Being told you’re pre-diabetic can be a shock, especially if you don’t feel unwell or you thought you were having a healthy lifestyle. It’s easy to worry that this diagnosis means diabetes type 2 is inevitable, but this isn’t always the case.
For the majority of people, prediabetes is more of a warning sign than a lifelong label. It’s your body's way of asking for help while there are still plenty of things you can do to turn the diagnosis around. With a realistic diet plan for prediabetes, alongside some other simple lifestyle changes, many can bring their blood sugar levels back into the normal range and lower their risk of developing diabetes type 2.
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes is when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. It is often detected on an HbA1c blood test, which checks your average blood glucose levels for the past two to three months, and many people have no obvious symptoms. However, some telltale signs can be:
● Feeling more tired throughout the day, with no obvious reason
● Going to the toilet more at night and experiencing night sweats
● Losing weight without trying
● Feeling dehydrated and incredibly thirsty
● Feeling lethargic after eating a carbohydrate-rich meal, e.g. pasta, rice, noodles, etc.
● Recurring headaches
Rather than being something you have to live with forever, prediabetes is a sign that your metabolism and insulin system are under strain. Research shows that with the right support, up to 50% of cases of type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed. There are many simple changes you can make to help your glucose levels return to normal.
How is prediabetes reversible?
Prediabetes is reversible because your body’s metabolism is constantly responding to what you eat, how regularly you move, when you sleep and how you manage stress. When you start making lifestyle changes, it can help your insulin work properly, reducing the likelihood of insulin resistance, which is when the body’s cells don’t adequately respond to circulating insulin. Insulin resistance is associated with a higher risk of diabetes type 2, cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
You may wonder, “Why do I have to keep insulin in check? What’s wrong with insulin? If it’s released in response to glucose levels rising, that makes it healthy, right?”. Insulin is a toxic hormone, and while the body needs it to help manage blood sugar levels, it doesn’t need too much insulin. Excessive insulin can cause a drop in blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) and also make you feel hungry, causing weight gain that’s difficult to lose long-term. Keeping your glucose levels regulated is perhaps the most important thing you could do for your health due to the high number of modern day health conditions that are linked to insulin resistance.
Making lifestyle improvements to reverse prediabetes can be easier than you might think. Some simple changes to the foods you eat daily or how regularly you exercise can not only help you lose weight safely, but also bring your blood sugar levels back down to normal. Starting to make these changes as soon as possible after your diagnosis is the best way to take back control.
What is a prediabetes diet plan?
Prediabetes is your body’s way of saying it is struggling to handle sugar, not that something is “broken”. A prediabetes diet plan is about reducing high blood glucose and helping the insulin your body produces to start working properly.
When you eat, some of the food is broken down into glucose. What you put on your plate and how you eat changes how quickly your blood sugar rises after a meal. For example, refined carbohydrates are very easy to digest; their digestion is similar to that of table sugar, for example, a portion of white rice is equivalent to 8 - 10 teaspoons of table sugar. Your blood sugar, as a result, can spike and then drop quickly, which is when you feel tired, hungry and craving more of the same foods or other sugary foods. If this pattern happens day after day, your body becomes more resistant to insulin, and prediabetes develops.
Choosing foods that take longer to digest has the opposite effect. Meals with more fibre, protein and healthy fats help prevent blood sugar spikes by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates. Over time, this steady pattern helps your body respond better to insulin again, reduces cravings, and helps your body regulate blood sugar levels in their healthy range.
What a prediabetes diet plan includes
A realistic prediabetes diet plan focuses on balancing your blood sugar levels, not following a crash diet to lose weight quickly. This means:
● Eating more fibre foods - such as vegetables, fruit and pulses, as well as whole grans to slow down the absorption of blood glucose into the cells after meals.
● Swapping processed foods for good sources of protein, like eggs, fish and poultry, to keep you fuller for longer and give you more energy.
● Cutting down on sugar-added foods and drinks, sweets, ultra‑processed snacks, which raise blood sugar levels, promote insulin release and and create a vicious cycle.
● Prioritising healthier snacks, such as nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables, and healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, avocados and avocado oil, fatty fish, such as sardines, trout, mackerel, salmon.
Popular diets, such as the Mediterranean diet - rich in whole grains and healthy fats, are associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and better blood sugar control. This fits closely with the approach used in Boost My Energy programmes. Eating regular meals rather than skipping and then overeating later in the day also supports much more stable blood sugar levels. Reducing alcohol intake is also a recommended dietary approach when reversing prediabetes.
Other Lifestyle Improvements for Prediabetes
Of course, a healthy diet is only one part of a healthy lifestyle. Everything from your hormones to your muscle mass plays a role in how your body handles glucose. There are lots of other lifestyle changes you can make to reverse your diagnosis.
● Movement - regular physical activity can help your body use insulin better and keep your blood sugar levels within the healthy range. It can also help you lose weight, give you more energy and improve your sleep. Since exercise releases endorphins, it can also boost your mood and improve your overall well-being.
● Sleep - there is evidence that people who experience sleep disturbances have a higher incidence of insulin resistance. Creating a calm evening routine, with consistent sleep and wake times and addressing insomnia can support healthy blood sugar regulation and lower the risk of developing prediabetes and diabetes type 2.
● Stress - stress raises such hormones, as cortisol and adrenaline, making it harder for insulin to work properly. Hence, ongoing stress can keep your blood sugar levels raised for prolonged periods of time. Simple daily stress‑management habits, such as breathwork, gentle stretching and walking in nature, help calm the nervous system and reduce the impacts of stress on your metabolism.
Getting some personalised guidance
Everyone’s health journey is different, and several factors can increase the risk of prediabetes progressing to type 2 diabetes. Thus, a generic prediabetes diet plan will only go so far. If you also live with other medical conditions, tailored support becomes even more important. Working with a Health Coach who understands the metabolic system and the role of insulin resistance in prevention of diabetes 2 can help you:
● Interpret your blood test results and identify your individual risk markers.
● Create meal plans that suit your individual lifestyle, food preferences and cultural diet adherences.
● Develop an exercise routine that aligns with your fitness level and commitments.
● Analyse sleep patterns and restore your natural sleep cycle.
● Incorporate stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine to improve your sleep and mood.
● Build sustainable routines that you can easily maintain long term.
If you’ve been told you’re prediabetic and want to use food and lifestyle to reverse your diagnosis, Boost My Energy offers structured one‑to‑one health programmes that focus on tuning in your body to achieve optimal health.
Send me a message today to discuss your health concerns, your latest test results and how a personalised plan can help protect your long‑term health.
Stay healthy, be joyful!
Love,
Katya