Diabetes is a serious disease caused by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Of course, high blood sugar levels don’t mean that you’re a diabetic instantly but leaving them high for a long time can definitely lead to the development of this dangerous disease.

On the other hand, when your blood sugar levels are slightly raised, it’s a condition known as pre-diabetes. According to statistical data, there are more than 75 million Americans suffering from pre-diabetes, which can easily progress to diabetes type 1 or 2 which require life-long treatment.

Type 1 diabetes occurs due to lack of glucose in the cells, while type 2 diabetes, which is the more dangerous of both conditions occurs when the cells stop responding to insulin. If you leave diabetes without treatment, it can damage the kidneys beyond repair and the central nervous system as well. The good news is that diabetes can be prevented if you know how to recognize the early signs on time.

HIGH BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

Dehydration, no physical activity, taking steroids often, suffering from recurrent infections and having large and heavy meals often are some of the most common things that can raise your blood sugar levels. Besides avoiding these things, you should also learn to recognize the early symptoms of diabetes you can see below.

Early Diabetes Symptoms
Here’s a list of symptoms which can indicate that you have high blood sugar levels:

Dry mouth
Constant thirst and hunger
Blurry vision
Chronic infections
Digestive problems
Fatigue
Slow healing of minor wounds
Nerve problems
Sudden weight gain, especially in the belly area
According to experts, recognizing these symptoms on time is the key for diabetes prevention. Once you identify them, you need to change your diet as well. Have you heard about the GI scale? The GI scale indicates the carbs in our food and separates foods into 3 groups – high GI, moderate GI and low-GI foods. In order to prevent the progression of diabetes and damaging your kidneys, you should stay away from high-GI foods and consume low or moderate foods instead. Here’s a list of high-GI foods you should avoid:

Popcorn (72)
Baked potato (85)
A slice of white bread (70)
Glazed doughnut (76)
A serving of corn flakes (92)
1 rice cake (78)
Here’s a list of moderate-GI foods:
Cup of oatmeal (58)
Mac and cheese (64)
Cup of brown rice (55)
1 tablespoon of honey (55)
Cup of white rice (55)
Here’s a list of low-GI foods which you can safely consume:
Orange (48)
Banana (52)
Apple (38)
Carrot (47)
Cup of grapes (46)
Cup of spaghetti (42)
Cup of kidney beans (31)
Cup of broccoli (10)
1 egg (0)
Cup of walnuts (15)
Hummus (6)
Large grapefruit (50)
If you want to keep your kidneys healthy and prevent the damage diabetes can do, you need to avoid the high-GI foods and stick to low and moderate-GI foods instead. This will improve your insulin sensitivity and keep your glucose levels in check, effectively preventing diabetes.