{"id":23067,"date":"2022-11-21T07:00:17","date_gmt":"2022-11-21T07:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=23067"},"modified":"2025-09-26T16:43:36","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T16:43:36","slug":"how-to-reverse-prediabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/how-to-reverse-prediabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus on your health this holiday season: Reverse prediabetes","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

The holiday season has arrived, and for many people this time of year is filled with gatherings, celebrations, sweet treats and savory dishes. However, it may also be a good time to make healthy habits a priority.<\/p>\n

But why? Because 96 million American adults are living with prediabetes \u2014 that\u2019s more than one in three U.S. adults \u2014 and more than 80 percent of people don\u2019t know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrediabetes is a condition where your blood sugar is elevated, but not quite high enough to be diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes,\u201d says Julianne Ramirez-Nadjm, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist who specializes in diabetes services at MultiCare Health System. \u201cThe concern is that without intervention, prediabetes can progress to Type 2 diabetes and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and other serious health problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

The good news is there are actions you can take to stop prediabetes in its tracks, and
\nyou don\u2019t have to go it alone. The YMCA\u2019s Diabetes Prevention Program<\/a> may be just what you need to take control of your health this holiday season.<\/p>\n

Glucose: Friend and foe<\/h2>\n

Reversing prediabetes starts with understanding how sugar affects our bodies. When we eat food of any kind, it\u2019s broken down into a form of sugar called glucose that enters our bloodstream.<\/p>\n

Increased levels of glucose in the blood tells our pancreas to produce a hormone called insulin, which allows the glucose to get inside our cells where it can be stored as energy until we need it. When someone has prediabetes \u2014 elevated blood sugar levels \u2014 it can lead to a cascade of health problems.<\/p>\n

The good news is there are actions you can take to stop prediabetes in its tracks, and you don\u2019t have to go it alone.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cThink about an air conditioning unit in the middle of a heat wave. If you keep the unit constantly running full blast 24\/7, eventually it\u2019s going to break down,\u201d Ramirez-Nadjm says. \u201cThe pancreas isn\u2019t that much different. In this case, the heat wave is the excess sugar, which is stored as body fat, leading to weight gain. This causes the pancreas to work harder.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf blood sugar remains high over a long period of time, then at some point the pancreas may not be able to produce enough insulin to keep up with demand. When this happens, cells can\u2019t get the energy they need, and prediabetes becomes Type 2 diabetes.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the CDC, risk factors for prediabetes include:<\/p>\n