Is Diabetes Preventable?
There are three major types of diabetes - Type I, Type II and Gestational Diabetes (GD). There is also now considered a Type III, which is Alzheimer’s (Diabetes of the Brain).
Type I is classified as such due to the fact that the patient no longer produces any of their own insulin. Type I diabetes is definitely not 
preventable or curable. It is due to a genetic issue that hasn’t yet been completely figured out. The only thing to do if someone has Type I diabetes is to follow their doctor’s instructions and try to keep their blood sugar levels as normal as possible through medication, diet and exercise.
Someone with Type II produces their own insulin but it’s not working. A person with GD may end up falling into either class but is more likely to have Type II diabetes temporarily and be cured of it when they deliver the baby.
Gestational diabetes and Type II diabetes may be preventable for a portion of the population. When you consider the risk factors of diabetes such as obesity, you can deduce that if you keep your weight at a more normal level, you might avoid developing either Type II or GD.
Furthermore, most people can avoid a whole host of illnesses by just paying more attention to exercise and diet.
Lowering the Risk of Type II or Gestational Diabetes
Just watching calories isn’t enough to reduce the chance of getting diabetes. It is about the Quantity AND the quality of your total diet. It’s important to eat a whole food, plant-based diet for the best results when trying to lower your risks of developing gestational or Type II diabetes. If you want to become pregnant at some point, try to spend at least the year leading up to the pregnancy eating as well as possible. If you just want to avoid illness at any age, eat well at least 80 percent of the time. According to the National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Type II diabetes is preventable in most cases. Serious lifestyle changes like following a plant-based whole food diet. We recommend eliminating all processed & fast foods, inflammatory oils, refined grains & sugars. By following a healthy diet and exercise program, you can cut your risks in half & prevent any future disease.
Diabetes Prevention Tips:
* Exercise daily – Make it to your goal to increase your exercise to at least 30 minutes per day five days a week. A proper exercise program includes aerobic exercise, like jogging, running, swimming, biking etc. and strength training (weight lifting, body-weight exercises, etc.) plus flexibility and mobility exercises. Adding in just more physical activity and active hobbies, like gardening, dog walks, recreational sports etc. will improve your overall health. * Lose weight - Maintaining a healthy BMI (Body Mass Index using height & weight) and Waist to Hip Ratio will cut your risk of chronic disease. If you are overweight, losing just 10 percent of your body weight can drastically improve your health. A healthy BMI is between 18-24 and your Waist to Hip Ratio should be under 1.0. * Healthy Eating – There is a lot of argument on what is classified as a healthy diet, but more and more studies are showing that a plant-based, whole food diet can cure and even reverse many food-borne illnesses. What does this include? Colorful vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, quality lean protein (animal or plant-based) complex carbs such as yams, sweet potatoes, quinoa, wild rice and all types of squashes. Last but not least, eating a diet rich in healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil etc. has been shown to lower glucose & insulin levels, improve satiety and can actually boost metabolism. Ben Franklin once said that, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and nothing could be more true. Simple changes in your diet and adding exercise to your day can make a huge difference in your diabetes risk and overall health!