Hyperglycemia, the medical term for high blood sugar, is a symptom of diabetes and pre-diabetes. When blood sugar levels are elevated, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetic, you are said to have prediabetes.
Insulin, a hormone that enables your cells to utilise the sugar in your blood, is typically responsible for regulating your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar levels are regulated by insulin, which is the most crucial.
As a result, hyperglycemia can result from a variety of circumstances.
When your liver produces too much glucose, your body produces too little insulin, or your body is unable to utilise insulin effectively, this can all contribute to high blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance is the medical term for the latter.
An unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and stress are all examples of external variables that can contribute to obesity.
Diabetic and pre-diabetic populations in the United States total 13 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diabetes or pre-diabetes affects about half of all American adults.
Diabetics are especially at risk of developing limb and life-threatening problems if their blood sugar levels remain elevated for an extended period of time.
1. Exercise regularly
Maintaining and achieving a healthy weight and improving insulin sensitivity can both be achieved by regular physical activity.
This means that your cells are able to better utilize the glucose in your bloodstream.
Your muscles can utilise blood sugar for energy and muscle contraction as a result of regular exercise.
If you have trouble controlling your blood sugar levels, you should check them before and after exercising on a regular basis. This will teach you how your body responds to various activities and help you avoid dangerously high or low blood sugar levels.
A recent study found that eating so-called “exercise snacks” helped decrease blood sugar and avoided the negative effects of a desk job.
You just break up your sitting time every 30 minutes for just a few minutes during the day by snacking on a few minutes of exercise. Squats and leg lifts, as well as light walking, are among the recommended workouts.
Weightlifting, brisk walking, jogging, biking, dancing, hiking, swimming, and more are all excellent types of exercise. Any exercise that gets you up and moving on a regular basis, no matter how strenuous, is preferable than a sedentary one.
Additionally, if you find it difficult to squeeze in lengthier workouts throughout the week, know that you can still reap the benefits of shorter workouts. Try, for example, to work out for 10 minutes, three times a day, five days a week, for a total of 150 minutes.
2. Manage your carb intake
Carbohydrate consumption has a significant impact on blood sugar levels.
Carbohydrates are converted by your body to simple sugars, primarily glucose. After that, insulin aids your body’s ability to use and store the glucose.
Blood glucose levels can rise when this mechanism is disrupted by a high carbohydrate diet or insulin dysfunction.
ADA recommends that diabetics keep track of their carb intake by keeping track of how many carbs they consume.
Some studies have found that this can help you plan your meals more effectively, which can help you better control your blood sugar.
Low-carbohydrate diets have been shown to lower blood su
gar levels, as well as to reduce and prevent blood sugar spikes.
It’s critical to understand the differences between low-carb and low-carbohydrate diets.
Carbohydrates can still be consumed while monitoring blood sugar levels. However, choosing whole grains over processed and refined carbs gives you more nutrition and lowers your blood sugar levels. Whole grains are better for you.
3. Eat more fiber
Sugar absorption is slowed by fiber, which means that blood sugar levels rise more slowly.
There are two types of fiber — insoluble and soluble.
While both are important, soluble fiber has explicitly been shown to improve blood sugar management, while insoluble fiber hasn’t been shown to have this effect.
A high fiber diet can improve your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and minimize blood sugar lows. This could help you better manage type 1 diabetes.
Foods that are high in fiber include:
vegetables
fruits
legumes
whole grains.
The recommended daily intake of fiber is about 25 grams for women and 35 grams for men. That’s about 14 grams for every 1,000 calories.
4. Drink water and stay hydrated
Keeping your blood sugar levels within normal ranges may be easier if you drink more water.
In addition to keeping you hydrated, it aids in the removal of excess sugar from your system via the kidneys.
More water consumption was linked to a decreased risk of acquiring high blood sugar levels in one evaluation of observational studies
You can lessen your chance of developing diabetes by drinking plenty of water on a daily basis.
Water and other calorie-free beverages should always be preferred. Don’t consume sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, which can boost blood sugar levels and lead to weight gain and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
5. Implement portion control
If you want to keep your weight in check, you can use portion control to keep your caloric intake in check.
Because of this, losing weight is associated with lower blood sugar levels and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
To avoid blood sugar spikes, keep track of your portion amounts.
Here are a few pointers on how to keep an eye on your caloric intake:
measure and weigh your food portions.
Plates should be reduced in size.
All-you-can-eat restaurants should be avoided
check the serving sizes on the food labels
jot down your food intake
savor each bite.
6. Choose foods with a low glycemic index
In terms of how quickly carbs are digested and absorbed, the glycemic index (GI) is used. Blood sugar levels rise more quickly when this is the case.
Foods are classified as having a GI of 0–100, with 0 being the lowest, 50 being the middle, and 100 being the highest. Foods with a GI score of 55 or below are considered low GI.
The amount and kind of carbohydrates you eat affect your blood sugar levels, and both are important. People with diabetes who eat low GI foods have been demonstrated to have lower blood sugar levels.
Low-to-moderate GI foods include, for example:
bulgur
barley
Greek yogurt with no added sugar
oats
beans
lentils
legumes
wheat-based pasta
vegetables that aren’t made up of carbohydrates
In addition, incorporating protein or healthy fats into a meal will help reduce rises in blood sugar that follow a meal.
7. Try to manage your stress levels
Having a stressful day might cause your blood sugar levels to go up and down.
Glucagon and cortisol are stress hormones that cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Stress and blood sugar levels were considerably reduced in a study involving college students who participated in exercise, relaxation, and meditation.
Yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction may potentially assist persons with chronic diabetes repair insulin secretion abnormalities.
