If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, one of the main things you need to do is controlling your blood sugar levels. Typically, high blood sugar can occur if the insulin produced by the pancreas is insufficient to regulate the glucose produced by the liver. It may also happen if the body cannot use insulin effectively. The blood sugar level is also affected by dietary choices, sedentary lifestyle, stress, and even certain medications. Some simple ways to lower your blood sugar levels naturally:
Exercise Regularly
By exercising regularly, you can reach and maintain an ideal weight and increase your sensitivity to insulin. The increased sensitivity means that the body’s cells can use the sugar in your blood more effectively. When you exercise, your muscles use the sugar in your blood for energy. It is good practice to get up every 30 minutes when sitting for a long time to walk around or perform simple exercises like leg raises and squats. Try to include in your daily routine exercises like brisk walking, running, cycling, swimming, weightlifting, hiking, and more that get you up and moving. Try to exercise for 30-45 minutes daily, either at one shot or in multiple shorter sessions.
Follow a Strict Diet
The intention of following a diet is to lose weight and keep fit. A low-carb diet helps to reduce your blood sugar levels. You can cut down on the amount of refined and processed carbs and increase your consumption of whole grains that provide better nutrition and also assist you in controlling your blood sugar. You should try to follow a diet of fiber-rich foods since there is sufficient evidence that fiver helps to slow down the digestive process and the absorption of sugar by your body. While both soluble and insoluble fibers are important, consumption of soluble fiber improves blood sugar levels. While insoluble fiber does not affect blood sugar, it helps bowel movement and the accumulation of toxins in your intestines. Another important thing is to choose foods with a low glycemic index, i.e., those with a GI index of 55 or less on a scale of 0-100. Eating food with a low GI Index prevents blood sugar levels from rising fast.
Implement Portion Control
Most of the time, people eat much more than they require and, as a result, gain weight that they fail to reduce by working out. By implementing portion control, you can control your weight which can slow down the progression of diabetes or reduce the risk of developing diabetes. The best ways of controlling portions include using smaller plates, measuring your portions, avoiding buffet dinners and eating slowly.
Drink Enough Water
Drinking enough water is effective for keeping control over your blood sugar. When you drink enough water, you avoid getting dehydrated and enable your kidneys to flush out excess sugar. Doctors say that by drinking water, you keep your blood hydrated, lower blood sugar, and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Drinking water is the best because consuming sodas and sugary drinks, including fruit juices, can boost your blood sugar level, increase weight, and make you more susceptible to diabetes. Some of the common diabetes symptoms include constant thirstiness and tiredness.
Manage Your Stress Levels
There is sufficient evidence to show that stress can affect your blood sugar level negatively. When you are stressed, your body produces glucagon and cortisol, both hormones that make your blood sugar levels go up. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that exercising, relaxing, and meditating can reduce stress significantly and lower your blood sugar levels. You can do anything to relax and reduce stress to benefit significantly.
Get Adequate Restful Sleep
Getting enough good-quality sleep is necessary for both good physical and mental health. Lack of adequate rest and poor sleeping habits can negatively impact both blood sugar level and insulin sensitivity. Sustained poor sleeping habits can increase the risk of developing diabetes. Inadequate and poor sleep also increases the chances of overeating, which leads to obesity. The cortisol level jumps due to sleep deprivation, making it difficult to manage the level of blood sugar. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults should sleep for at least seven to nine hours daily. You can improve the quality of your sleep by following a regular sleep schedule, avoiding alcohol and caffeine before going to sleep, cutting down on the use of mobiles, computers, TV, etc., before retiring. Other tips include, keeping your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark, and taking a warm bath or shower before going to bed.
Conclusion
Making lifestyle changes is unarguably the best way of naturally managing the level of blood sugar. You need to watch what and how much you are eating, manage your stress level, get adequate exercise and sleep, stay hydrated, and monitor your blood sugar level. You need to consult a healthcare professional before making drastic changes to your lifestyle or taking supplements to control blood sugar.