Pre-diabetes and diabetes are diseases that are growing rapidly and attacking the community. For those of you who experience this disease, it is a challenge to control blood sugar levels to remain normal. This disorder over the last few decades has plagued many Americans and other countries. One of the causes is genetics and an unhealthy lifestyle. In fact, the progression of the disease is said to have reached epidemic proportions and this causes serious side effects such as fatigue, nerve damage, vision loss, arterial damage and can lead to weight gain.
Increased blood sugar that is maintained for the long term can cause people with pre-diabetes to develop severe diabetes. Now severe diabetes has affected 1 in 3 adults in America. Even for those who are not at high risk of diabetes and heart attacks, if they do not control their blood sugar properly, it can cause fatigue, sugar cravings, weight gain. If someone is already extreme with blood sugar, this is very dangerous because it can cause stroke, amputation, coma and even death. This is what happens to someone with insulin resistance.
Sugar becomes high in the bloodstream due to glucose. Glucose is a type of sugar found in a variety of sugary foods that contain carbohydrates. Indeed we usually assume that normal blood sugar is very dependent on how much the amount of carbohydrates we consume, but other factors also play a role in this. For example: Stress can increase cortisol levels and this interferes with insulin, then mealtimes, it can also affect the way the body manages blood sugar.
What can we do to lower blood sugar and avoid dangerous changes in blood sugar. Balanced blood sugar levels will be influenced by a balanced diet, low processed diet, and regular exercise to be able to manage the most important hormones, and next is getting enough sleep and not keeping your soul from stress.
The key to healthy is in your hands, how you consume food and prevent it. So know what foods cause blood sugar spikes, avoid these foods. Any foods that can aggravate diabetes, then limit these foods. So, limit yourself in consuming foods, especially foods rich in carbohydrates and glucose.
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How to Keep Normal Blood Sugar
Our daily activities can be the best way to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels and can maintain our health. This is very simple to do or to maintain blood sugar levels. But sometimes it becomes difficult, especially if you think this is difficult to do.
Even small changes in our daily diet, such as our exercise, diet or sleep schedule, can have a big impact on blood sugar changes or changes. Below are some of the best ways that can help you maintain normal blood sugar levels for the rest of your life.
Our daily activities can be the best way to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels and can maintain our health. This is very simple to do or to maintain blood sugar levels. But sometimes it becomes difficult, especially if you think this is difficult to do.
Even small changes in our daily diet, such as our exercise, diet or sleep schedule, can have a big impact on blood sugar changes or changes. Below are some of the best ways that can help you maintain normal blood sugar levels for the rest of your life.
1. Eat a Low-Processed, anti-inflammatory diet
A healthy diet is very important to maintain health, including controlling blood sugar or diabetes. This does not mean you have to stop consuming carbohydrates or sugar. It’s just that you need to balance protein and fat, and focus on getting it from whole foods and real foods.
It is said that the keto diet can prevent the release of too much insulin after you eat, and this can help keep blood sugar levels normal.
Consuming sources of fiber, protein, healthy fats, you can make your blood sugar stable. Especially when you consume carbohydrates, for example you eat starchy vegetables such as potatoes, fruit or whole grains, this can slow the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream. This means that it can regulate your appetite, besides that food like this is also important for the body’s metabolism and digestion.
There are a number of high-protein foods that can manage your blood sugar. Among these foods are: Chicken eggs, salmon, wild fish, beef, grass-fed lamb, and dairy products such as yogurt, raw cheese and kefir. This includes birds raised in pastures.
While healthy fats that can stabilize blood sugar are virgin coconut oil, MCT oil, extra virgin oil, nuts and seeds. Among the grains include almonds, flax, chia and hemp, and avocado. Ghee, coconut oil, and butter are food groups that can burn fat as well. These foods will manage blood glucose levels and give a good taste to the quality of your food.
Then there are high-fiber foods that are good for keeping blood sugar normal, including: whole fruit, fresh vegetables, peas, sprouts. Among the high-fiber foods we really like are artichokes, chia seeds, leafy greens, flax-seeds, pumpkin seeds, apples, avocados, sweet potatoes and almonds. It is a high fiber food which is good for diabetics.
An article published in Diabetic Living magazine, among other foods that make great additions to a blood sugar-lowering diet are apple cider vinegar, green tea, cinnamon, fresh herbs, herbal teas, and herbs.
2. Replace your carbohydrates and sweeteners
Adding different types of sugar can cause blood sugar to rise. Some sources of carbohydrates and sugar are very strong in influencing blood glucose. But when you use the right amount and sparingly, impure natural sources of sugar such as those from fruit or honey are less likely to contribute to blood sugar control. This is like white cane sugar, or the products of these white sugars.
Well, to be able to help you in maintaining normal blood sugar levels, then try to check the label carefully. The name of sugar on the label sometimes varies because sugar can be made with various names to disguise the user.
Do not use or consume any food made with refined or wheat flour, as well as added sugar. For example beets, cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose and fructose.
Replace these sugary foods with some healthier options like raw honey, organic stevia, dates, pure natural maple syrup and blackstrap molasses. You can use sweet ingredients as a substitute for artificial sweeteners in the food you want to sweeten.
Well, the most important thing is also related to portions, try to only use a little natural sweetener per day. You can use one or three teaspoons per day.
When it comes to grains, not all of them are healthy, especially grains that have been processed by adding sugar, carbohydrates, fat or using artificial preservatives and sweeteners. So, healthy grains are grains that are consumed in whole form, not in the form of flour. Foods from flour can increase your blood sugar even more. Well, if you have to choose flour, then choose flour that is 100% made from whole grains. Do not use coconut flour, or almond flour.
While drinks, you should consume to maintain blood sugar is to only consume healthy. Healthy drinks such as water, herbal tea, seltzer, coffee and black tea. Coffee is great for health as long as it is consumed in moderate amounts. The ideal amount of coffee is a cup a day or two. This is healthier than you consume drinks such as juices, sodas or sugary drinks.
For those of you who love drunkenness, you need to know that drinking alcohol can increase blood sugar. Especially if you consume alcoholic beverages that already contain sweeteners such as liqueurs, sherries, mixed drinks with juice and ciders).
3. Exercise regularly
You must already know that exercise has many benefits. According to the National Diabetes Association, regular exercise can regulate blood sugar. Short-term exercise helps muscle cells to take in more glucose so that it leaves the blood or does not enter the blood vessels. Long-term exercise can also make cells more active and responsive to insulin and this will prevent insulin resistance.
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Exercising about 30 to 60 per day is very helpful in regulating your blood sugar to remain normal. You can do sports such as running, cycling, swimming, lifting weights. These are all simple ways that are great for their effect on inflammation, can manage stress and can boost immunity and balance hormones. Insulin is more sensitive, so your cells are better able to use insulin optimally and take up glucose during your activities.
4. Manage stress
One of the important things to keep blood sugar normal is to control stress levels. If you experience excessive stress, blood sugar levels can spike, this happens because of the release of a stress hormone called cortisol. Stress affects hormones in everyone’s body and this is not only bad in increasing blood sugar levels but also increases our desire to consume more food and this also often interferes with the quality of our sleep.
This unstoppable stress makes a person unable to regulate the pattern of his life. He will tend to eat the desired food without control such as drinking alcohol, sweet snacks, leaving sports and so on. This is a bad habit that occurs as a result of not being able to control stress, and as a result a person will gain weight.
Research shows that exercise is a positive activity that can reduce stress levels. Among the exercises that are beneficial for reducing stress are yoga, meditation, and the use of essential oils that can calm the body (lavender oil, frankincense oil, and rose essential oil). All types of these oils are beneficial for those with insulin resistance such as diabetics.
Another way to relax and de-stress is to spend more time outdoors, join your community groups, and spend more time with your family and friends.
5. Get enough rest
Adequate rest is very important for a healthy life, it is important to maintain a healthy life and manage hormones. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 35% of Americans don’t get enough rest, they get less than 7 hours or 9 hours. This increases the risk of various health problems including an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Lack of sleep can also increase appetite and increase stress hormones. This makes it harder for you to cancel snacks, eat refined grains and drink more caffeine.
Sleep is an important activity for our body and it is related to the body’s metabolism. Research shows that lack of sleep can cause the body’s circadian rhythm to trigger glucose, high blood pressure, and diabetes risk. It can also interfere with your insulin.
Also see: 5 Best Sugar-Free Hot Chocolate Mixes
To balance the body’s hormones, we must get enough sleep at least 7 to 9 hours every night. This will prevent stress hormones and can increase your energy for exercise and can start your day healthy and fun.
How Does the Body Regulate Blood Sugar Levels
People who tend to experience abnormal blood sugar levels are:
- Those with prediabetes or diabetes
- Those who consume unhealthy foods, foods high in sugar, refined grains, and packaged foods.
- Those who skip meals or don’t eat enough.
- People who do not eat during exercise (around exercise time), before and after exercise.
- Those who do not get enough rest and live with high levels of chronic stress.
- Pregnant women who are at risk of developing gestational diabetes.
- Those with a history of insulin resistance/diabetes in their family.
If we pay attention, our daily diet is very influential on our blood sugar levels. Let us note, the food we eat all the time does not come out of the three groups.
These three groups are: Carbohydrates (sugars and starches), fats and proteins. The fat we eat does not affect blood sugar, but carbohydrates and a little protein do affect blood sugar. The carbohydrates from what we eat and some of the protein are converted into glucose, this provides energy to cells and provides fuel for most body functions.
Glucose needs insulin to be brought into cells, this insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas and is very important in controlling blood sugar. Well, when we eat carbohydrates and protein, blood sugar rises, and this will increase the body to be able to produce more insulin to be able to return the situation to normal (normal blood sugar). This is by delivering glucose to the cells. Insulin levels rise and fall according to our diet and this is also influenced by levels of other hormones such as cortisol.
People with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes, the cells in their bodies stop responding to insulin as they should. This means that the work process to normalize sugar as above has been damaged. It could be two things, it could be because there is not enough insulin produced by the pancreas or the cells no longer respond to insulin normally (this is called insulin resistance). This is where lifestyle and daily diet are very important to determine how to maintain normal body health.
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When do problems with maintaining blood sugar arise?
The way insulin works is not as it should be, beta cells in the pancreas no longer react to changes in normal blood sugar and too little insulin is produced. This will make blood sugar levels higher.
When blood sugar levels are not controlled and not managed, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia will occur. This is what is known as blood sugar rising more than normal or dropping drastically. This will cause many side effects on the body such as fatigue, cravings, changes in blood pressure, weight gain or loss, nervousness and can cause nerve damage.
Cells stop receiving energy, this is because insulin is no longer doing its job properly. At the same time blood sugar levels can become high, this can damage the kidneys, heart, nerves and arteries and in turn lead to poor and dangerous health.
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What’s Considered Normal Blood Sugar?
How to say that a person’s blood sugar is normal? This actually depends on your medical history. Including if you have diabetes, when was the last time you ate, and exercised. How to measure blood sugar is from milligrams of sugar per dl of blood. Blood sugar measurement is often done in the morning after you have fasted all night.
Measurement of blood sugar levels is considered healthy and normal according to health authorities including the American Diabetes Association:
- If you are generally healthy (no diabetes) and you haven’t eaten anything in the last 8 hours, then your normal blood sugar is between 70–99 mg/dL (less than 100 mg/dL).
- However, if you are healthy and have eaten in the last two hours, your normal blood sugar is less than 140 mg/dL.
- If you have a history of diabetes, your fasting glucose should ideally be below 100 mg/DL, and may need to be managed with insulin. Also considered healthy if you have a sugar level between 70-130 prior to eating.
- If you have diabetes and have eaten in the last two hours, then your target blood sugar is below 180 mg/dL.
- If you have diabetes, you want to keep your blood sugar level between 100-140 mg/dl before bed and 100 mg/dl before exercising.
Symptoms of High/Low Blood Sugar
There is no need to measure blood sugar levels, there are certain clues that can indicate that you are having abnormal blood sugar. How do you know if you can’t manage your blood sugar levels throughout the day? There are signs and symptoms that are common when your sugar levels are abnormal. These common symptoms should not be ignored and can be a sign that you are diabetic, and fluctuating blood sugar levels include:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome, low energy levels
- Craving for sugar and carbohydrates
- Excessive thirst
- Weight fluctuations, and weight loss
- Increased urination
- Nervousness, restlessness, mood swings
- Vision is getting worse and blurry
- Slow to heal wounds, bruises and dryness
- Frequent infections
- Difficult to exercise and heavy breathing, and
- Tension headaches.
Important things for diabetics
In order to achieve normal blood sugar levels and maintain them, it is your duty to eat an anti-inflammatory diet, and this includes protein foods, contains healthy fats, high fiber, and replaces your carbohydrates and sweeteners.
Also avoid refined flour, and use natural sweeteners in moderation in your various foods and drinks. Exercise regularly, manage stress and avoid anything that can cause you stress and get enough rest because adequate rest for 8 hours can make our health stable and optimal organ performance.
