Now everyone feels bad about the pies.

(Image from CDC)Happy day after Thanksgiving. Now that we're all in regret mode, diabetes! This is a slow-motion public health train wreck, amiright? And it's another marker of race disparity in health... but I'll save that for another day.Diagnostic for diabetes: Hemoglobin A1C>=6.5 OR 8 hour fasting plasma glucose of >= 126 mg/dl OR oral glucose tolerance test of >= 200 mg/dl OR random plasma glucose of >=200 mg/dl.Super user-friendly.So diabetes is a clear medical diagnosis to make, but telling someone with a fasting blood sugar of 120 that they do not have diabetes is the wrong message. You either have HIV or you don't. Diabetes is a disease on a continuum. Even with moderately high sugars the vessels of the fingers and toes and heart are getting damaged. The delicate vasculature of kidneys and eyes is getting all junked up, and pancreas... oh poor pancreas you will never be the same.So it would make sense to do some intensive nutrition education for people that fall into that pre-diabetic category, you know, maybe keep them from become full-blown diabetic? As it stands, Medicare does not reimburse (pay for) nutrition consults until you have the official diagnosis of diabetes. So we are giving nutrition education to people in the hospital after they have had their toes amputated, between debridements of wounds that won't heal, and in dialysis while they wait for a kidney transplant. These are miserable, life-limiting procedures. All of which are way pricier than some front-end nutrition education. And the cost of diabetes has increased 41% over the past 5 years.My mom falls into the pre-diabetes category. I write little lists and send texts and talk to her on the phone about how she is managing a blood sugar that is next door neighbors with diabetes. Based on my very limited knowledge of nutrition (nursing schools could really fortify this part of our education), here are some of tips I've given her: First, 5 a day, lots of fiber, and minimal processed foods. Look for added sugar in all all foods, especially processed. If a product is labeled low or non fat, you can assume that they replaced that fat with sugar. Check the label. Also, exercise helps your cells metabolize sugar, bringing down your blood sugar. Even if you don't lose pounds. What else can I do? I'm genuinely asking.