Our general lifestyle dramatically affects our health. We all know this. However, what we don’t know are specific lifestyle changes that can help us avoid different diseases.
Hereditary diseases are relatively common in the U.S. These diseases can be passed from generation to generation. One of the most common genetic diseases in the US is diabetes.
The most common type of diabetes in the U.S is type 2 diabetes. This type of diabetes is highly hereditary, which means that the offspring of people who have type 2 diabetes have a high chance of obtaining it in the future. Many medical experts believe that it can be challenging to avoid such a disease. However, it is certainly possible with some lifestyle changes.
Therefore, if you have such a disease running in your family, you must try these lifestyle changes to avoid them in the future:
Start Eating Only What You Need
If you know you have type 2 diabetes in your family, then it’s time for you to change your diet. But, unfortunately, you’re going to have to consume only what you need every day until you know that you are safe from the disease.
Studies have shown that there is a comorbidity of obesity and type 2 diabetes. This comorbidity is a dangerous combination and one that can lead to future amputations and severe cases: death. This is why many doctors recommend a change in diet for people susceptible to such a disease.
There isn’t a clear example of what a healthy diet would be for people with diabetes. But medical professionals and dietitians recommend only eat what you need every day. This is equivalent to the average calories of a person with the normal BMI as you. So we recommend that you visit a dietitian if you think you are overweight when it comes to your BMI. However, if you are within the normal range, then consume enough calories to keep you there.
Use Healthy Substitutes to Sugar and Salt
Both sugar and salt contribute to diabetes, and it’s essential to keep an eye out on how much you consume when it comes to these things. Thankfully, there are now healthy substitutes you can use that won’t increase your risk of diabetes.
Stevia, xylitol, and erythritol are known to be healthy substitutes for sugar. In addition, they tend to be much sweeter than sugar, making them an excellent choice for deserts. However, their components are very different from that of sugar. For example, stevia comes from a healthy plant-based sweetener, which can be found in South America. Xylitol, on the other hand, comes from corn or Birchwood.
Diabetes and Mouth Diseases
A growing number of studies connect diabetes to mouth diseases such as tooth decay and lack of saliva. This is a serious problem as it will affect your overall diet and eventually your self-esteem. Many physicians have taken the holistic approach to handle diabetes, with some recommending dentists to their clients who have diabetes.
If ever you are starting to experience the beginning symptoms of diabetes, there is a high chance that you will have some oral problems as well. A dentist or orthodontist can certainly tend to your needs, especially when it comes to rapidly deteriorating teeth due to diabetes. They can give you the necessary medicine for the lack of saliva and eventual tooth decay. They can also perform the surgery to remove your tonsils for you if they have become far too infected to keep.
However, your best choice here is to keep your mouth healthy proactively. Brush your teeth daily and avoid acidic and sugary food such as soft drinks or other highly carbonated drinks.
Avoid Alcohol and Smoking
Lastly, you must remove both alcohol and nicotine from your life. These two vices can certainly lead you to an expressway for type 2 diabetes and many other diseases.
It can be tough to take this out of your life, especially once you’ve started. This is why it’s good to visit an addiction specialist if you know you can’t stop smoking or drinking alcohol. These specialists will get you into a suitable plan for your needs so you don’t abruptly end your usage, which can do you more harm than good.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious concern for many Americans. However, avoiding it can be as simple or as complicated as changing your lifestyle. It depends entirely on how you look at it. If you’re the kind of person who enjoyed living an unhealthy life, then it certainly is hard. But if you’re someone who has been trying to get into healthy living, then the transition can be quite easy.
Just remember that you’re doing this for yourself and no one else. Develop a routine, stick by it, and you should get used to this lifestyle in no time.
