In a nutshell, you treat pre-diabetes like it's diabetes itself. Except -- most likely -- you're not already suffering the degenerative disabilities that come with diabetes, such as nerve damage and vision problems. And you don't want those, right? In that sense, pre-diabetes is good news. Think of it as a call to action. Here's what you do:
1. Lose weight - even a little bit. Studies show that someone who weighs 200 pounds can prevent diabetes by losing just 10 to 15 pounds. But without that weight loss, most people with pre-diabetes will be diabetic within five to seven years.
2. Treat insulin resistance. The first-line drug of choice is metformin (brand names Glucophage, Fortamet), which stimulates the sensitivity of cells in the liver and other tissues to increase the uptake of glucose.
3. Get moving. Instead of thinking of it as exercise, which feels like a duty, think of ways to get your body in motion. Gardening, walking the dog, doing chores around the house -- anything that's not sitting on the couch benefits your body by stimulating heart rate and circulation. Aim for 30 minutes a day, even if it's in three ten-minute bursts.
4. Lower blood pressure and LDL ("bad") cholesterol and boost HDL ("good") cholesterol. This can involve taking a statin, a diuretic, or other meds, or it can be achieved through diet, weight loss, and exercise.
And here's a motivating thought to make this all worthwhile: Two big studies published in the last few years have shown that people with pre-diabetes who followed the recommendations above cut their risk of getting diabetes by more than half.
