Blood sugar is linked to the development of diabetes and pre-diabetes. If your blood sugar levels are high but not quite sufficiently elevated to be diagnosed with diabetes, you may have prediabetes. Insulin, a hormone, is normally responsible for helping your body regulate blood sugar levels by facilitating cell uptake of sugar from the bloodstream. Therefore, insulin is the primary hormone responsible for controlling glucose levels in the blood. However, several conditions can hinder blood sugar regulation and ultimately cause hyperglycemia. An excessive amount of glucose being produced by the liver, insufficient insulin production, or insulin resistance are all internal causes of hyperglycemia. Insulin resistance describes the latter condition.
Dietary decisions, some drugs, a lack of exercise, and stress are all examples of external variables. According to statistics, 13.1% of American people have diabetes and 34.5% have prediabetes. Almost half of all adults in the United States are either diabetic or at risk for developing the disease. Individuals with diabetes must take extra care to regulate their blood sugar since long-term hyperglycemia can cause serious health problems.
What are the simple methods to reduce blood sugar?
It is essential, whether you have diabetes or prediabetes, to be aware of the best ways one can lower the amount of sugar in the blood using natural methods. Think about doing things like going to the gym regularly, increasing the amount of fiber you eat, eating more frequent small meals, and consuming more probiotics. Know that even if you can’t commit to lengthier workouts during the week, you’ll reap many of the same benefits from even a few minutes of activity every day. Try exercising for 10 minutes, three times a day, for five days to reach your weekly target of 150 minutes. By taking short breaks every 30 minutes to move about, or “exercise snacking,” you may easily include physical activity into your day. Light walking or easy resistance workouts, like squats or leg raises, are examples of the types of activities suggested.
Here are several straightforward and tried-and-true methods that have been shown to reduce blood sugar levels organically.
Following are the simple methods to reduce blood sugar levels in the body
Maintain a consistent workout routine
Maintaining a healthy weight through exercise is a great way to boost insulin sensitivity. If your cells are more sensitive to insulin, they will be able to make better use of the sugar in your blood. Muscles are better able to utilize blood sugar for energy and contractions after engaging in physical activity. If you have trouble keeping your blood sugar levels stable, you may want to make it a habit to check them before and after you work out. This will teach you how your body reacts to various exercises and allow you to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Additionally, scientists advocate for “exercise snacks” to reduce blood sugar and protect against the negative effects of sitting for long periods. Compared to a passive way of life, any sort of exercise that gets you up and moving regularly is preferable.
Reduce your carbohydrate consumption
Blood sugar levels are quite sensitive to the amount of carbohydrates you consume. Carbohydrates are metabolized by your body into sugars, primarily glucose. Insulin then facilitates its utilization and storage for later usage as fuel. This mechanism can break down and lead to high blood glucose levels when someone consumes an excessive amount of carbohydrates or has issues with insulin function. That’s why diabetics need to keep tabs on their carbohydrate consumption and eat only the amounts required to stay healthy. According to some research, this can aid in meal preparation and lead to better control of blood sugar levels. Consuming a low-carbohydrate diet has been shown to lower blood sugar and prevent glucose spikes in numerous studies.
But whole grains have better nutritional value and can aid in lowering blood sugar levels than processed foods and refined carbohydrates.
Maintain your body’s hydration levels by drinking water
Consuming an adequate amount of water each day may assist you in maintaining blood sugar levels that are within acceptable ranges. Despite reducing dehydration, it also assists your kidneys in getting rid of any extra sugar that may be present in your bloodstream through urine. One analysis of qualitative investigations found that people who consumed a greater amount of water had a lower likelihood of acquiring high blood sugar levels. This finding was supported by the findings of individual research. Consistent intake of water may restore the blood’s moisture content, decrease the amount of sugar in the blood, and lessen the likelihood of developing diabetes. Remember that water and other beverages that contain no calories are your best bet. Sugar-sweetened choices should be avoided because they can cause a rise in blood glucose, lead to weight gain, and elevate the chance of developing diabetes.
Get your tension under control
The amounts of sugar in your blood might be affected by stress. When you’re under pressure, your body produces hormones called glucagon and cortisol, both of which contribute to an increase in the amount of sugar in your blood. A research investigation that involved a class of students found that engaging in physical activity, practicing relaxation techniques, and meditating led to a significant reduction in stress and a drop in blood sugar levels. Sports and relaxation techniques such as yoga and mindfulness-based stress management are two examples of practices that may help persons with persistent diabetes address insulin secretion abnormalities.
Keep an eye on your glucose levels
Keeping tabs on your blood sugar levels may assist you keep it under control. A transportable blood glucose meter (also called a glucometer) will allow you to accomplish this in the comfort of your own home. A medical professional can advise you on this course of action. Maintaining tabs can let you see if you need to make any changes to your diet or medicines. Understanding how your body responds to certain foods is another benefit. You might try taking readings once each day. It could be more informative to monitor your blood sugar levels in pairs, such as before and after physical activity, or before and two hours after a meal. If you find that certain meals cause a surge in blood sugar, this can help you determine if you should avoid or modify such meals. Alterations include serving smaller portions of vegetables or eliminating starchy sides.
Get a good night’s rest
Getting a good night’s rest helps you feel great and is critical to your health. Insufficient sleep has been linked to elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance, both of which are risk factors for the development of diabetes. They also have the potential to stimulate hunger and lead to added pounds. Furthermore, as was previously mentioned, sleep loss causes an increase in cortisol, a hormone that plays a critical role in controlling blood sugar levels. Both the quantity and the quality of sleep are equally important. To function properly, adults need between seven and eight hours of sleep per night. Adhere to a sleeping pattern, restrict your intake of caffeine, frequent physical activity, reduce your screen time in the hours leading up to bed, maintain your bedroom cool, establish a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid doing work in bed, meditate, and all help increase the standard of your sleep.
Consume chromium- and magnesium-rich meals
Lack of certain micronutrients has been linked to elevated blood sugar and diabetes. Chromium and magnesium deficiency are two such examples. Chromium contributes to normal sugar and fat breakdown. It might work by making insulin more effective, which would help with controlling blood sugar levels. But investigations indicate conflicting results and the processes underlying this hypothesized association remain unclear. Therefore, more study is required. Magnesium’s effects on blood sugar have also been demonstrated. Magnesium-rich diets have been linked to a markedly lower risk of diabetes. Conversely, persons with diabetes who have inadequate levels of magnesium may develop elevated insulin levels and poor glucose tolerance.
However, if your blood magnesium levels are already normal, and you consume a diet high in magnesium, you may not gain anything by taking magnesium pills.
Think about including some new foods in your daily routine
It’s common knowledge that numerous foods and plants can be used for therapeutic purposes. But due to a lack of human research or small sample numbers, the general level of evidence on these components is low. As a result, we can’t give any firm advice on how to use them. If you currently use medicine to control your blood sugar, consult your healthcare provider before incorporating any of these foods into your diet because certain herbal products may interact adversely with your current medication. Lastly, supplements are not subject to the same level of regulation as prescription drugs. Therefore, you should only buy supplements that have undergone third-party testing to ensure their quality and safety. By increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing carbohydrate digestion, cinnamon may reduce blood glucose levels. This reduces post-meal blood sugar spikes. More study is required, though.
Keep your weight in check
Keeping your weight down to a healthy level and keeping your blood sugar levels in check are both important steps in lowering your chance of being diagnosed with diabetes. According to studies, just a five percent decrease in body weight can enhance your ability to regulate your blood glucose levels and minimize the amount of diabetes medication you require. If an individual weighs 200 pounds (91 kg), for instance, and loses only ten to fourteen pounds (4.5–6 kg), they can observe considerable changes in their blood sugar levels. This is because the body uses glucose as an energy source. Additionally, if you lose more than 5% of your initial weight, it may have a positive impact on the readings of your glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). These serve as markers of how well your blood sugar levels have been maintained during the past three months.
Increase your intake of nutritious snacks
Consuming small, frequent meals and snacks during the day has been shown to reduce the risk of hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. You can lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by snacking in between meals. Consuming more frequent, smaller meals during the day has been shown in multiple studies to increase the response to insulin and decrease glucose levels in the blood. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values, which show the average blood glucose level in the past three months, may also go down if you consume several modest, healthful food choices during the day.
A Final thought
You may healthily control your blood sugar levels in several ways. Changes in diet, exercise, stress management, and sleep habits, as well as other preventative measures, are common. However, changes in your diet might have a significant impact. If you have trouble managing your blood glucose levels or are using medicines, you should talk to your doctor before implementing any changes to your daily routine or starting any new pills.
Sirisha B