Living with diabetes, hypertension or any other chronic disease requires you to do multiple things – track vitals, take medicines & stay on top of your health at all times. If this overwhelms you, switch to Phable – India’s No. 1 BP & Sugar Management App to manage your condition better. Take charge of your health and stay connected with doctors, order medicines and do a whole lot more from the comfort of your home.
Glucose is a naturally occurring sugar in human blood. A sufficient supply of blood sugar supplies energy to the body’s cells and organs. Hyperglycemia is described as having an abnormally high blood sugar level. The liver and muscles produce some blood sugar, but the vast majority is derived from your dietary consumption of carbohydrates-containing foods and beverages. Get to learn about all the pro tips to reduce your blood sugar levels.
Contents:
What Happens to Your Body When You Have High Blood Sugar?
People with high blood sugar levels may experience the following symptoms:
- Frequent headaches and other muscle or joint pains
- Difficulty in concentration
- Extreme hunger or thirst
- Drowsiness and unusual fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Dry mouth
- Frequent bloating
- Frequent urination
- Impaired ability to heal wounds timely
Why is it Necessary to Manage Blood Sugar Levels?
It’s critical to keep your blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible to help prevent or delay long-term, serious health problems like heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Staying within your target range can also help you feel more energized and happier.
Complications Caused by High Blood Sugar Levels
Your doctor will tell you your target range and what you should do if your levels are outside of it. If you have diabetes, you’ll need to monitor your blood sugar, also known as glucose, to see if it’s too high, too low, or just right.
High glucose levels can have ramifications from head to toe. If they are out of control for an extended period of time, you may experience some or all of the following:
- Cardiovascular disease or a heart attack
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Damage to the nerves
- Damage to the eyes
- Skin issues
How to Manage Your Diabetes?
1. Manage your stress levels
Blood sugar levels can be affected by stress. When you are stressed, your body produces glucagon and cortisol hormones, which raise your blood sugar levels.
When you are under stress, your blood sugar levels rise. And when you’re anxious, it’s possible that you won’t be able to manage your diabetes well. You might forget to exercise, eat properly, or take your medications. Yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction may also aid in the correction of insulin secretion problems in people with chronic diabetes.
2. Drink water and stay hydrated
People with diabetes should drink enough water or other calorie-free or low-calorie drinks throughout the day to stay hydrated and manage diabetes more effectively. Hydration goals and levels may vary depending on characteristics such as gender and stage of life.
Additionally, people who are more physically active or have a higher BMI need to drink more water. If you find plain water difficult to drink, you can always add fruit wedges or mint leaves to make it more palatable.
3. Keep track of your carbohydrate consumption
Carbohydrate metabolism is vital in the development of diabetes. People with diabetes can include small amounts of complex carbs in their diets. The imperative thing is to manage carbohydrate intake rather than completely avoid them.
Carbohydrate counting is a meal-planning method that evenly distributes your calories throughout the day by evaluating the amount of carb content for each meal and snack.
4. Eat fiber-rich foods
When you digest fiber, your body reacts differently than when you digest refined carbohydrates like white flour. A portion of the fiber simply passes through your digestive system without being broken down. This distinction means that eating fiber-rich foods is less likely to cause a spike in blood sugar.
5. Exercise regularly
Exercise has been proven to help you attain a healthy lifestyle, maintain your ideal weight, as well as boost insulin sensitivity. Insulin sensitivity pertains to the higher efficiency of your body cells utilizing the available blood sugar levels. Exercising also heightens the usage of glucose levels of your bloodstream for muscle contraction and battling fatigue.
6. Choose low-glycemic-index foods
Eating low-glycemic foods is one way to help control your diabetes. The glycemic index is a rating system for carbohydrate-containing foods. It enables you to determine how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar, allowing you to focus on foods that raise blood sugar slowly.
7. Get enough quality sleep
Diabetes will be more challenging to manage if you sleep less than 7 hours every night regularly. Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increase in insulin resistance. Eventually, it will make you feel hungry the next day and less full after eating.
When you get enough sleep, you may find it easier to control your blood sugar. You’ll be more alert during the day, have more energy, less stress, and have an overall better mindset for diabetes monitoring and management.
8. Monitor your blood sugar levels
Monitoring your blood glucose levels can help you manage them more effectively. You can do this at home with a glucometer, a portable blood glucose meter. Consult your doctor about this option.
Keeping track allows you to determine whether your meals or medications need to be adjusted. It also teaches you how your body reacts to different foods. Try measuring your levels daily and keeping a log of the results. It may also be more beneficial to track your blood sugar in pairs, like before and after exercise or before and 2 hours after a meal.
When to See a Doctor?
You need to contact a healthcare professional in the following cases:
- If your blood sugar levels are raised throughout the day
- If you experience a dip or spike in blood sugar levels at the same time every day
- If you exhibit other signs of high blood sugar such as drinking or urinating (peeing) much more than usual, unusually dry mouth.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
Top tips for managing diabetes:
- Monitor your blood glucose regularly to identify what foods spike your sugar levels.
- Yoga and mindfulness-based stress reduction may also aid in the correction of insulin secretion problems in people with chronic diabetes.
- Diabetics can consume moderate amounts of carbohydrates in their diets. The emphasis is on carbohydrate management rather than carbohydrate avoidance.
- A portion of the fiber simply passes through your digestive system without being broken down. This distinction means that eating fiber-rich foods is less likely to cause blood sugar spikes.
- Regular exercise can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight while increasing insulin sensitivity.
- When you get enough sleep, you may find it easier to control your blood sugar. You’ll have an overall better mindset for diabetes monitoring and management.
- Use the PhableCare App to consult India’s leading diabetologists, order medicines, book lab tests, integrate Accu-Chek instant and other devices to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Let’s treat diabetes together.
Friendly Asked Questions
AgeNormal Blood Sugar Levels (Fasting)Normal Blood Sugar Levels (Post Meals)0-5 years>80-180 mg/dL110-200 mg/dL6-12 years>80-180 mg/dL100-180 mg/dL13-19 years>70-150 mg/dL90-150 mg/dL20+ years>70-150 mg/dL90-150 mg/dL
Water is the holy grail of all liquids. Keeping this in mind, carefully consuming a healthy amount of water throughout the day can undoubtedly help you control your diabetes more effectively.However, apple cider vinegar has been found to have a minor effect on blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Although the results do not reveal a significant difference in your Hba1C levels, it can briefly lower blood sugar levels in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
When someone’s blood sugar level rises too high, the condition is called hyperglycemia or high blood glucose. Using insulin is by far the fastest and most effective way to reduce blood sugar levels. Physical activity is another way to lower blood sugar levels. In case your blood sugar levels do not go down, going to the hospital will be preferable to dealing with it yourself.
Some people with type 2 and type 1 diabetes have reported that apple cider vinegar slightly reduced their blood sugar level. Although, the results will not significantly impact hbA1c levels.Including it among your many other diabetes management practices can help a little. And there’s no doubt that it could benefit your health in ways other than blood sugar control.
Lemon water may not directly affect your blood sugar levels and cause them to fall, but it can certainly help prevent unexpected spikes. The simple beverage is low in carbohydrates and calories, and it keeps you hydrated, which is critical for diabetics.
Cinnamon contains potent antioxidants such as polyphenols and has anti-inflammatory properties. This reduces insulin sensitivity, lowering blood sugar levels.Furthermore, cinnamon has anti-diabetic properties that reduce the amount of glucose that enters your bloodstream after a meal. It inhibits digestive enzymes and breaks down carbs in your digestive system, lowering blood sugar levels. Cinnamon may also improve the body’s response to insulin use.