High blood sugar occurs when your body is not capable to make enough or effectively use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose and helps it enter your cells and provides energy. High blood sugar is a common issue for those with diabetes or those at risk. If you are not doing anything to lower your blood sugar, then you are at an increased risk for serious health complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, and vision loss. Therefore, it is recommended to get your blood sugar levels checked for them to be in a healthy range. Refer to the guide below to know more and understand better about the six different ways in which you can lower your blood sugar levels over time:
6 Easy Ways to lower blood sugar levels:
1. Manage your Carb Intake
The human body breaks down carbs into sugars (primarily glucose) and then insulin helps the body use and store sugar for energy. But when you eat too many carbs or have insulin function problems this process tends to fail and leads to increase blood sugar levels. To manage blood sugar levels, it is, therefore, advisable to always be aware of your carb intake by planning your meals appropriately and reducing carbohydrates intake as this will be of great help in controlling blood sugar levels. A low carb diet helps reduce blood sugar levels and plays a great role in preventing blood sugar spikes.
2. Increase your fiber intake
Fiber is yet another important nutrient that helps manage blood sugar levels and also plays a great role in weight management and lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the type of fiber you involve in your diet also plays a great role. There are two kinds of fiber:
- Insoluble
- Soluble
While both of them are important for the body due to their respective benefits, soluble fiber has especially been seen to improve blood sugar levels in the human body. Along with that a high fiber diet can help better manage type 1 diabetes by improving the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels and reducing blood sugar lows. For this you should ensure that you include fiber rich foods in your diet like:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Legumes
- Whole grains
Eating lots of fiber can help you stabilize blood sugar levels and for that soluble dietary fiber is the most effective.
3. Exercise Regularly
Regular exercising increases insulin sensitivity and helps your muscles use blood sugar in an effective manner. This leads to reduced blood sugar levels. Also, it is good for maintaining a modern weight.
4. Choose foods with a low glycemic index
In order to maintain optimum blood sugar levels, it is advisable to include foods with a low glycemic index in your diet. Basically, the glycemic index measures how we absorb or digest foods, which further affects the rate at which blood sugar levels rise in the body.
Both the amount and type of carbs govern how a food affects blood sugar levels
Eating low-glycemic-index foods has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels in those with diabetes. Although adhering to the glycemic index of foods is important, but the amount of carbs consumed is also important.
Foods with a low to moderate glycemic index include:
- Yogurt
- Oats
- Beans
- Lentils
- Legumes
- Wheat pasta
- Non-Starchy Vegetables
Hence, it is essential to choose foods with a low glycemic index while monitoring your overall carb intake.
5. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated helps you stabilize blood sugar levels, rehydrate the blood, and also reduce the risk of diabetes. Make sure that you drink enough water and keep your blood sugar levels within healthy limits.
6. Manage Stress Levels
Managing stress levels is very crucial in order to maintain appropriate blood sugar as an imbalance in stress levels can have an effect on your blood sugar levels. In order to regulate your stress levels, you should consider including exercise, relaxation, and meditation in your daily routine as this significantly reduces stress and lowers blood sugar levels.
If you have diabetes or maybe are at the risk of having one, then it’s important to consult your doctor if you are about to make any significant lifestyle changes or including supplements in your diet to lower your blood sugar and keep it under control. Though lifestyle changes can be effective some people might need medication such as insulin or others in order to effectively stabilize blood sugar levels. Also besides this, it is important to work with your nutritionist and get a customized meal plan for yourselves and ensure that you are treating your body with the right fuel and nutrients that are helping you lower your blood sugar levels optimally.