3 ways to prevent diabetes in everyday life according to a diabetes expertEndocrinologist Byung Park

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which fasting blood sugar is 126 mg/dL or higher, and postprandial blood sugar is 200 mg/dL or higher. There are many known precautions that you should follow in order to avoid developing this type of diabetes. These include losing weight, exercising regularly, eliminating simple sugars, quitting smoking, and eating fresh. Here are three tips from endocrinologists that you should follow to prevent diabetes.

First, don't skip breakfast

In a Spanish and French nutrition study published in July 2023, two years of dietary surveys and seven years of follow-up showed that eating breakfast earlier reduced the risk of developing diabetes. The incidence was lowest when breakfast was eaten early, before 8 p.m., but the incidence gradually increased when breakfast was eaten after 9 p.m. They were 59% less likely to develop diabetes than when they started their first meal of the day after 9 a.m.

Second, sleep fast and moderate sleep habits

Those who went to bed after 1 a.m. were 1.8 times more likely to develop diabetes than those who slept before that. In the same case, if you are 65 years of age or older, going to bed early is important to prevent diabetes, as the risk of diabetes increases by up to four times.

The reason for this is that the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar secreted at night, decreases, which interferes with blood sugar control and increases the risk of late-night snacking.

The caveat is that even if you go to bed early, you should maintain a moderate sleep schedule. According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research in 2019, the incidence of diabetes was lowest when sleeping for 5~7 hours, and the incidence increased when sleeping for less than 5 hours or more than 7 hours. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain the most ideal sleep time of 5~7 hours.

Third, exercise the muscles

According to data published by the Korea Institute of Medical Sciences, the risk of diabetes increases as the thigh circumference becomes thinner. There is also a study that has shown that building thigh muscles lowers blood sugar levels. In order to prevent diabetes, it is good to have a lot of muscles in the body.

It is a symptom that occurs when the muscles of the lower body are reduced, and it can cause discomfort in daily life such as prostate disease, staggering, numbness in the legs, and decreased libido, so it is recommended to exercise the thighs.

The most ideal exercise method is to warm up your muscles by doing aerobic exercise for about 30 minutes, and then do strength training such as squats and leg presses for 10~20 minutes at least 4 times a week.

If you find this strength training difficult, stair climbing is also a good way to do it. If you want to get the most out of your workout, keep your stride wide and take two steps to strengthen your thigh muscles.