Fend off diabetes with food: boosting your intake of foods rich in vitamin D and magnesium could help you avoid type 2 diabetes.(HOW TO)

An all-around healthy diet is, of course, important for anyone, but prediabetics should pay special attention to foods that provide vitamins and minerals their bodies may be lacking--some of which could actually help ward off diabetes.

Think D for Diabetes Protection A number of studies have shown that vitamin D intake is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. One 2004 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, for example, found that subjects with lower-than-normal levels of vitamin D showed increased insulin resistance.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends that adults get 200-600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily, depending on age. Unlike with other vitamins, the human body can manufacture its own vitamin D in the skin: Just 30 minutes of sun exposure produces about 10,000-12,000 IU of vitamin D. Nevertheless, most people in the US fall short, especially in winter.

Fortunately, sun exposure is not our only access to vitamin D. The nutrient is also found in some foods, including sardines, shiitake mushrooms, tuna, salmon and fortified milk from cows and soybeans.

...