Jill Weisenberger - Prediabetes: A Complete Guide: Your Lifestyle Reset to Stop Prediabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses

Table of Contents

Associate Publisher, Books, Abe Ogden; Director, Book Operations, Victor Van Beuren; Associate Director, Book Marketing, Katie Curran; Senior Manager, Book Editing, Lauren Wilson; Project Manager, Wendy Martin-Shuma; Composition, Circle Graphics; Cover Design, Vis-a-vis Creative; Illustrations, Circle Graphics; Printer, Versa Press.

2018 by the American Diabetes Association. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including duplication, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the American Diabetes Association.

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The suggestions and information contained in this publication are generally consistent with the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and other policies of the American Diabetes Association, but they do not represent the policy or position of the Association or any of its boards or committees. Reasonable steps have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the American Diabetes Association cannot ensure the safety or efficacy of any product or service described in this publication. Individuals are advised to consult a physician or other appropriate health care professional before undertaking any diet or exercise program or taking any medication referred to in this publication. Professionals must use and apply their own professional judgment, experience, and training and should not rely solely on the information contained in this publication before prescribing any diet, exercise, or medication. The American Diabetes Associationits officers, directors, employees, volunteers, and membersassumes no responsibility or liability for personal or other injury, loss, or damage that may result from the suggestions or information in this publication.

Erika Gebel Berg conducted the internal review of this book to ensure that it meets American Diabetes Association guidelines.

The paper in this publication meets the requirements of the ANSI Standard Z39.48-1992 (permanence of paper).

ADA titles may be purchased for business or promotional use or for special sales. To purchase more than 50 copies of this book at a discount, or for custom editions of this book with your logo, contact the American Diabetes Association at the address below or at .

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Weisenberger, Jill, author.

Title: Prediabetes: a complete guide: your lifestyle reset to stop prediabetes and other chronic illnesses / Jill Weisenberger MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND.

Description: Arlington: American Diabetes Association, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017058162 | ISBN 9781580406963

Subjects: LCSH: Prediabetic state--Popular works. | Diabetes--Prevention--Popular works.

Classification: LCC RC660.4 .W453 2018 | DDC 616.4/6205--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017058162

TABLE OF CONTENTS

M y heartfelt thanks go to all those who supported me in bringing this book from idea to reality. So many people at the American Diabetes Associationmany who I call my friends and some whom Ive never met in personhave expertly guided me, helped me flesh out ideas, and fixed my mistakes. They have edited, illustrated, and designed this book with such care and skill that I am hugely grateful and quite proud of the finished product. My patients and clients are the ones who continue to inspire me. Thank you for sharing your stories and allowing me glimpses into your lives. There isnt a way to thank my family enough. They ground me, support me, keep me sane, entertain me, and love me no matter what project has my attention. Thank you for all you do and all that you are.

T here are many ways to a healthy plate and a healthy body. And there are many scientifically sound diet and lifestyle strategies to help you prevent type 2 diabetes, as well as medical strategies such as taking the medication metformin. However, it seems that quite a number of people continue to look for that one best diet. Some will flit from diet plan to diet plan in search for the one that sheds pounds, whittles the waist, boosts energy, and drives blood glucose and cholesterol levels down. Then sooner or later, something in the plan becomes unsustainableits boring, expensive, or overly restrictiveand the search for the best diet continues.

Success in meeting health goals doesnt start with identifying the best diet or a top-10 foods list. Rather it comes from identifying your best diet and your best healthful lifestyle habits. If I gave you advice that simply didnt fit with your life or food preferences, it wouldnt help you meet your goals no matter how strong the evidence for my advice. Fortunately, theres more than one smart way to reach your goal! Similarly, many people ask for written meal plans, but my experience tells me that they rarely help the way people expect them to. Thats because most people need more flexibility than prewritten meal plans offer. Instead of meal plans, youll find meal-planning tools and strategies and a few example menus in the chapters that follow.

This book will help empower you to find your best healthful way, which may be very different from your friends preferred way to achieve a similar outcome. For example, many people manage diabetes or prediabetes with a vegan or vegetarian diet. Others do quite well with the greater variety that comes with an omnivores diet. Some people meet their exercise goals and achieve cardiovascular fitness by hitting the gym several days per week. Others enjoy the solitude of jogging in their neighborhoods and strength training at home. While others join tennis, bowling, or soccer leagues to boost their fitness.

Throughout this book, you will learn about general guidelines and recommendations for good health and diabetes prevention that are grounded in science. You have the flexibility to pick a path that suits you. Simply speaking, after examining where you are in your habits today and comparing them to where you want to be eventually, youll select small steps that lead you in that direction. And then youll take on more and more small steps. The informational sections, exercises, worksheets, and goal-setting strategies in this book will guide you in much the same ways that I coach and counsel my clients. For accountability and expert feedback, you may want to work with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN) who has a background in prediabetes, diabetes, and heart health.

P rediabetes, the leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes, is a wake-up call. The condition, which afflicts approximately 84 million American adults, is a sign that something is metabolically awry. Unfortunately, only about 12% of people with prediabetes are aware that they have this problem. Although it sounds scary to have a metabolic disorder, there is so much you can do to prevent it from getting worse. In fact, many people who improve their lifestyle habits (some take medicine, too) are able to do more than prevent type 2 diabetes; some are even able to reverse prediabetes. Without changes, however, 37% of individuals with prediabetes are likely to progress to full-blown type 2 diabetes within 4 years, and most will have the diagnosis within 10 years. Many will develop heart disease as well, even if they dont move on to diabetes. Even some types of cancers are linked to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Because we dont really feel prediabetes and there are often no symptoms, its easy to ignore it and to put off making changes. Dont be tempted by that. Youll see why in the next sections. Keep reminding yourself that this is an opportunity to reverse the course. Theres really quite a lot to celebrate!