It’s very important to keep your blood sugar levels within the acceptable range as much as possible. You ought to do so because a perfect blood sugar level helps to prevent long-term, serious health problems, like heart diseases, vision loss, and kidney ailments.
High blood sugar is technically known as hyperglycemia and it is associated with diabetic and prediabetic conditions.
Naturally, the human body controls blood sugar levels by producing insulin; a hormone that allows your cells to use the circulating sugar in your blood. But you can also engage external activities to lower your blood sugar levels.
In today’s article, we would talk about 10 ways you can lower blood sugar levels naturally.
Manage your intake of carbohydrates
Carbohydrate is a major contributor to blood sugar levels. It is broken down by your body to produce glucose; which your body through insulins either stores or uses.
When you eat too many carbohydrates or have insulin-function problems, blood glucose levels can rise. You must therefore plan your meals well in order to properly manage your blood sugar levels.
Prioritizing whole grains over processed carbs provides greater nutritional value while helping decrease your blood sugar levels.
Exercise regularly
Exercising regularly can help you maintain a moderate weight which helps you to increase insulin sensitivity.
Exercise helps your muscles use blood sugar for energy and muscle contraction which means your cells can effectively use sugars available in your bloodstream.
Some useful exercises you can engage in are; weightlifting, brisk walking, running, biking, dancing, hiking, and swimming. You must however note that it is not necessary to keep longer hours to exercising. You can simply host short sessions of about 10 minutes, three times daily.
Drink water and stay hydrated
You can keep your blood sugar levels within a healthy zone simply by drinking a lot of water. This helps your kidneys to flush out any excess sugar through urine.
You must also endeavor not to take in drinks that have calories as you opt for water. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages, as these can raise blood sugar, drive weight gain, and increase diabetes risk.
Choose foods with a low glycemic index
Choose foods with a low glycemic index (GI) and monitor your overall carbohydrate intake. Glycemic index (GI) is simply the measure of how quickly carbohydrates break down during digestion and how your body rapidly absorbs them.
Foods lower in glycemic are oats, beans, lentils, legumes, and non-starchy vegetables. You can rather opt for protein or healthy fats dishes as they help minimize blood sugar spikes.
Eat foods rich in chromium and magnesium
Chromium has been scientifically ascertained as a complement to insulin activities, thus it can help in blood sugar levels management. The following foods are rich in chromium; meats, whole grain products, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
Also foods like avocados, tuna, dark leafy greens, squash and pumpkin seeds which are rich in magnesium may lead to insulin resistance and decreased glucose tolerance in people with diabetes.
Monitor your blood sugar levels
You can keep your blood sugar level in check by monitoring glucose levels. This can be done by using a portable blood glucose meter, which is known as a glucometer.
Some benefits of keeping track of your blood sugar level are; helping you determine whether there is a need to adjust your meals or medications and enabling you learn how your body reacts to certain foods
There are several ways available for monitoring your sugar level, for example; you can check your sugar levels regularly every day and keep track of the numbers in a log. Also, you can track your blood sugar in pairs — for example, before and after exercise or before and 2 hours after a meal.
There are severals ways you can adopt to manage your blood sugar levels naturally however, remember to see your doctor for regular check-ups and treatment.