Manage Blood Sugar Naturally: The 7 Best Ways To Manage Blood Sugar Naturally And Safely
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally: Glucose or blood sugar is essential for the proper functioning of your body. The problem arises when the levels of blood sugar deviate from what is considered to be a healthy range.
Diabetes or prediabetes, a chronic health concern associated with high blood sugar, is on the rise today. Lifestyle and food choices can have an effect on your blood sugar levels, and that is why it may be possible to lower blood sugar naturally. It is important to understand the mechanism behind a rise in blood sugar levels to know how to bring blood sugar down, so let’s get into the details.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally: How To Manage Blood Sugar Levels Naturally
1. Make Exercise A Part Of Your Daily Routine
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Exercising regularly can not only help you with weight management but also improve your insulin sensitivity. Research suggests that physical exercise may help prevent insulin insensitivity. An improved insulin sensitivity translates to lower levels of glucose in your blood as cells are able to utilize the sugar better. Physical training also helps your muscles use up more blood sugar. Walking at a brisk pace, swimming, weightlifting, running, cycling, hiking, and dancing are examples of exercises that may help you manage blood sugar levels naturally.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, As a word of caution, blood glucose monitoring after exercise can help you see how your blood sugar levels fluctuate, especially if you are on any medication to help manage your hyperglycemia.
2. Try A Low-carb Diet
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Carbohydrates break down into sugars during the digestive process. Insulin is responsible for managing how much sugar is used and how much is stored. If you consume too many carbohydrates, or if you have insulin-related problems, you may end up with high blood sugar.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Research suggests that eating meals with fewer carbohydrates is one of the most effective ways to lower blood sugar and reduce weight at the same time. The best part is that it’s not only good for the short term but may have long-term beneficial effects on blood sugar management as well.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Dr. Jody Stanislaw, a blogger, wrote how eating a diet rich in proteins, healthy fats, vegetables and low in carbohydrates helped her manage her blood sugar levels. She said, “I have the freedom to enjoy so many delicious foods now without ever having to strictly weigh or measure them. I also love allowing myself to eat as many low-carb vegetables as I want. This helps me feel less restricted”.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, You can do a few things to keep your carb intake in check and follow a diet to lower blood sugar:
Count your macronutrients and be aware of how much carbohydrate you need based on your BMI.
Reduce added sugar by drinking your coffee or tea without it.
Practice portion control.
Eat whole foods, preferably home-cooked meals.
If you have to eat out, choose healthier options that focus on vegetables and lean protein.
Replace sugary snacks with nuts and seeds.
3. Load Up On Fiber
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, can help you manage your blood glucose levels. It can slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and the rate at which sugar is absorbed into your bloodstream. This can help you avoid a sudden rise in your blood sugar level. Soluble dietary fiber is also associated with improved insulin resistance.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, A diet high in fiber can also help manage type 1 diabetes by improving blood sugar regulation and reducing the chance of sudden drops in blood sugar levels. Include vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains in your meals as they are high in fiber content.
4. Manage Your Weight
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Research suggests that even a 7% reduction in body weight may lower the risk for developing diabetes by as much as 58%. It also concludes that managing weight and incorporating physical activity as a part of lifestyle modification may work even better at lowering blood sugar levels compared to a commonly prescribed drug for diabetes.
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, As waistline measurement is a crucial factor in the estimation of diabetes risk, it is important that you keep an eye on your waistline. A measurement of greater than 35 inches for women and greater than 40 inches for men may increase the risk of hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes.
5. Stay Hydrated And Drink More Water
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Drinking water throughout the day may help to prevent raised blood sugar levels as water enables your kidneys to flush out any excess sugar via urine. According to a study, people who drink more water are less likely to develop hyperglycemia. Rehydrating with plain water or mineral water may be a way to lower your blood sugar and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
6. Practice Stress Management
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, According to research, stress can directly affect your blood glucose levels. Glucagon and cortisol, two hormones that are released under stress, can cause your blood sugar levels to rise. A study conducted on students showed that regular exercise, meditation, and relaxation reduced both stress levels as well as blood glucose. Additionally, there is some evidence that stress reduction through yoga and mindfulness meditation may correct problems related to insulin secretion in those who have chronic diabetes.
7. Sleep Enough And Sleep Well
Manage Blood Sugar Naturally, Bad sleeping habits and insufficient sleep can influence your appetite, affect insulin sensitivity and raise your blood sugar levels. When your body is sleep-deprived, it releases lower amounts of growth hormones and increases the levels of cortisol in the blood. Both these hormones play important roles in blood sugar management. Focus on getting good quality and sufficient quantity of sleep every day.
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