1. Pay attention to your blood sugar levels:
Blood glucose levels can be tracked to aid in better control.
Keep track of your meals and prescriptions to see if they need to be modified. It also helps you learn how your body reacts to different foods.
Attempt to track your levels daily and keep a log of your findings. It may also be more advantageous to track your blood sugar in pairs, such as before and after exercise or two hours after a meal.
This can inform you whether you should make minor changes to a meal if it raises your blood sugar rather than completely avoid your favorite foods if your blood sugar rises. Some changes include substituting non-starchy vegetables for starchy ones or limiting them to a handful.
2. Get a good night's sleep:
Sleeping enough feels great and is essential for healthy health.
In reality, poor sleeping patterns and a lack of rest can have an impact on blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, raising the risk of type 2 diabetes. They can also make you hungry and make you acquire weight.
Furthermore, sleep deprivation boosts cortisol levels, which, as previously stated, plays an important role in blood sugar regulation.
A good night's sleep entails both quantity and quality. Adults should receive at least 7–8 hours of high-quality sleep per night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Try these tips to improve the quality of your sleep:
-stick to a sleep schedule
-engage in frequent physical activity
-reduce screen time before bedtime
-Keep your bedroom at a comfortable temperature.
-reduce the number of naps you take
-Establish a bedtime ritual
-Use relaxing and soothing smells like lavender
-Avoid working in your bedroom if at all possible.
-Before going to bed, take a warm bath or shower.
-Try guided visualization or meditation.
3. Consume chromium and magnesium-rich foods:
Micronutrient deficiencies have been linked to high blood sugar levels and diabetes. Mineral deficiencies such as chromium and magnesium are two examples.
Chromium is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats may help control blood sugar levels by amplifying the effects of insulin.
Foods high in chromium include:
-meats
-products made from whole grains
-fruit
-vegetables
-nuts
However, the mechanisms underlying this suggested link are unknown, and investigations have produced inconsistent results As a result, additional research is required.
Magnesium has also been demonstrated to help regulate blood sugar. In fact, eating a magnesium-rich diet has been linked to a lower incidence of diabetes.
Low magnesium levels, on the other hand, have been linked to insulin resistance and poor glucose tolerance in diabetics.
However, if you currently eat a lot of magnesium-rich foods and have acceptable blood magnesium levels, taking magnesium supplements is unlikely to help you.
Magnesium-rich foods include the following:
-leafy dark greens
-pumpkin and squash seeds
-tuna
-complete grains
-cocoa powder
-bananas
-avocados
-beans
4. Include the following things in your diet:
Medicinal properties have been discovered in a variety of foods and plants.
However, due to a lack of human research and small sample numbers, the overall quality of evidence on these components is low. As a result, no firm recommendations can be given about their use.
Among the foods said to offer anti-diabetes properties include.
Vinegar is made from apple cider. This substance may lower blood sugar levels by slowing the emptying of your stomach after a meal, according to a previous study.
Cinnamon. This spice may help lower blood sugar levels by improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing carbohydrate digestion in the intestine. This helps to keep blood sugar levels in check after a meal.
However, more research is required.
Berberine. According to research, this compound lowers blood sugar by stimulating the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, promoting the use of sugar by your tissues, and increasing insulin production.
Fenugreek seeds are a type of fenugreek. Because of their high fiber content, these seeds may help with blood sugar management by delaying stomach emptying and so preventing blood sugar spikes.
If you're already on blood-sugar-lowering drugs, talk to your doctor before adding any of these foods to your diet, as some herbal supplements may interact poorly with them.
5. Maintain a healthy body weight:
Maintaining a healthy weight helps to keep blood sugar levels in check and lowers your risk of developing diabetes.
Being overweight is one of the primary causes of insulin resistance, which hinders the blood sugar-lowering hormone from working properly, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
6. Increase the frequency with which you consume healthy snacks:
You can avoid both high and low blood sugar levels by spreading your meals and snacks throughout the day.
Snacking in between meals may also help you avoid developing type 2 diabetes.
Several studies have found that eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day improves insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar levels.
Furthermore, eating smaller meals and healthier snacks throughout the day may lower glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, showing blood sugar level improvements during the past three months.
If you have diabetes and aren't sure what to eat in between meals, check out this article on snack suggestions.
7. Consume foods that are high in probiotics:
Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that have a variety of health benefits, including better blood sugar control.
In persons with type 2 diabetes, probiotics have been shown to lower fasting blood sugar, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and insulin resistance.
Surprisingly, studies have discovered that those who drink different species of probiotics for at least 8 weeks had a greater improvement in blood sugar levels.
8. Obtain Higher-Quality Shuteye
Poor or insufficient sleep has an impact on body chemistry, and getting more sleep helps with blood sugar regulation, according to Weisenberger. According to a small study published in Diabetologia in February 2015, chronic lack of sleep may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers discovered that healthy individuals who slept for only four hours three nights in a row had greater amounts of fatty acids in their blood, which lowered insulin's capacity to regulate blood sugar by roughly 23%. According to Harvard Medical School's Division of Sleep Medicine, a lack of sleep is linked to numerous health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
Aim for seven to nine hours of unbroken sleep per night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
Do you have difficulties sleeping? Follow the National Sleep Foundation's recommendations:
-Sleep in a quiet, cool room.
-Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine in the hours leading up to bedtime.
-At least a half-hour before night, avoid all screens, including TV, iPads, cell phones, and computers.
9. Shed a Pound or Two
Being overweight is one of the primary causes of insulin resistance, which hinders the blood sugar-lowering hormone from working properly, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Your weight-loss objectives don't have to be lofty. According to Weisenberger, several of her patients have observed changes in blood glucose readings after losing just five pounds. It's logical: Weight loss of 5 to 10% of body weight enhanced insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, according to a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.