently in your bloodstream, or your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin. So, glucose is unable to get into the cells for immediate energy or stored for later use. As a result, there are high levels of glucose in your bloodstream. Genetics and lifestyle are risk factors for this type of diabetes.
Gestational
During pregnancy hormones associated with pregnancy can lead to insulin resistance (when your cells don’t respond to insulin, like type 2 diabetes), which results in high glucose levels.2 Genetics and lifestyle are additional risk factors for this type of diabetes. People with gestational diabetes are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
There are similar genetic and lifestyle risk factors for gestational and type 2. The following are the top risk factors3:
- Eating habits (both)
- Low physical activity (type 2)
- High stress levels (type 2)
- Lack of sleep (type 2)
- Family history (both)
- 45 years + (type 2)
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (type 2)
- Overweight or obesity (both)
You can reduce your risk for gestational or type 2 by making lifestyle changes in many different areas of health. Below are some recommendations for changes:
Sleep: Limited sleep leads to decreased function of insulin, and increased blood glucose levels
- Sleep 7-9 hours per night.
Stress management: High stress can lead to increased intake of sugary foods and also a reduced function of insulin (due to what stress does to the body)
- Consult with a medical professional to learn stress management strategies
Eating habits: Certain eating habits can lead to high blood glucose levels. Some eating habits include no/low fiber intake, high intake of processed foods, consuming sugary beverages, and consuming carbohydrates without protein at meals and snacks. The following include many strategies to help manage blood sugar through our daily eating habits:
- Adequate fiber intake (25g for women, 38g for men)
- Limit highly processed foods
- Follow the plate method (protein, carbs, veggies, fruit, and healthy fat at meals)
- Consume snacks during the day, consisting of protein with carbohydrates
- Eat regularly throughout the day, and don’t skip meals
- Limit sugary beverages
Exercise: inactivity can lead to increased levels of glucose. Regular physical activity helps to manage blood glucose levels. As always, consult your physician before starting an exercise program
- Walking for 15 minutes after meals is one simple and practical strategy that has been shown to manage blood glucose levels
With a high prevalence of diabetes in our country, there are many lifestyle strategies to incorporate into your day. What are two lifestyle changes you can incorporate into your day to manage blood glucose levels? As always, for many individualized advice to help prevent diabetes and live a healthy lifestyle, schedule an appointment with one of our dietitians.
References:
- American Diabetes Association. (n.d). Statistics about diabetes. Statistics About Diabetes | ADA.
- American Diabetes Association. (n.d.). Gestational Diabetes Can you have gestational diabetes and a healthy baby? Yes. Gestational Diabetes.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Diabetes risk factors.
