How to control our blood sugar?

Even though it seems difficult to get high blood sugar under control. However, medical experts say a number of simple steps can bring glucose levels back into a healthy range.

1. Know your blood sugar numbers: To start, you need to know where you stand. People who are between 35 to 70 years and overweight or obese get screened for prediabetes and diabetes. A fasting blood sugar test, anything below 100 milligrams per deciliter is considered healthy. A glucose level of 100 to 125 mg/dL is considered prediabetes and 126 mg/dL or higher is diabetes.

Another test, hemoglobin A1C, measures a person’s average blood sugar over two to three months as a percentage. A result of 5.7 to 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes and 6.5 percent or higher is diabetes. For more about testing.

2. Consider using a glucose monitor: People with diabetes are suggested to use continuous glucose monitors — wearable devices that provide ongoing data on blood sugar to track their levels. While those who don’t have diabetes use the technology as well to keep tabs on their blood sugar. Continuous glucose monitors help with better understanding the immediate impact of lifestyle on glucose levels. For example, you can see how different food choices, different activity levels impact your blood sugar, then you can use that information to make a different choice the next time.

3.  Do not complicate exercise: Incorporate regular but light physical activities such as a brisk walk of 150 minutes a week. Combing strength training with cardio is more effective for controlling blood sugar than aerobic exercise alone. You should try to work all major muscle groups, including legs, hips, back, abdomen or core, chest, shoulders and arms because you need muscle to fight off insulin resistance. Therefore, if possible, aim to do weight-bearing exercise twice a week, Exercising 30 minutes after a meal may be optimal to help with blood glucose control.

4. Know foods with glycemic index: The glycemic index of foods is used for easy categorization. This is used to rate foods containing carbohydrates by how quickly they can cause blood sugar to rise. The scale starts at zero and goes up to 100 for pure sugar.

It is important to know that the same food does not affect everyone’s glucose level in the same way. How foods are prepared or if they have been combined with other foods can also affect blood sugar. For example, white potatoes can be healthful if they eat them with the skins,

 

Foods Fall on the Glycemic Index
Low (55 or less)	Medium (56 to 69)	High (70 and higher)
·         Oatmeal ·         Apples, oranges and grapes ·         Carrots and other non-starchy veggies ·         Quinoa ·         Most nuts and beans ·         Skim milk ·         White potato, boiled (54)	·         Cherries, cantaloupe and raisins ·         Sweet potato, boiled (61) ·         Pumpkin ·         Macaroni and cheese ·         Bagel ·         Couscous ·         Honey	·         Watermelon ·         White potato, mashed (83) ·         Rutabaga ·         Cheerio, corn flakes and many other cereals ·         White bread ·         Gluten-free bread ·         Rice cakes

5. Get professional help: Doctors and dietitians who regularly work with patients who have diabetes can help a person with prediabetes and create a road map for getting blood sugar back in a healthy range.

 6. Cut back not just on sugar but also on all ultra--processed foods: Obvious blood sugar spikers like cookies, ice-creams, and cake should be consumed in moderation. However, you also want to reduce foods that can cause glucose levels to rise quickly. Most people think it is the sweets they need to avoid, and that is true. Nevertheless, the starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, noodles and white rice are the most deadly culprits that will raise their sugar levels.

7. Follow balanced diet: A balanced diet that cuts carbs could help with weight loss which itself is protective against diabetes and quickly bring blood sugar back into a healthy range,

8. Fill half your plate with veggies: Load up your plate with vegetables such as dark leafy greens like spinach as well as beans, such as chickpeas and beans, which have all been linked to lower blood sugar levels. Recent research studies have found that those who ate a healthy diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, tea and coffee, while minimizing less healthy plant foods like refined grains and fruit juices along with animal-based proteins, had a lower risk of developing diabetes.

8. Fill a fourth of your plate with healthy carbs: Macronutrient like protein and fat has a place in a healthy diet. However, carbs should not cover half your plate. Try to have more foods like quinoa or faro, lentils and chickpeas, and brown rice and fewer processed carbs. Starchy favorites like corn or potatoes will raise your blood sugar.

9. Pump up the fiber: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people with diabetes and those at risk for it eat at least 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories (or 28 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet).  The latest research in people age 50 and over, recommends 20 to 25 grams a day for women and 30 grams for men. Vegetables like lentils, nuts and fruits, especially those with edible skin, such as apples and pears, and edible seeds including berries are good sources of fiber.

10. Have a good sleep: Adequate sleep is critical not only for diabetes management but in terms of metabolic diseases including weight management. Conversely, not getting at least seven hours of shut-eye nightly is associated with insulin resistance, according to a review of research. When that happens, the cells do not respond to that hormone as they should — to efficiently take in sugar from the blood, convert it to energy—, and blood glucose rises. In addition, being sleep-deprived can make it harder to handle stress, which also contributes to the stew of toxic hormones such as cortisol linked to insulin resistance.