Yes, You Can: Reversing Pre-Diabetes

Yes, You Can: Reversing Pre-Diabetes Through Food, Stress Control, and a “Younger-You” Lifestyle

By Debbie Polisky, Nutritionist & Epigenetic Coach

When people hear the word pre-diabetes, they often feel like they’re standing on the edge of a cliff. I get it — it sounds scary. But I want to reframe that for you straight away.

Pre-diabetes is also a window. It’s a stage where your body is still incredibly responsive to the right daily inputs. And the best part? Those inputs aren’t complicated. They’re simple, repeatable lifestyle habits that not only bring blood sugar back into line, but also protect your healthspan — the years of life where you feel strong, clear-headed, mobile, and energetic.

I’ve spent years teaching people how to slow aging through practical nutrition, stress resilience, movement they actually enjoy, and selective supplementation. When I look at pre-diabetes, I see the same exact pillars. So let’s connect the dots.

1. Blood Sugar Is an Aging Issue, Not Just a Diabetes Issue

One thing I talk about a lot is oxidative stress — the buildup of free radicals that damages cells over time. People usually think of that only in terms of wrinkles or cosmetic aging, but it’s much bigger than that. Oxidative stress accelerates chronic illness, including metabolic disease.

Pre-diabetes is essentially a metabolic “rusting” process:

• glucose stays elevated longer than it should

• insulin has to work harder

• inflammation rises

• energy production becomes less efficient

So for me, the goal is never just “lower glucose.” The real goal is to restore metabolic flexibility — the body’s ability to use fuel cleanly, keep inflammation low, and protect your cells and DNA from accelerated wear. That’s how we extend healthspan, not just lifespan.

2. The “Rainbow Plate” Isn’t Cute. It’s Glucose Control in Disguise.

If you’ve heard me speak before, you know I’m a big believer in eating a rainbow every day. I’m not saying that to be trendy — it’s a practical shortcut to antioxidant density and nutrient variety.

And for pre-diabetes, the rainbow approach is genuinely powerful:

a) It lowers glycemic load without counting

Bright, colourful plants are usually high in fibre and water-dense. That slows digestion and blunts glucose spikes.

b) It supports insulin sensitivity

Polyphenols and plant compounds help muscles and the liver respond better to insulin.

c) It reduces oxidative stress caused by sugar

High glucose creates free radicals. Antioxidant-rich foods counter that upstream.

Here’s a simple “rainbow for glucose” template:

• Greens (spinach, kale, broccoli): daily base for micronutrients and low-calorie bulk.

• Reds/purples (berries, red cabbage, grapes): linked to improved glucose handling.

• Orange/yellow (peppers, squash, carrots): support cellular defence.

• Whites (garlic, onions, leeks): anti-inflammatory sulphur compounds.

I’m not into harsh restriction diets. They often fail because they remove too much, trigger deprivation, and people rebound. Instead, I teach:

Build meals around plants, then add protein + healthy fats to stabilise your curve.

3. Stress Eats Your Metabolism for Breakfast

I’m very direct about stress because I see what it does to people’s bodies and behaviour. Chronic stress speeds up aging, and it absolutely shifts food choices. Under pressure, we drift toward refined carbs, sugar hits, salty comfort foods, and speed-eating.

That’s not weakness. It’s biology:

• stress hormones raise blood sugar

• cravings intensify

• sleep quality drops

• recovery gets harder

• insulin resistance increases

If you want to reverse pre-diabetes through diet, you cannot ignore stress and sleep. They decide whether your plan works.

A few tools I use with clients:

• Plan ahead. Grocery list + simple weekly menu means stress doesn’t choose your food for you.

• Short breathing breaks. Even five minutes of slow breathing helps shift the nervous system out of fight-or-flight.

• Mindful meals. Sit down, slow down, taste your food. Your glucose curve improves when your body feels safe.

Stress management isn’t a nice add-on. It is metabolic therapy.

4. Exercise That You Enjoy Is the One That Works

I’m not a fan of forcing yourself into workouts you hate. The best exercise is the one you’ll do consistently.

For pre-diabetes, movement is a direct insulin-sensitivity tool. Muscle is your glucose sponge. Every time you move:

• glucose gets pulled into muscle

• insulin sensitivity improves for hours afterward

• fasting levels creep down over time

You don’t need extreme training. You need frequency + sustainability:

• daily walking

• 2–3 resistance sessions per week

• a sport or class you genuinely enjoy

• “sneaky movement” (stairs, walking meetings, short bursts)

This is healthspan in action: your body stays youthful because you keep using it.

5. The Mindset Pillar: Positivity Prevents the “Off-Track Spiral”

One thing that surprises people is how much mindset shapes physiology. I’ve watched perfectionism wreck progress. Negative self-talk makes people quit the moment life gets messy.

Because pre-diabetes reversal isn’t a perfect straight line. There will be weeks where you wobble. The mindset that wins is:

“Back on track at the next meal.”

Consistency beats perfection. Always.

6. Smart Supplementation: Helpful If the Foundations Are There

I’m food-first. Always. But I do use supplements for synergy when they’re high-quality and bioavailable.

For blood sugar support, once lifestyle foundations are in place, evidence-based options can help:

• Berberine (often compared to metformin for supporting insulin sensitivity).

• Phytosome-enhanced polyphenols (better absorption plant compounds for inflammation and metabolic signalling).

• Magnesium (glycinate or threonate) if intake is low.

• Omega-3s for inflammation balance.

Not magic. But very useful when paired with the “rainbow + movement + sleep” base.

7. Make It Measurable: Health MOT + Epigenetics for Your Metabolic “Before & After”

Lifestyle change sticks better when you can see it working.

This is where a Health MOT, epigenetics e.g. TruHealth from TruDiagnostic is so valuable. They don’t just tell you your glucose today — they let you see how your biology responds over time, including upstream aging-linked markers like inflammation load and metabolic resilience.

The aim isn’t “normal glucose once.”It’s building a metabolic environment that stays youthful.

The Takeaway

Reversing pre-diabetes through diet and lifestyle isn’t just possible — for many people, it’s one of the most powerful healthspan moves they can make.

Here’s the simple structure I teach:

1. Eat a daily rainbow of whole, fibre-rich foods.

2. Treat stress and sleep as metabolic levers, not lifestyle fluff.

3. Move frequently in ways you enjoy.

4. Keep your mindset positive and consistent.

5. Use supplements for synergy, not substitution.

6. Track progress with Health MOT and epigenetic testing through TRUHealth and TruDiagnostic.

Yes, you can reverse the trend — by living in a way that makes your cells want to be younger.