Lower Blood Sugar
Hyperglycaemia (otherwise known as “high blood sugars”) occurs when your body is unable to utilize the sugars it consumes by turning them into energy. Although it commonly happens with people who have serious condition diabetes, there can be other causes.
Hyperglycaemia can cause serious symptoms and lead to potentially dangerous complications, but the good news is that it can be tackled, with effort and a few simple lifestyle changes.
What Could Cause High Blood Sugar?
There are mainly two names of hyperglycemia that is given below:
- Fasting hyperglycemia, that is blood sugar levels more than 130mg/dL after not eating or drinking (other than plain water) for eight hours.
- Postprandial (after-meal) hyperglycemia, that is blood sugar levels above 180 mg/dL two hours after you eat.
Diabetes Medical Mystery
A diabetic can have hyperglycemia for a large number of reasons. The most common reasons are: forgetting to take your insulin or other glucose-lowering medication at the right time, eating too many carbohydrates for the amount of insulin you did take, or being less physically active than usual.
What Are The Common Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar?
There are two stages of symptoms in hyperglycemia. If you are facing a large number of the early symptoms, take notice and monitor your blood sugars, attempting to lower them if they are too high, as the later symptoms are particularly serious and uncomfortable, leading to a risk of dangerous complications. Don’t take chances with your health.
Along with blood sugars of more than 180mg/dL (130mg/dL fasting), other early symptoms include:
- Blurring vision
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Severe headaches
- Fatigue (a feeling of being weak and tired all the time)
- Unexplained weight loss
- Difficulty concentrating
Later symptoms include:
- Skin infections, particularly of the skin around the vagina
- Thrush
- Cuts and sores being slow to heal
- Cold and insensitive feet, due to nerve damage
- Erectile dysfunction in men
- Loss of pubic hair
- Weakening vision
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Damage to eyes, and kidneys
How Can I Lower My Blood Sugar Levels?
If your blood sugar levels are out of control(high), your first option should be to lower them, safely, effectively, and naturally.
Easy Ways to Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally
There are many simple ways to lower your blood sugar, and they can all fit easily into your lifestyle.
1. Ensure You’re Taking The Correct Insulin
If your blood sugar levels are consistently high, you may be taking the wrong levels of insulin for your lifestyle. Work with your specialist to ensure you’re taking enough insulin. But don’t alter your insulin levels on your own.
Taking too much insulin could lead to hypoglycemia, a potentially dangerous condition where your blood sugars go too low, potentially leading to coma.
2. Walking Exercise
A bit of gentle exercise can help lower blood sugars, and having a walk is a perfect form of gentle, blood sugar-regulating exercise that you can do without investing in expensive equipment.
Make walking a role of your lifestyle, walk the dog at sunset, and walk to get a newspaper in the morning. A thirty-minute walk a day will lower your blood sugars in a pleasant way that you can maintain long-term.
3. Drink More Water
As we discovered earlier, hyperglycemia can cause excess urination. This will leave you with the need to replace your fluids. Take over them with pure water, rather than sugared or caffeinated drinks. This will prevent dehydration while “flushing” the glucose from your blood.
4. Relax
Stress is one of the major non-food causes of hyperglycemia. So put your feet up, watch a favorite movie, and be calm. Avoid situations you know to place you under unnecessary stress. Just think, now you have the perfect excuse to not visit your mother-in-law!
What Foods And Drinks Can Help Lower My Blood Sugars?
No one food should be regarded as a magic potion. There is no any type of food that, if eaten, will instantly lower blood sugar levels, curing hyperglycemia, and leading to perfect health. There are, however, several foods that help keep blood sugar levels controlled and should be eaten regularly as part of a balanced diet.
5. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a really useful carbohydrate for diabetics and anyone seeking to control their blood sugar levels and feel fuller for longer.
It’s full of terrific slow-burning, soluble fiber to help you regulate your hunger. Because of this, it will keep your blood sugar levels stable over a long period. Have this for breakfast for slow-burning energy.
6. Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been in the news recently, found to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. But I bet you didn’t know that it could reduce your blood sugar levels. According to the collective data, found that consumption of Cinnamon lowered fasting blood glucose levels, and raised good cholesterols (HDL) while lowering bad cholesterols (LDL). So sprinkle some in your apple compote today.
Buyer beware: Saigon Cinnamon contains risky amounts of the blood-thinner Coumadin. Ceylon Cinnamon may also contain the blood-thinner. Do not consume cinnamon in large quantities.
7. Vegetables
A diet high in non-starchy vegetables (such as spinach, green beans, and broccoli) is high in fiber and low in fat, helping lower blood sugar levels and maintaining them at a healthier level. There is also value in starchy vegetables (such as potatoes and corn), however, these are higher in carbohydrates and need to be considered as part of your daily carbohydrate allowance.
A study found that 43% of patients with Type 2 Diabetes who followed a vegan diet for twenty-two weeks found an improved reaction to their diabetes-control medication.
8. Bananas
Some people think being diabetic means you can’t eat bananas anymore. However, that cheerfully-sweet fruit is a good sweet for diabetics, as it is bursting with fiber.
Bananas getting you feel fuller for longer. It contains a rich amount of vitamin C, that is against to fight disease. It also builds a strong nervous system and encourages healthy skin.
Just remember that bananas are a form of carbohydrate, so count them in your daily total.
9. Garlic
It’s a bad time to be a hyperglycaemic vampire because garlic reduces blood sugar. It may also increase the amount of insulin available for use in diabetics. It will also be wonderful for helping to lower your blood sugars.
10. Grapefruit Juice
A study found that grapefruit juice increased insulin-sensitivity and lowered blood sugar levels in mice, suggesting it may be helpful for patients with diabetes.
However, grapefruit juice can interact with several medications, so check your medication leaflets, or consult your doctor or pharmacist, before you add grapefruit juice to your diet.
11. Peanut Butter
A study found that consuming peanut butter not only leaves patients with diabetes feeling fuller for longer but also keeps blood sugars stable at a lower level throughout the day. This is true, even if the patient has a meal with a high glycaemic index for lunch.
Try adding peanut butter to toast for a healthy breakfast that will see you through until lunch, and keep your blood sugar levels stable all day.
What Foods And Drinks To Avoid?
Coffee
Unfortunately, research by Lane et al (2007) has shown that regular consumption of caffeinated coffee reduces the ability of a patient with Type 2 Diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. The same is true of other caffeinated beverages. So it may be time to trade-in your caffeinated drinks for decaffeinated alternatives and give your blood sugars a helping hand.
Milk (In Excess)
Milk contains protein, which is essential for stabilizing blood sugars and can be used in an episode of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels) to help raise and stabilize blood sugars. However, if your blood sugar levels are consistently high, look at the amount of milk you drink, as one cup contains 15 grams of carbohydrate.
Protein Bars
Protein bars claim to offer the nutritional value of a meal in a compact bar. Ignore the hype. They are, more often than not, little more than candy bars, bursting with sugar and saturated fat. To avoid appearing to have a high amount of carbohydrates. Several protein bars serve sugar alcohols, that cannot be digested. These can lead to diarrhea and bloating. It can raise your blood sugar levels.
Sugar-Free Food
Several foods labeled sugar-free will cause a spike in blood sugar levels. These foods contain a large number of carbohydrates. You can check out for sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and xylitol, which cause uncomfortable dietary symptoms and raise blood sugars.
Dried Fruits
Fruit makes for a healthy snack. But be aware that dried fruits pack a huge amount of carbohydrates into a tiny serving, and that will make your blood sugars spike. Only three dates contain 15 grams of carbohydrate, the same as one cup of milk or a 1/3 cup of pasta.
Sports Drinks
Some sports drinks contain as much sugar as a cola. It’s not necessary to drink sports drinks to replenish after a short work-out; just take a long drink of plain water.