Here’s a scary fact that you may or may not know: there are estimates that 88 million adults in America have prediabetes. That’s as many as 1 in 3. 1 in 3! That’s a considerable amount, and it’s even more than the number of people with type 2 diabetes.

What is prediabetes exactly? When a person has a blood sugar that tends to be higher than average but not high enough for it to get the classification of full-blown type 2. It’s a warning; it means that you’re getting closer to a chronic illness.

Since prediabetes is becoming so ubiquitous, there’s a very high chance that you know of several people with the condition — and you might have it as well. We recommend that you check in with a medical professional to see if you have prediabetes. If you already do or know someone directly which has the illness, then you’re in luck. We wrote this article to inform better people of how they can begin to reverse their prediabetes before it worsens.

1. Put an End to Smoking

The link between chronic smoking and diabetes cannot be emphasized enough, we think. The reason? Nicotine has an adverse effect on blood sugar, and in the long run, creates higher levels of insulin resistance in the body.

You could do everything thing else on this list and even more, but if you still choose to smoke? Then not only are you keeping your prediabetes, but you’re also dramatically increasing your risk of lung cancer.

We highly advise that you drop smoking altogether.

2. Try Moderate Exercise on a Regular Basis

When health experts tell people that they should “move their bodies more,” it’s for a good reason. To put it simply, when you practice moderate exercise, like taking a jog or trying stretches, you’re working your muscles. This ensures that your body has better sensitivity to insulin.

Moderate exercise is also useful for keeping a lower blood sugar.

Again, as long as the exercise is moderate, and if it’s done on a regular basis, then you’ll start to reap the benefits. You don’t have to strenuously exercise constantly, but you also can’t neglect to do something like a morning run. Try and make space in your life for moderate exercise, and you’ll be golden.

3. Keep Your Stress Levels Low

Yes, being stressed out frequently has a link with prediabetes and, consequently, type 2 diabetes.

The reason is that high levels of stress hormones in the body affect blood sugar levels. If this continues in combination with other diabetes risk factors like a bad diet and lack of exercise, then the stress hormones will help to make your pancreas stop producing enough insulin.

With that in mind, working to keep a lower stress level seems like a no-brainer.

Conclusion

Prediabetes is entirely reversible with the proper choices, and we hope that this article was of some help to you if you have this condition. We wish you the best during the holiday season.