Tips to Control Blood Glucose Levels
If you have diabetes, then you probably have a hard time living a normal life. You have to monitor your blood glucose levels from time to time and make sure that it is under control. What you eat, what you do not eat, how active you are in your daily life, and many such factors play a role in controlling blood glucose levels. When you have control over all these factors, you will be able to lead a healthy life.
There are numerous tips that can help in controlling blood glucose, and these can make your life better as well. Here are some of them:
Exercise regularly
Regular exercise can help you stay fit by aiding with weight loss. It will also increase insulin sensitivity. Thus, your body will be able to use the sugar in the bloodstream in a much better way. Also, a workout will make the muscles use the sugar in the body for muscle strengthening and to produce energy. Brisk walking, dancing, running, swimming or hiking are some forms of regular exercise.
Swap your regular food with healthy food
By replacing your regular food with some healthy food items, you can bring a difference to your health. There are several simple ways to do this like swapping foods made with white flour like white pasta or white bread with whole grain bread and pasta. Make sure that you add food that is low in GI. If you do not like eating such food, then at least try to add one such item to your diet every day.
Eat small meals
Your blood glucose levels will remain stable if you spread your meals and snacks evenly throughout the day. Instead of having three large meals per day, try to reduce the quantity per meal and eat multiple times through the day. Many people who have diabetes find this advantageous.
Add barley to the diet
Barley has a mixture of some dietary fibers that help in controlling the blood glucose levels. It curbs the appetite as well. There are other advantages to taking barley on a regular basis such as a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Whole fruits over juice
Many people prefer drinking juices over eating fruits. However, that is not the right choice to make if you want to control your blood glucose levels. Processed fruit juices contain more sugar and calories. So, always try to eat fruits.
Vitamin D
When you see a doctor, most of them check your vitamin D levels as that can affect the risk of diabetes. If you are taking vitamin D supplements, then your risk of developing diabetes goes down. According to a study, many prediabetics found that Vitamin D supplements helped them a lot.
Control the intake of carbohydrates
When you eat food that has a high quantity of carbs, you should remember that your body breaks down these carbs into sugar. The sugar moves into the cells with the help of insulin. Therefore, when you eat food that contains more carbs, the risk of high blood glucose levels increases. So, it is always good to maintain a low carb diet to maintain regular blood sugar levels.
Stay hydrated
One of the best tips for any kind of health issue is ensuring adequate hydration. Dehydration can raise the risk of several problems. If you drink enough water in a day, you can gain better control over your blood glucose levels because the kidney will make sure to flush out the extra sugar from the body through urine.
Monitor glucose levels regularly
Many people will give this tip to patients diagnosed with the problem of diabetes. It is always good to monitor the blood glucose levels from time to time, even if you are taking good care of your health and diet. It is not easy to predict what causes the rise in the blood glucose levels, and hence monitoring glucose levels can help you. You will understand what foods you can take and which ones you should avoid.
Get enough sleep
It is extremely important for a person with any health issue to get adequate rest. If you are unable to sleep enough, your body will not be ready to perform in a regular way for the next day. In that case, you will have to face the problem of a rise in your blood glucose levels. Moreover, people tend to get stressed more easily when they don’t get enough rest.
These are just some simple tips that can help a person control their blood glucose levels and enjoy a normal life as anyone else does. By following these tips, one can improve their overall health as well.