Regulating our blood sugar levels is important to keep our energy levels stable and to reduce our risk from diabetes. When our blood sugar goes up, it is because our body cannot transport the sugar from the blood to our cells. If you do not address this issue as soon as possible, it can lead to diabetes which leaves you prone to other diseases as well.
The good news is that there are several ways in which you can lower or regulate your blood sugar so that you will be able to maintain your overall health and the best part is that these are all natural and safe to do.
Get off your butt and start exercising. If you are not a fan of working out, well, now you have more reason to do so. Exercise not only increases your insulin sensitivity but helps you to lose weight as well. Your muscles tend to use blood sugar for contraction and for energy. For those who are having trouble controlling their blood sugar, don’t forgeet to keep an eye on it often. This will help you get an idea on whether yours is going up or down while you workout. Among the exercises that you can do include brisk walking, swimming, hiking, and cycling just to name a few.
Lower your carb intake. For those who are just starting out and haven’t gotten their exercise routine down pat, this step is a good place to start. Carbohydrates tend to drive your blood sugar levels up which is why you should reduce your consumption of it as much as possible.
Practice portion control when eating. Another way for you to regulate your blood sugar levels is by practicing portion control when you eat. Through this method, you will be able to regulate the amount of calories you consume which can help you lose weight and keep your blood sugar at the right level. You can weigh your food to know how much to add to your plate, change your dinner plates to smaller ones, or you can keep a food journal so you will know how many calories you’ve consumed during meal times.
Have more fiber. Although fiber is considered as a type of carbohydrate, it cannot raise your blood sugar since it cannot be digested by the body. Another plus to eating fiber rich foods is that it won’t add calories to your body. Among the foods that contain fiber are vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, as well as seeds. Aside from helping regulate your blood sugar, fiber can also lower your cholesterol levels while improving gut health. You should eat more of this especially when you are trying to lose weight because it settles in your stomach for hours thus reducing your cravings.
Address your stress levels. If you want to avoid causing your blood sugar to spike, you should take the time to reduce your stress levels. When you are stressed, your body releases cortisol which can elevate your blood sugar. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways in which you can manage stress such as meditation, exercise, and even doing yoga. All that you have to do is to find an outlet so you will be able to keep your stress levels down.
Get some sleep. Skipping sleep or just sleeping for a few hours is not really going to help you with your goal of regulating your blood sugar. When you deprive your body of its much needed sleep, you are actually triggering your blood sugar levels to go up. This is why you need up to 8 hours of sleep to help keep your blood sugar at the right level as well as have sufficient energy the following day.
Sources: nutright.com
