Preventing Type 2 Diabetes in Oklahoma
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Type 2 diabetes is a growing concern in Oklahoma and across the country. It’s a long-term illness that affects millions and can increase the risk of other serious health problems. That may sound overwhelming, but here’s the good news. Type 2 diabetes is often preventable.
With the right steps, you can lower your risk and protect your health for the long run. We speak to Tan Pham, M.D., a board-certified endocrinologist at INTEGRIS Health Medical Group Endocrinology Moore.
“As an endocrinologist, I’m here to help my patients feel confident in making healthy choices for themselves and their family,” Pham says. “If you’re worried about your risk of type 2 diabetes or the risk of your family members, talking with your doctor is a great step.”
Who is at higher risk for type 2 diabetes?
Knowing your personal risk is a huge step in preventing type 2 diabetes. While some things, like your age or genetics, are out of your control, many key risk factors are related to your overall health and lifestyle. These factors make it much harder for your body to manage the blood sugar in your system. If you have several of these risk factors, your chance of developing the disease is significantly higher:
- Excess body weight/obesity: This is the most critical risk factor. Carrying excess weight, especially around your waist, makes it difficult for your body to properly use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar.
- Lack of physical activity: Not getting enough exercise makes it harder for your muscles to use blood sugar for energy.
- Family history: Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes increases your own risk.
- High blood pressure: This common health problem is closely linked to type 2 diabetes risk.
- High cholesterol/unhealthy blood fat levels: High levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and unhealthy fats in your blood contribute to increased risk.
- History of gestational diabetes: If you had diabetes while pregnant, both you and your child have a higher lifetime risk.
What prediabetes means for your health
Many people go through a stage called prediabetes before being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Your blood sugar is higher than normal, but not quite at diabetes level.
This is a critical window where lifestyle changes can make the biggest difference. A simple blood test, such as an A1C, can spot it. Think of a prediabetes diagnosis not as bad news but as a wake-up call. It’s your chance to turn things around before diabetes sets in.
The power of lifestyle changes and weight loss
The single most important plan for preventing type 2 diabetes involves making meaningful changes to your everyday lifestyle. Research consistently proves that just a little bit of moderate weight loss combined with regular physical activity can prevent a diabetes diagnosis in as many as 70% of individuals who are considered high risk. The goal here isn't necessarily fast or extreme weight loss but rather reaching and keeping a healthy weight over the long run.
The healthy weight goal
For most high-risk individuals, simply achieving a healthy weight by losing just 5 to 7% of their initial body weight can create a massive health benefit. If you weigh 200 pounds, this means dropping only 10 to 14 pounds.
This modest weight loss directly improves how effectively your body uses insulin, which helps keep your blood glucose and blood sugar levels stable. That’s why many health professionals advise focusing on reaching a lower BMI through a realistic, sustainable eating plan and consistent physical activity.
The role of physical activity
Regular physical activity is a necessary part of preventing type 2 diabetes. Your muscles use blood sugar for fuel, so getting active helps clear glucose out of your bloodstream and move it right into your cells. This significantly improves something called insulin sensitivity, which means that your body uses insulin better.
The general recommendation from health professionals is to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. This can be as straightforward as taking a brisk walk, something that’s easy to fit into your daily routine. Finding fun ways to exercise will help you stay consistent. Combining these efforts with a structured lifestyle change program gives you the best chance for long-term success.
Healthy eating for stable blood sugar
The right food choices are powerful tools for keeping your blood sugar steady and preventing type 2 diabetes. The best anti-diabetes foods are those that release energy slowly, preventing those sudden, harmful spikes in your sugar levels. This is largely thanks to something called fiber, which slows down how quickly your body absorbs sugar.
Foods that help prevent type 2 diabetes
Choosing foods that are high in fiber and low on the glycemic index is the most effective eating strategy. The glycemic index is a way to rank how much a food raises your blood sugar after you eat it. Low-ranking foods are your best allies. Here are some great foods you can include in your diet:
- Whole grains: These are great sources of fiber. Think oats, brown rice, whole-wheat bread and quinoa.
- Non-starchy vegetables: Load up your plate with these. Examples include broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, spinach and cauliflower.
- Legumes: These include all types of beans, lentils and peas. They're packed with fiber and protein.
- Lean protein sources: Choose options like chicken breast, fish, eggs and tofu. Protein helps you feel full longer and stabilizes blood sugar.
- Nuts and seeds: Snack on a small handful of almonds, walnuts or chia seeds for healthy fats and fiber. Be careful to watch your portions with these foods, though, since they can contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess.
- Leafy greens: Eating greens like kale and spinach is key for overall well-being and nutrient intake.
- Water: Staying well-hydrated is vital. Drinking plenty of water helps your body manage and flush out excess blood sugar.
Foods to limit and avoid to lower your risk
To actively lower your type 2 diabetes risk, it's just as important to know what foods you should limit or avoid entirely. The biggest dangers come from foods that cause sudden, sharp rises in your blood sugar and contribute significantly to obesity.
Cutting back on these choices will go a long way in protecting your health. These foods often offer little nutritional value and can make it harder for your body to manage its blood sugar effectively. Here are some foods to limit and avoid:
- Sugary drinks: This includes regular soda, sweetened teas and fruit juices with added sugar. They cause rapid, major spikes in your blood sugar levels.
- Heavily processed snacks: Things like chips, crackers, cookies and packaged baked goods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugar and refined flours.
- Refined grains: Foods made with refined white flour, such as white bread, white pasta and white rice, are stripped of their natural fiber and are quickly turned into sugar by your body.
- Saturated fats: Found primarily in fatty cuts of red meat and full-fat dairy products like whole milk, butter and some cheeses. Too much saturated fat is linked to high cholesterol and raises your risk of heart disease, a major concern for people with diabetes.
Severe health risks and seeking health care
Understanding the serious nature of this chronic disease proves how critical it is to focus on preventing type 2 diabetes before it can fully take hold. The potential long-term health problems that come with diabetes are severe and far-reaching.
The impact of diabetes
Consistently high, uncontrolled blood sugar over time can lead to life-altering health problems. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure and lower-limb amputations like losing a toe or foot. Crucially, it dramatically increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes complications such as heart attacks and heart disease.
People with diabetes frequently require ongoing health care and management for these complications. While type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that cannot be prevented, type 2 diabetes is so strongly linked to lifestyle changes that it is a condition many of us truly can avoid.
The role of health professionals
If you feel you are at a high risk, the best course of action is to schedule a chat with a health care provider or other health professional. A primary care doctor can easily order a blood test to check your blood sugar levels and accurately measure your type 2 diabetes risk.
They can also enroll you in a formal lifestyle change program or give you an eating plan designed specifically to help with healthy weight loss and blood glucose management. INTEGRIS Health offers extensive resources to help Oklahomans manage all of these critical health concerns.
Don’t forget mental health
Stress, anxiety or sadness can lead to emotional eating, which makes lifestyle changes harder to stick to. If that sounds familiar, talking with a mental health professional can help you create healthier coping strategies and build long-term habits that last.
