Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Summer 2021

12 VITALITY Summer 2021 How to turn unhealthy cravings into healthier snacking PREDIABETES Take the path to prevention Sometimes, if we’re lucky, we get a heads-up about a potential problem— like a traffic jam that is blocking our route—which allows us to change course and go in a different direction. Learning you have prediabetes is a little like that. Prediabetes means your blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. However, it also means you’re at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Almost everyone who has type 2 diabetes had prediabetes previously. But not everyone who has prediabetes will progress to full-blown diabetes. In fact, if you’re diagnosed with prediabetes it’s crucial to know this: You can often reverse prediabetes by making a few changes in your eating and exercise habits that will put you on a route to a healthier life. AREYOUAT RISK FOR PREDIABETES? Many people who have prediabetes don’t realize it because the condition doesn’t cause symptoms. The only way to know for sure is with a simple blood test. You HEALTHY HABITS Understand your cravings. Many of us crave unhealthy foods when we are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. This is called emotional eating. It can be hard to control these cravings because they are not related to physical hunger. Instead, they are an attempt to use food to fill our emotional needs. Make a note of every time you overindulge so you can start to track why you snack. We all crave comfort food from time to time. And while there is nothing wrong with an occasional trip to the drive-thru or a couple of cookies, frequent cravings for unhealthy snacks can lead to overeating. Here are some tips on how to recognize why you’re craving that sweet or salty treat, and how to kick those cravings in the future.