November is National Diabetes Month, which makes this a great time to look at your lifestyle with an eye toward prevention. Even if you have diabetes in your family, diet and exercise can help keep you from developing the disease. If you’ve already been diagnosed with diabetes, adopting healthy lifestyle choices can help you prevent potentially serious complications. And if you have pre-diabetes, lifestyle changes can slow or halt the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes.
Eat healthy foods that are low in fat and calories. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride a bike. Swim laps. If you can’t fit in a long workout, spread 10-minute sessions throughout the day. Lose excess weight. If you’re overweight, losing 5% to 10% of your body weight can reduce the risk of diabetes.
— Source: The Mayo Clinic