Prediabetes is hazardous for the modern-day sedentary lifestyle. If left ignored, the person might become diabetic. Prediabetes is a condition where the body’s blood sugar level is higher than normal but isn’t high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. By adopting healthy lifestyle changes, for instance eating healthy foods, physical activity in your daily routine, and maintaining a healthy weight — one might be able to bring their blood sugar level back to normal.

In prediabetes not all but only a few of the diagnostic criteria for diabetes are met. It is also described as the ‘gray area’. A gray area where the body’s sugar level lies between the normal ideal blood sugar level and diabetic sugar level.

Worldwide, numerous terms have been used to describe this condition like borderline diabetes, chemical diabetes, a touch of diabetes, and plenty of others

At the beginning of this condition or disorder, glucose tolerance remains near normal, despite insulin resistance, since the pancreatic beta cells compensate by increasing insulin production.

Causes and Risk Factors Of Borderline Diabetes

Causes

The precise cause of prediabetes is unknown. but it is said that the family history and the genetics of the patience play a vital role in it. Some of the other causes that might lead to prediabetes are lack of regular physical activities, or being overweight with excess fat around your abdomen area seem to be important factors.

The bodies of people suffering from prediabetes fail at processing sugar i.e glucose properly, resulting in sugar entering their bloodstream. To transporting the blood from the bloodstream to the body’s cells a hormone named insulin is required. There is a gland name pancreas which is located below the stomach from where the hormone insulin comes from. The pancreas automatically sends insulin into the blood when one eats.

When one encounters prediabetes, the above-discussed process does not function properly. This happens when your pancreas cannot produce enough insulin or your body’s cells become resistant to insulin and do not allow as much sugar in. So instead of fueling up the cells, the sugar tends to build up in the bloodstream.

Factors

The risk factors that lend to prediabetes are:

Weight

Anyone who is overweight or has a body mass index- a BMI- that is higher than 25, then that person has a high tendency for developing prediabetes. Specifically, when they carry a lot of extra weight around their belly, then they may develop prediabetes. This is the most common and major cause of prediabetes.

Family History

Hereditary factors can also cause prediabetes if in your family someone to whom you are closely related has or had it then you are more likely to develop it too.

Lack Of Physical Activity

Lack of physical activities and obesity or being overweight goes hand in hand. So, if you avoid physical activities then you are at high risk.

Ethnicity

People who belong to some specific ethnic groups are more likely to develop prediabetes. These groups include African-Americans, Hispanic Americans. Native Americans, and Asina-Americans.

Age

Growing older automatically increases the risk of prediabetes. The risk starts from the age of 45 and after the age of 65, it increases exponentially.

Other Health Problems

People who suffer from other health issues like high blood pressure or hypertension and high cholesterol have a high risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

These are some of the most common and most major risk factors apart from these there many other factors that raise the risk of prediabetes and diabetes.

Ayurvedic Say on Prediabetes

Before we start to talk about ayurvedic methods and treatment which helps in curing prediabetes, we need to understand what causes them as per the ayurvedic context.

There is a vivid description regarding these two conditions which has been found in the classic ayurvedic texts. The major categories of prediabetes are

  • Genetic and hereditary factors
  • Lifestyle-related patterns such as sedentary habits and consuming a high-calorie diet.

The Ayurvedic classical texts have also described the pathogenesis (samprapti) of prediabetes in an extremely advanced manner, which includes the three following doshas.

  • Vata
  • Pitta
  • Kapha

Kapha is the most predominant here.

The ten Doshas or Dhatus (body tissues) of the body which get vitiated in prameha or prediabetes are as follows.

  • Fat tissues or Meda
  • Muscle tissue or Mamsa
  • Muscle fat or Vasa
  • Bone marrow or Majja
  • Body fluids or Kleda
  • Semen or Shukra Dhatu
  • Blood tissue or Rakta Dhatu
  • Lymph or Lasika
  • The blood plasma or Rasa Dhatu
  • Ojas or The vital essence of the body

As per conventional medicine, it is said that a high-calorie diet, sedentary habits, and stressors (Physical, mental, social, etc.) play a vital role in the etiopathogenesis of prediabetes. However, the actual cause of prediabetes is still unknown.

Ayurvedic Ways to Prevent, Treat, And Manage Prediabetes.

Ahara (Diet And Dietary Rules)

Prediabetes treatment and management are heavily dependent on one’s diet. Diet is the first line of defense against prediabetes.

Sushruta has advised the following for prameha Barley (Yava), old shali, shashtika (a variety of rice), pulses like split chickpeas (chanaka), split pigeon peas (adhaki), green gram (mudga), and horse gram (kulattha).

The amount and the quality of the diet should completely be based on one’s digestive power and vital energy.

Vyayama (Physical Exercise And Yoga)

Physical activity has been reported as is the lifestyle factor most consistent to improve insulin resistance. Insulin transports sugar from the bloodstream into the cell where it is burned for energy.

Exercise helps in sugar burning in the cell, the same as insulin. Exercise has such a powerful impact on blood sugar that it can improve prediabetes even without making other lifestyle changes.

Mental Relaxation

Certain meditative yoga asanas are considered to be beneficial for mental relaxation and ultimately treat and manage prediabetes. These asanas are are savasana, padmasana, siddhasana, vajrasana.

Asanas like Anuloma-Viloma and Bhramari pranayama also helps in managing psychological dress. One should perform Yama and Niyana daily.

Ayurvedic Herbs For Treating Prediabetes

In the classic ayurvedic text, several herbal and herbs-mineral combinations are advocated for the treatment of pramehain general.

  • Drugs including katu(pungent), tikta (bitter), and kashaya (astringent) rasa(taste) are indicated in all types of Some of these are Vijayasara, turmeric (Nisha), Amalaki, mamajjaka, jarula, jamboo, bilvapatra, and others.
  • Drugs that increase Agni (metabolism). Drugs containing Deepana, and Pachana(digestive) properties such as pippali, shunthi, maricha,

Please Note: Some of the ayurvedic treatments have not been well researched and might be harmful. So, it is recommended to consult a qualified Ayurvedic Practitioner.