High blood sugar takes place when insulin hormone is not produced effectively in your body. The hormone helps in regulating blood glucose which the body cells use for energy. High blood sugar level leads to diabetes.
Research has been conducted and finalized on a trusted source. About 13% of adults in the U.S. live with diabetes, while 34.5 are exposed to the disease.
This concludes that about half of the adult population succumbed to or exposed to diabetes. This means that people’s lifestyle is what matters. You can either lower your blood sugar, or you can expose yourself to it.
How to Maintain Blood Sugar Level of Your Body
Diabetes, a disease associated with a high blood sugar level in our bodies, is a lifestyle disease. That means our way of living is what determines whether we can get the disease or not.
One can be exposed to diabetes in various ways, such as poor eating habits, lack of exercise, and not checking the diet as recommended.
This means that there are certain things that you can do to ensure that your blood sugar is at the correct level. Here are some of the easy ways on how you can lower your blood sugar levels in natural ways.
1. Exercise Regularly
Exercising regularly helps you in maintaining your blood sugar level by increasing insulin sensitivity. Also, exercise ensures that you maintain your moderate weight. When your insulin has increased its sensitivity, your body cells can utilize the available glucose in your bloodstream.
Exercise also ensures that your muscle utilizes blood glucose and muscle contraction. If you have issues concerning your blood sugar level, you should be checking your sugar levels in a systematic way. This enables you to learn how to maintain your sugar levels from too low or too high.
2. Manage Your Carb Intake
When exercising, your body breaks carbs down into glucose, enabling insulin to facilitate your body usage and stores the sugar for energy use. Consuming too many carbs may lead to problems associated with insulin function, which can lead to a rise in glucose levels.
It is recommended to manage carb intake by counting them and know how many you require. This method can help you in planning your meals correctly and improving your blood sugar supervision. This will help in lowering your blood sugar level.
3. Increase Your Fiber Intake
Fiber slows sugar absorption by slowing carb digestion. It, therefore, leads to a steady rise in blood sugar levels. The type of fiber you consume either insoluble or soluble plays a role in blood sugar level. Both of the fibers are important, but soluble one has indicated on improving blood sugar.
Food rich in fiber helps in managing diabetes in improving the regulation of blood sugar. Therefore, you are recommended to take about 14 grams for 1000 calories daily. Your blood sugar level will be at a constant level.
4. Drink Water and Stay Hydrated
Consuming many glasses of water helps you maintain your blood sugar levels within health standards. Apart from helping in preventing dehydration, water helps your kidneys flush out excess glucose via urine. Those who drink more water have a lower risk of developing high blood sugar levels.
Drinking water regularly helps in rehydration of the blood, lowering blood sugar and hence reducing diabetes risk. Also, non-caloric drinks are the best. Sugary drinks raise blood glucose, exposing you to gaining weight, thus increasing diabetes risk, drinking a lot of water, and obtaining normal blood sugar levels.
5. Implement Portion Control
Portion control in humans helps in regulating the intake of calories and helps in maintaining a sensible weight. When you manage your weight, you are promoting healthy levels of blood sugar. You will also be reducing the risk of developing the two types of diabetes, thus attaining an average blood sugar level.
Supervising your serving sizes will also help you minimize calorie intake and successive blood sugar spikes. You can weigh and measure portions, avoid eating any food in the restaurant, and use smaller-sized plates, among many others. Practice them and be assured of having normal blood sugar levels.
6. Select Foods With A Low Glycemic Index
The Glycemic index instrument is used in measuring how we digest foods or absorb them, which usually affects sugar levels. Type and amount of carbs decide on how provisions influence blood sugar level.
Those with diabetes are advised to consume low-glycemic food.
The quantity of carbs also matters. It’s essential to select foods that are low in glycemic index and supervise the overall carb consumption.
7. Manage On Your Stress Levels
Stress dramatically affects the blood sugar level in your bloodstream. Cortisol and glucagon hormones are secreted during stress and pressure. The hormones influence sugar levels to rise. Relaxing and doing exercise dramatically reduces stress and lowers levels of blood sugar.
Relaxation and exercise-like methods help reduce stress and correct the secretion of insulin hormone in chronic diabetes. So, it’s advisable that you engage in various exercises and relax your mind to help you balance sugar levels.
8. Get Enough Quality Sleep
Having enough sleep feels brilliant and is essential for good health. Improper sleeping habits and inadequate rest also influences blood sugar level and insulin hormone sensitivity. They can boost your appetite and lead to weight gain.
Enough sleep is facilitated by quality and quantity. It is advised that it’s good for you and anyone else to have a top-quality sleep every night. Enough sleep every night helps in maintaining your sugar levels in the bloodstream and encourages a healthy weight. When you have poor sleep, critical metabolic hormones can be disrupted.
Why Is It Important to Maintain Blood Sugar?
Maintaining blood sugar levels within a healthy range is crucial for overall health and well-being, as it plays a vital role in various bodily functions and metabolic processes. Here’s why maintaining blood sugar levels is important:
1. Energy Production:
Blood sugar serves as the primary source of energy for cells, providing fuel for metabolism, cellular respiration, and ATP production.
Glucose is transported into cells and converted into energy through a series of biochemical reactions, powering essential processes such as cellular growth, repair, and maintenance.
Maintaining stable blood sugar levels ensures a steady supply of energy to cells, promoting optimal physical and cognitive function throughout the day.
2. Brain Function:
The brain relies heavily on glucose as its primary fuel source, accounting for approximately 20% of total energy expenditure at rest. Stable blood sugar levels are essential for supporting cognitive function, memory, concentration, and mood regulation. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels, such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), can impair brain function, leading to symptoms such as confusion, irritability, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.
3. Regulation of Hormones:
Blood sugar levels are tightly regulated by hormones such as insulin and glucagon, produced by the pancreas in response to changes in blood glucose levels. Insulin helps lower blood sugar levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells, where it can be used for energy or stored for later use.
Glucagon helps raise blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of stored glucose from the liver when blood sugar levels are low. Maintaining proper hormonal balance is essential for regulating blood sugar levels and preventing fluctuations that can lead to health complications.
4. Prevention of Diabetes:
Persistent high blood sugar levels, known as hyperglycemia, can lead to the development of diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by impaired insulin function and elevated blood glucose levels.
Diabetes is associated with a range of complications, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, vision loss, and poor wound healing.
By maintaining healthy blood sugar levels through lifestyle modifications, dietary choices, and medication management, individuals can reduce their risk of developing diabetes and its associated complications.
5. Weight Management:
Stable blood sugar levels play a key role in regulating appetite, hunger, and satiety signals, which can impact weight management and body composition. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels can trigger cravings for sugary or high-calorie foods, leading to overeating and weight gain. By stabilizing blood sugar levels through balanced meals, portion control, and mindful eating practices, individuals can better regulate their appetite and energy intake, supporting healthy weight management and metabolic health.
6. Prevention of Complications:
Chronic fluctuations in blood sugar levels, particularly prolonged hyperglycemia, can lead to a range of health complications, including cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, vision problems, and impaired wound healing. By maintaining stable blood sugar levels, individuals can reduce their risk of developing these complications and improve their overall health and quality of life.
Conclusion
If you want to keep your blood sugar at an optimum level and ensure it remains stable. Then there are certain things that you need to adjust on. Generally, check on your lifestyle from your eating habits, physical exercise, and even sleeping. The most important thing is to have an average blood sugar level.
