5 Simple Tips On Managing Your Blood Sugar
Because of the modern diet, more and more people are struggling to manage their blood sugar. This has resulted in a whopping one out of 10 people in the United States suffering from diabetes, with many not even knowing that they have the illness. If you have diabetes, fear that you might have it, or want to prevent yourself from ever getting that diagnosis, you want to get a handle on your blood sugar immediately. To do so, here are five tips proven by time and science that will help you live your best life, diabetes free.
5. Get More Fiber
More than any other nutrient, fiber is the best way to manage your blood sugar. Fiber is not broken down by the body, meaning that you won’t experience a lot of spikes or crashes in your blood sugar. Carbohydrates will have the opposite effect, so make sure you’re sticking to a high fiber and low carbohydrate diet. Soluble fiber is the best type for this, including beans, nuts, oatmeal and apples.
4. Drink Up
Every doctor in the world will tell you that you need to be drinking more water than you are (unless you’re one of those rare people that’s overhydrated). It’s tempting to reach for a soda, but if you really want to manage your blood sugar you’ll skip those (including diet sodas) and go straight for the water. Hydration leads to a reduced risk in blood sugar spikes, so try to get around 3+ liters of water per day.
3. Sleep Easy
Sleep is one of the pillars of overall health, and for good reason. Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night helps your body in just about every way possible. This includes managing your blood sugar. Studies have shown that those that get just one night of little to no sleep leads to an increase in insulin resistance. If this goes on for too long, your blood sugar increases and can cause diabetes.
2. Exercise Regularly
Believe it or not, there are many that have been able to reach professional levels of athletics while managing diabetes. This includes former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler who would check his blood sugar during games. When you exercise, your body increases your cells’ insulin sensitivity while your muscles absorb blood sugar. It’s best to start small with a regular walking schedule and you can work your way up from there.
1. Stick to the Eating Schedule
Many of us tend to eat at sporadic times of the day, but it’s best to stick to a consistent eating schedule when you’re managing your blood sugar. Science shows that when you’re eating the same amount at the same time every day, you’re going to balance your blood sugar throughout the day. This is especially true when it comes to carbohydrates. Try to keep your meals on the smaller side and measure your portions so that you’re sticking to a good regimen. It may be hard to adjust at first and there will be days where things aren’t perfect, but it’s worth it in the long run.