Prediabetes doesn’t have to turn into diabetes. With early intervention, some people with prediabetes can actually turn back the clock and return elevated blood glucose levels to the normal range. Others can delay the onset of diabetes by 10 years or more. But once it sets in, diabetes is a lifelong disease. So now’s the time to take steps to prevent diabetes from progressing. Here’s what to do after the jump….

1. Focus on fiber.

Fiber is key to preventing diabetes, because it takes your body longer to digest high-fiber foods. Read labels and count up grams of fiber, with a goal of eating 45 to 50 grams of fiber a day. For most people, eating a healthy breakfast that features oatmeal or some type of bran cereal is key to achieving that high-fiber goal, since a bowl of the right kind of cereal can net you as much as a third of your daily fiber.

Keeping track of fiber content is also a handy way to distinguish between “bad” and “good” carbohydrates. In a 2008 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers used the glycemic index to distinguish between good and bad carbs because it measures how quickly they convert to glucose in the blood. With high-fiber carbs, glucose is released slowly, preventing the typical blood sugar spike.

2. Count on coffee and tea.

In the past few years, researchers have uncovered a fascinating link between consumption of coffee and tea and lower rates of diabetes. A meta-analysis of the results of 18 different studies found that drinking three to four cups of coffee per day was associated with a 25 percent lower risk of diabetes than drinking no coffee or just one cup. Tea — green or black — was found to be beneficial as well; drinking three to four cups of tea daily lowered risk of diabetes by 18 percent.

There’s good news for the caffeine-phobic, too: Drinking three to four cups of decaf coffee was associated with a whopping 36 percent reduction in diabetes risk. And the benefit was cumulative; each additional cup of coffee consumed was associated with a 7 percent reduction in the excess risk of diabetes.

Researchers are still exploring why coffee and tea are so beneficial. Because decaf was found to be as or even more beneficial than regular coffee, the researchers can’t attribute the benefits to caffeine. Instead, it now seems likely the benefits come from phytonutrients — natural, plant-based chemicals that slow the release of sugar into the blood after a meal.

3. Peel off the pounds.

Getting to or maintaining a healthy weight is the number-one way to prevent the onset of diabetes, since extra weight makes it harder for the body to use insulin to control blood sugar. According to the expert panel of the American Diabetes Association, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight through moderate exercise and healthy eating is the best way to treat prediabetes. Otherwise, studies show that most people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years.

Try to avoid thinking in extremes; instead of focusing on your ideal weight or going on a severe diet, makeminor changes that you can stick with over time. Rather than counting calories, think about making the calories you eat count in terms of packing a nutritional punch. For someone who weighs between 100 and 200 pounds, losing just 5 or 10 pounds can have a dramatic effect, so choose a realistic goal, give yourself plenty of time, and celebrate your success when you get there.

4. Get moving.

Get more exercise, and you’ll strengthen your body’s machinery for handling blood glucose, the key to preventing diabetes. And boosting your activity level has the added benefit of helping you lose weight and keeping yourcardiovascular system humming. Studies have also shown that exercise increases insulin sensitivity, providing long-lasting blood sugar benefits. One study found that one bout of exercise increases insulin sensitivity for as long as 16 hours afterwards.

If you’re no sports champ, don’t despair. All kinds of physical activity lowers blood sugar levels by taking glucose from the blood and muscle to use as fuel. Choose an activity you like enough to continue until you raise your heart rate and break a sweat. In the Nurses’ Health Study, researchers found that women who worked up a sweat just once a week reduced their risk of developing diabetes by a whopping 30 percent. In addition to aerobic exercise, it’s also important to include some type of strength training. Glucose is stored in the muscles, so when we lift weights, we use that glucose as fuel and also build muscle, which then provides additional glucose storage capacity.

5. Eat three squares.

Eating regularly throughout the day is important for regulating your blood sugar and avoiding blood sugar spikes that tax your pancreas by stimulating it to produce insulin. Space your meals at regular intervals throughout the day, and if you have to go more than four hours between meals, eat a healthy snack to tide you over.

Diabetes experts strongly favor a “Mediterranean” diet, which means lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, healthy fats such as olive oil, and lean protein such as fish and poultry. Snacks should include protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats; think whole wheat toast and peanut butter rather than a bagel and cream cheese.

As much as possible, lighten the load on your pancreas by avoiding simple carbohydrates such as sugary treats and white flour baked goods — and by not overeating at any meal. Some people with prediabetes or diabetes find it helpful to eat a small high-fat/high-protein snack, such as a handful of almonds, before bed to help blood sugar levels remain stable overnight.

6. Get heart healthy.

If you have prediabetes, it’s more important than ever to make sure other aspects of your cardiovascular health are under control. High blood pressure, officially known as hypertension, is associated with a higher risk of diabetes, so you want to work with your doctor to make sure your blood pressure is within the preferred range — ideally under 120/80 for those under age 65.

Cholesterol is equally important. Ask your doctor to check your cholesterol and make sure your total cholesterol is under 200 mg/dL, your LDL is under 130 mg/dL, and your HDL (or “good” cholesterol) is at least 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women.

If any of your tests are out of range, talk to your doctor about whether you should be on blood pressure or cholesterol-lowering medication. Make sure your doctor knows you have prediabetes, as this may influence treatment choices.

By Melanie Haiken