What Is Borderline Diabetes? Know Symptoms, Causes, Foods & Treatment

Diabetes is a well-known metabolic illness that affects millions of people worldwide. But have you ever heard of borderline diabetes or prediabetes? Well, it is a condition that often goes unnoticed but is worth paying attention to. 

Prediabetes is a warning sign that your body's sugar processing system is not working optimally, and you may encounter type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the future. Essentially, it means that your blood sugar is higher than usual but not yet at a level that would warrant a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. 

Now, you might be wondering, "Why should I care about borderline diabetes?" The answer is simple: Prevention is far better than cure, and it is much easier to manage prediabetes than type 2 diabetes. So, in this blog, we'll dive deeper into the world of prediabetes or borderline diabetes and equip you with the knowledge you need to stay ahead of the game.

Table Of Contents 

1. What Is Borderline Diabetes?

2. Borderline Diabetes Symptoms

3. Borderline Diabetes Causes

4. Borderline Diabetes Range

5. Foods To Eat During Borderline Diabetes

6. Foods To Avoid During Borderline Diabetes

7. How To Treat Borderline Diabetes?

8. The Final Say

9. FAQs

10. References

What Is Borderline Diabetes?

As the name suggests, borderline diabetes means that it is a stage where the blood sugar level of the individual is not in the recommended range but is also not that high to term it diabetes. Basically, it is an intermediate condition that indicates or simply warns the person about the future diabetes condition.

As type 2 diabetes is closely linked with cardiovascular disorders, the person suffering from prediabetes has a higher chance of getting heart disease. To understand it properly, you should be aware of HbA1c levels in the body. It is the average blood glucose (sugar) levels for the last two to three months. The different levels of HbA1c include

Also Read: Mushroom Coffee For Diabetes: Does It Help Regulate Blood Sugar Levels? 

Borderline Diabetes Symptoms

Prediabetes or borderline diabetes does not show any external patches or symptoms moreover, the simplest way to determine the onset of prediabetes is a regular blood sugar checkup. But, some signals will warn you about borderline diabetes like:

• Sudden fatigue  

• Increased thirst  

• More frequent urination than normal  

• Blurred vision  

• Increased hunger  

• Compromised immunity  

• Numbness/ tingling in feet or hands   

Borderline Diabetes Causes

Although the exact cause of borderline diabetes is not known, there are a few factors that may contribute to its development:

• Family history or genetics

• Physical inactivity

• Hypertension

• Age

• Obesity

• Sedentary lifestyle

• High cholesterol

• Vascular disease

Borderline Diabetes Range

There are two simple blood tests that help to understand whether you have prediabetes. First is the blood glucose( BG) test, and second is the A1C test, which measures your blood glucose( blood sugar) over two to three months. Below is the range that decides the stages of diabetes.  

Also Read: Is It Safe To Eat Mango If You Have Diabetes? Let’s Find Out! 

Foods To Eat During Borderline Diabetes

To avoid type 2 diabetes, focus on a prediabetic diet. It's important to choose foods that stabilise your glucose levels. Here is the prediabetic diet food list to help you choose the right foods without giving up your favourites.

Also Read: Low-Carb Diet For Diabetes: Best Vegetarian Low Carb Diet Plans 

Foods To Avoid During Borderline Diabetes

Here's a list of common foods that can spike blood sugar levels and should be avoided.  

How To Treat Borderline Diabetes?

Some useful options to treat borderline diabetes or prediabetes include the following:

1. Regular Physical Activity  

The best treatment for prediabetes is engaging in regular physical activities like walking, running, swimming or simply doing rope jumping. The basic motive behind these is to lower the blood sugar levels by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin. 

Moreover, it also benefits managing your weight and overall fitness, thus reducing the risk of borderline diabetes. Some easy-to-do exercises are:

• Brisk walking 

• Swimming 

• Yoga 

• Cycling ‘

• Dancing 

2. Eating A Balanced Diet  

Curing and treatment depend on what we eat and how much we consume. To cure prediabetes, you must limit your intake of refined carbohydrates like pasta, white bread, saturated fats, and sugary foods.   

Instead, you should start eating healthy foods like fresh fruits, vegetables with low glycemic index, lean proteins and whole grains. 

3. Weight Management

Overweight is the leading and foremost cause of prediabetes and cardiovascular disorders. To prevent this, you can modify your diet plan by adding detox drinks for weight loss or herbal teas for losing weight. These low-calorie drinks are effective in achieving the desired weight, thus preventing the risk of borderline diabetes. Some of the low-calorie drinks are:

• Green tea

• Cinnamon tea

• ​​Lemon water​

• ​​Ginger tea​

• ​​Coconut water​

• Regular water

The Final Say

Borderline diabetes is an alarming situation that simply warns the individual of having type 2 diabetes in the near future. It does not show any specific external symptoms thus, most people won't be aware that they have the condition until it progresses to diabetes and starts causing severe health problems. 

It is, therefore, advised to have regular medical checkups. This can be controlled by following healthy practices like eating a balanced diet, doing regular exercise, and working on weight management. If you need more information, then visit ToneOp.

FAQs

1. What are the symptoms of prediabetes in females?

The symptoms of prediabetes in females are:

• Increased thirst

• Frequent urination

• Fatigue

• Blurry vision

• Slow healing

• Increased hunger

2. What are the warning signs of prediabetes?  

The primary indicator of prediabetes 

• Family history of prediabetes

• A haemoglobin A1C level of 5.7 or less

• Overweight,

• Ageing 

• Smoking

• Physical inactivity

3. What level of A1C is dangerous?  

An A1C reading of 5.7 to 6.4 means high blood sugar. An A1C of 6.5 indicates diabetes, and an A1C level of 8 or above means uncontrolled diabetes, which increases the risk of complications like kidney damage or stroke.

4. How serious is borderline diabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. It can lead to type 2 diabetes if left untreated but can be reversed with lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and exercise.

5. What should be the prediabetes range after eating?

The prediabetes range after eating is typically a blood sugar level between 140-199 mg/dL.

References

• Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes - NIDDK

• Prediabetes - Your Chance to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes | CDC

• Pre-diabetes - Better Health Channel

• Pre Diabetes | Forest Health Care

• How dangerous is it to ignore borderline sugar that is prediabetes? - Wockhardt Hospitals

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