Cutting out sweets helped the 68-year-old drop his blood-sugar level from 248 to about 155, but he knew he needed an even lower level if he wanted to stay healthy. He took informational classes at the Diabetes Health Care Centers of Utah in Layton, started cutting out carbohydrates - replacing his usual spaghetti with a whole-grain pasta - and upped his workouts from about three a week to six.

The 5-foot-10-inch, 202-pound Kerivan now has a blood-sugar level of about 118, which puts him in a "prediabetic" range that carries fewer health risks.

Kerivan isn't the only diabetic benefiting from eating better and exercising.

Steven Aldana, an exercise sciences professor at Brigham Young University, conducted a study of 44 diabetic or prediabetic employees at B.D. Medical to see if diet and exercise could help decrease their blood-glucose levels. Of those who ate less, improved the quality of their food and exercised at least 30 minutes a day, half no longer had diabetes or were no longer at risk of getting the disease.

"Ideally, it's best to prevent diabetes from ever happening in the first place, but in many cases where it appeared to be too late, we were able to stop it or reverse it," he said.

Diabetes is a disease that causes the body to stop producing or improperly using insulin, which is a hormone that converts sugar, starches and other food into energy, according to the American Diabetes Association.

The most common types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. The first type results from the body's inability to produce insulin. About 5 percent to 10 percent of Americans who have diabetes have type 1, according to the association. Regular injections of insulin are needed to process food.

Type 2 is the most common, affecting about 95 percent of diabetes patients, or about 7 percent to 9 percent of all Americans. This type is caused by insulin resistance, where the body stops properly using insulin, along with an insulin deficiency. Obesity, lack of exercise and poor eating habits can cause this type to appear later in life, according to the association. It can lead to blindness, loss of limbs and early death. Diet and exercise can make the body more sensitive to insulin, but insulin injections are sometimes needed.

While Aldana expected diet and exercise to help, he said he was saddened that more people didn't follow the program.

"The problem here is that some people don't care enough. They need a trigger, an emotional experience such as being diagnosed with diabetes or having their first stroke or amputation. They have to have the 'Ah ha!' moment that they've neglected their health for too long. Some people never have that and die early as a result," he said.

Aldana says his study didn't show anything shockingly new. He said incorporating whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits and cutting out trans fat and sugars help the body to improve its insulin sensitivity.

"There's a big difference between Apple Jacks and apples," he said, saying the digestive system doesn't handle processed foods well.

He also had study participants cut back on the amount of food they ate and choose any form of exercise they wanted for 30 minutes a day. While the study was a year long, he hopes many continue living a healthier lifestyle.

"It depends on how long you want the health benefits. If you want to eat the typical American food that is served on platters instead of plates and lead a sedentary life, you put yourself at risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes," he said.

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Contact Sheena McFarland at smcfarland@sltrib.com or 801-257-8619. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@ sltrib.com.

Caring for your feet

If you have diabetes, it's important to make sure blood is flowing properly to avoid problems that in the worst case, can lead to amputation. According to podiatrist Scott Clark, you should:

* Check feet every day for cuts, blisters, redness and swelling. Use a mirror to check the bottoms of your feet. If you have trouble seeing, have a family member help.

* Wash your feet every day.

* Keep the skin soft and smooth with lotions.

* Smooth corns and calluses gently.

* Wear shoes and socks at all times.

* Keep the blood flowing to your feet by wiggling your toes and moving your ankles up and down for five minutes two to three times a day. Don't cross your legs for a long period of time and don't smoke.

* Check for neuropathy (loss of sensation) by gently poking feet at various spots on the underside of the foot.

* Have your health care professional check your feet because you may not feel an injury.

Diabetes facts

* About one in 20 adults in Utah has diabetes.

* Diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death nationally and in Utah.

* Diabetes accounts for more than 60 percent of nontraumatic lower extremity amputations in the United States.

* National data show that once a person with diabetes has an amputation, the risk of having a second amputation within three to five years is 50 percent.l About 13.7 percent of Utah adults with diabetes have had at least one foot ulcer.

Source: Utah Department of

Control Program