9 Ways to Lower Blood Sugar

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High blood sugar is a condition associated mostly with diabetes. In this article, you will find nine ways that can help you lower blood sugar. Keep reading to find out what you can do and what to avoid. Nonetheless, the methods mentioned are purely natural; hence you don’t have to be worried.

Drink Lots of Water

For healthy living, staying hydrated is key. So, it would be best if you made drinking water a habit. When you have enough of this refreshing liquid, you can help lower your blood sugar and even monitor and manage the limits. What’s more, when you drink lots of water, your kidneys will get rid of the excess sugars in your system. Importantly, other than drinking water to help with your blood sugar, you can consider beverages with no alcohol content.

Increase Your Fiber Intake

If you want to manage your blood sugar, you should consider taking more fiber in your diet. According to studies, when you take meals rich in fiber, you can reduce the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. With this in mind, why not exchange that diet low in fiber with some peas, raspberries, whole grains, beans, and peas?

Avoid too Many Carbs

When you have too many carbs in your system, your body might not be in a position to break them down to sugars effectively. When this happens, the result might be high blood sugar. So, what should you do? Simply put, you should manage the amount of carb you take.

You can start by finding out the amount needed by your body and counting the carbs. With this solved, you can know how to plan your meals. The good news is that these steps can help lower your blood sugar and manage it too.

Manage Stress

You might encounter situations, people, or active ties that might leave you stressed out. This can be harmful, especially if you have problems with your blood sugar. Whenever you are stressed, the glucagon and cortisol hormones are secreted. They can raise your blood sugar. Therefore, having means and ways of dealing with your stress levels is vital. You can consider doing exercises, meditation, and methods of relaxation to help curb this.

Have Quality Sleep

For a healthy body, you need to have a quality sleep. Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys this. Some have restless nights, and others have poor sleeping habits. In such cases, your blood sugar levels might suffer. Your appetite might increase, and you might end up gaining more weight. Therefore, you should get the needed enough sleep every night.

Exercise

One of the ways of dealing with high blood sugar is always being keen on your weight. However, what should you do to maintain it and have it at a moderate level? Regular exercise is highly advisable. You can opt for biking, running, going for brisk walks, dancing, swimming, and so on. Other than helping with the weight, when you frequently exercise, you will increase insulin sensitivity. This will make your blood cells utilize the available sugar effectively. Furthermore, another added advantage of regular exercise to your blood sugar is that it will help with the muscles using it for energy and during contractions.

Keep Your Weight In Check

As discussed before, managing your weight plays an important role in lowering your blood sugar. So, what are some of the things you can do to achieve this? Exercise has been mentioned to be beneficial in this. However, what else is involved? Why not adopt and monitor your food portions? You can reduce the amount you take so that you regulate the calories. Also, be keen on the size of food portions you serve by either measuring, using smaller plates, eating slowly, or having a food journal.

Additionally, you can closely monitor your weight to help with your blood sugar. For instance, you can reduce your weight. It can greatly affect your health since it can prevent you from being at risk of conditions such as diabetes. Nonetheless, ensure your waistline measurement is healthy.

Take Foods Rich In Chromium and Magnesium

Your high blood sugar can be linked to a deficiency in certain micronutrients. Such could include magnesium and chromium. Studies have shown that taking food rich in these can help you manage your blood sugar better. Therefore, for chromium, you can go for foods such as meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

Furthermore, people who have a high intake of magnesium have been reported to have a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So, foods such as bananas, avocados, beans, leafy greens, tuna, and whole grains are some of the options you can settle for. Furthermore, if you haven’t been eating plenty of these foods, you can go for magnesium supplements.

Give Apple Cider Vinegar a Try

Taking apple cider vinegar might not be the solution you want to hear right now. However, the impact it can have on your high blood sugar level and your general health can be worth it. The acetic acid in the vinegar is beneficial to your condition. Also, apple cider vinegar will help reduce the production of sugars in your system or increase its utilization by your cells. Besides, studies have shown that apple cider vinegar is beneficial in improving insulin sensitivity in your body. The way your body responds to sugars will also be influenced by it.

Therefore, why not give it a try? To help manage and lower your blood sugar, you can take it before you eat.  You can mix one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water then drink. On the other hand, you can mix your apple cider vinegar with your salad.

Notably, if you are already under medication for your condition, you can do yourself some good by consulting your doctor before giving apple cider vinegar a try.

Conclusion

if you have high blood sugar, you might be seeking ways of lowering it. The nine ways discussed in this article are natural and beneficial, and studies support them. However, they might involve lifestyle changes. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor and see whether one or two ways apply to you or not, especially when you are already under medication.

Nataly Komova

Nutritionist. Bluffton University, MS

In today's world, people's eating and exercise patterns have changed, and it is often lifestyle that is the cause of many diet-related illnesses. I believe that each of us is unique – what works for one does not help another. What is more, it can even be harmful. I am interested in food psychology, which studies a person's relationship with their body and food, explains our choices and desires for specific products, the difficulty of maintaining optimal body weight, as well as the influence of various internal and external factors on appetite. I'm also an avid vintage car collector, and currently, I'm working on my 1993 W124 Mercedes. You may have stumbled upon articles I have been featured in, for example, in Cosmopolitan, Elle, Grazia, Women's Health, The Guardian, and others.

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