How to Lower Your Blood Sugar

Blood sugar is your body’s main source of energy, but chronically elevated levels are the cause of diabetes, which can cause serious health problems. Knowing how to lower your blood sugar is not only important for people with diabetes, but also for anyone who wants to maintain good health. Fortunately, there are many different things you can do to lower your blood sugar, such as getting some exercise, eating the right foods, and taking medication, if necessary.

Eat More Fiber

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that your body doesn’t absorb or break down into glucose, so it doesn’t cause your blood sugar to skyrocket after a meal. It has many other benefits, such as improving digestion and making you feel full, so you eat less food. Fiber seems to protect your heart and prevent colon cancer, too.

There are two types of fiber, called soluble (which dissolves in water) and insoluble (which doesn’t). Soluble fiber is a champ when it comes to controlling blood sugar.

Stay Active All Through the Day

Generally staying active throughout the day is a great way to keep your blood sugar under control. When you get up and go, your body produces energy by burning sugar that you have stored away in your muscles and liver. When those reserves start to run low, your body rebuilds them by taking sugar out of your blood. The more you exercise, the lower your blood sugar goes.

Of course, if you have diabetes, it’s essential to check your blood sugar before, during, and after a session of exercise to make sure it’s in the safe zone. You should stop exercising if you feel symptoms of low blood sugar, such as feeling jittery, dizzy, or weak.

Most adults should try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking, water aerobics, or gardening) each week. If you prefer a more vigorous workout, such as running or swimming, getting at least 75 minutes of activity per week is a good goal. But you can add short bursts of physical activity into your day with some simple strategies:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Ride your bicycle to the market instead of driving.
• Skip the Zoom meeting and go for a walk with a colleague to discuss business.
• Walk in place while you watch your favorite TV show.

Take a Walk After Meals

Your blood sugar naturally rises for 30 to 90 minutes after you eat a meal. One proven way to keep that spike to a minimum is to drop your napkin, lace up your walking shoes, and take a stroll. In fact, a recent study, published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, found that as little as 3 minutes of walking after a meal helped prevent a rise in blood sugar (although in that trial people walked up and down stairs).

Also, the study showed that 10 minutes was even better, since the bodies of the people in the study became more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that stores blood sugar in cells. The message is simple: Don’t collapse on the sofa with a book or the remote control after a meal. Instead, taking a few laps around the block can help keep your blood sugar under control.

Stay Hydrated

When you don’t drink enough water or other fluids, you can become dehydrated. That causes the water level in your blood to drop, which makes your blood sugar more concentrated. This shift in your blood’s ratio of sugar to water will cause your blood glucose numbers to increase.

Studies have shown that dehydration makes it harder for people with diabetes to manage their blood sugar. If you have diabetes, keep in mind that feeling very thirsty can be a sign that your blood sugar levels are too high and have probably been that way for a long time.

There’s no magic number for how many glasses of water you should drink every day, but some experts say that at least four to six cups of plain water is a good daily goal for most people who are considered healthy. Drink more on hot days or when you exercise (before, during, and after if it’s a long workout). One sign that you’re not drinking enough fluids: Your pee will likely turn darker.

Try to Lose Weight

If you’re overweight or obese, losing some weight can have some important health benefits, such as lowering your risk of heart disease and other medical conditions. But losing even a small amount of weight can also help you manage your blood sugar.

Weight loss has an important effect on insulin, the hormone that allows your cells to use blood sugar for energy. Shedding some pounds helps your body use insulin more effectively, which makes your blood sugar levels go down. If you have type 2 diabetes and use medication to control your blood sugar, losing weight could allow you to lower your dose or maybe even stop taking one of your medicines.

Losing just 5% of your body weight can help you keep your blood sugar under control. Ask your doctor to help you choose a weight target and create a diet plan that you can stick with.

Manage Your Sleep

If you’re struggling with sleep, studies show that getting more rest can help you get better control of your blood sugar, whether or not you have diabetes. Simple strategies like avoiding electronics before bedtime and putting blackout shades on your windows to keep your bedroom dark can help you get better rest. But if they don’t work, talk to your doctor, who can find out if you have a sleep disorder and recommend a solution.

Take Your Medications on Time

If you use diabetes medication of any kind, the treatment your doctor recommends is designed to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range – not too high, not too low. Achieving that goal calls for you to take your medicine consistently and at the right time of day. Studies show that missing even a single dose of insulin can significantly decrease the amount of time your blood sugar is in the healthy range.

If you’re missing doses of medications that you need to keep your blood sugar under control, talk to your doctor. They can recommend ways to keep up with your treatment or possibly switch you to a medication that you’ll find easier to take.

Monitor Your Blood Sugar Levels

If you have diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar levels is of the utmost importance. Using a tool to track your “numbers” creates a track record of your blood sugar levels. Your doctor can use that data to find out if your treatment plan is working or needs to be adjusted to keep your blood sugar in the healthy range. If you have type 1 diabetes, you need to monitor your blood sugar frequently throughout the day, such as when you eat, exercise, or go to bed.

Credit: webmd.com

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