4 Ways to Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Blood sugar, as you might already know, is raised by glucose which we acquire from eating various kinds of carbohydrate-containing food. While it’s perceived that healthy blood sugar levels depend on the number of added sugar and carbohydrates one consumes, there are other factors that play a role as well. For instance, the meal timings can have an effect on the way the body manages levels of blood sugar.
What is a healthy blood sugar level?
To properly maintain your body’s levels of blood sugar you need to understand what’s meant by ‘healthy’ levels. What doctors consider a healthy blood sugar level depends on the medical history as well as the last time you had a meal or the last time you exercised. Blood sugar levels are measured in milligram of sugar per dL of blood. The measurements of blood sugar are usually taken in the morning after you’ve refrained from eating throughout the night.
If you’re a healthy person and haven’t had anything to eat in the last eight hours, then the blood glucose monitor must show a reading between 70 mg/dL to 99 mg/dL. On the other hand, if you’ve had something to eat in the last two hours, then your normal blood sugar level will be somewhere below 140 mg/dL.
How to maintain healthy blood sugar levels?
One can enjoy healthy levels of blood sugar by ensuring a low-processed, balanced diet coupled with exercise and maintaining the essential hormones of the body. Problems with blood sugar levels don’t just occur overnight. Plus, as the levels of the body’s blood sugar rise, the risk of developing diabetes as well as the chance of ending up with coronary heart disease also increases. Knowing how to properly maintain such healthy levels can also help with increasing the efficiency of any diabetic medication you might already be taking.
Following are the things that you can practice to make sure your blood sugar levels stay in a healthy range. While making some of the following changes might be difficult, but doing so will decrease the chances of you being at risk of certain diseases. Also, make sure that you have a blood glucose monitor handy to keep track of your levels.
1. Don’t stop taking every form of sugar!
Your diet must be an anti-inflammatory, low-processed diet since it’s the key to managing blood sugar. It’s also crucial for treating and preventing diabetes. Of course, this doesn’t imply that you should completely stop taking any form of sugar or carbohydrate in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels. However, you do need to balance the sugars (which you consume) out.
For this reason, your diet must include proteins and fat, and your primary focus should be to get both of them from real whole foods. Taking healthy fats, fiber, and protein with your meals can help to stabilize levels of blood sugar when you consume carbohydrates. These foods slow down the absorption of sugar in the blood, help manage overall appetite and are vital for digestion as well.
2. Refined sweeteners and carbohydrates? Say no to!
All kinds of added sugar have the ability to raise the levels of blood sugar; however, there are a few sources of carbohydrates that affect the levels blood glucose more than the others do. When natural or refined sugar, particularly organic sugar resources like sugar from raw honey or fruit are used sparingly in the appropriate amount, they’re less likely to cause an adverse effect.
On the other hand, refined sugars such as those from refined products made of bleached white flour or white cane sugar will contribute more to the poor management of blood sugar. To make sure that your blood sugar stays normal, you must check the list of ingredients thoroughly as sugar is often listed under many different names.
3. Be ready to break a sweat
The National Diabetes Association states that exercise has the ability to manage a body’s blood sugar in a couple of ways. For instance, short-term exercise helps the cells in the muscles take up an increasing amount of glucose which is then used for tissue repair and energy. As a result, blood sugar is also lowered. Meanwhile, long-term exercise makes the cells increasingly responsive to insulin.
Doing about half an hour or an hour of exercise on a regular basis such as lifting weights, swimming, cycling, and running can be quite beneficial. It can help lower inflammation, balance hormones, improve immunity, and manage stress. Exercise also helps to increase insulin sensitivity, and as a result, the cells are able to use the said insulin for taking up glucose both during and after exercise in an efficient manner.
4. Catch those proper Z’s!
Getting enough rest is vital for managing a body’s hormonal levels, following healthy habits, and maintaining a positive view of life. Since metabolic processes and sleep are linked in many ways, lack of sleep leads to a rise in the levels of appetite and stress hormones. Thus, it becomes tough to avoid refined grain products, caffeine overdose, and sugary snacks.
Research suggests that when our natural circadian rhythms are disturbed, they can raise blood glucose or increase the risk of diabetes. Sleeping at the wrong time, not sleeping enough, or getting poor quality sleep can all impair insulin secretion. Set up a sleep schedule. You must aim to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night and try to stick to a sleep/wake schedule to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
BONUS
One other way you can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels is with medication prescribed by your doctor. If they feel you require medication then they may prescribe you one of the following medications:
Check with your doctor to see if medication is the right option for you.
Wrapping it up
Knowing how to properly maintain healthy blood sugar levels can help you a lot in living a healthier life. As mentioned, keep a reliable blood sugar monitor close by. Welcoming all four changes might take time. So, be patient and understand that your determination is what’ll change your life for the better.
Sources:
- http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/how-maintain-healthy-blood-sugar
- https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/healthy-blood-sugar-levels/
- https://draxe.com/normal-blood-sugar/
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
