Manage Diabetes Without Drugs

The major sugar in your blood and your body's main source of energy is glucose, generally known as blood sugar. Blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day. A typical fasting blood sugar level is less than 100 mg/dl (before you eat or drink in the morning). Blood sugar levels should be under 200 mg/dl at all times of the day, regardless of when or what the previous meal was. Blood sugar levels that are higher than these two thresholds may indicate prediabetes, Type 1 diabetes, or Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not make enough insulin or does not utilize it adequately to keep blood sugar levels in check.

If your blood sugar level is too high

It's critical to pay attention to your body for indicators of high blood sugar, whether you're at risk for diabetes or already have it. The symptoms listed below may suggest that your blood sugar is higher than normal, a condition known as hyperglycemia.

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Stomach pain
• Fruity breath odor
• A very dry mouth
• A rapid heartbeat

It's critical to keep track of your blood sugar since dangerously high levels can result in a life-threatening medical emergency, a coma, or other harmful situations. Long-term repercussions of high blood sugar include poor wound healing, nerve, blood cell, and kidney damage, heart disease, stroke, and visual issues.

Drink more water

It should come as no surprise that water is the greatest beverage for controlling blood sugar levels. Dehydration is caused by high blood sugar, which can be harmful if not handled. Drinking water can help you discharge extra glucose via your urine, especially if your blood sugar is high. According to one study, those with normal blood sugar levels who drank 34 ounces of water per day were 21% less likely than those who drank 16 ounces or less to develop hyperglycemia over the next nine years.

Other liquids, such as unsweetened tea, can help you naturally reduce your blood sugar.

Regular exercise

Even simple exercises like walking might aid with blood sugar management. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week is one of the best strategies to control diabetes. If you have a sedentary lifestyle or have to sit for lengthy periods of time at work, get up and move about every 30 minutes. Stretching, yoga, or a walk around the block are all good possibilities. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, decreases blood sugar for up to a day, and helps people lose weight.

Manage weight

It's critical to maintain healthy body weight when it comes to blood sugar control. Insulin resistance is exacerbated by weight gain, which raises insulin levels in the body. Losing weight has the exact opposite impact. Simply losing 7% of your body weight will help you regain insulin sensitivity and maintain appropriate blood sugar levels.

Reduce stress

Stress reduction is easier said than done, yet it is critical for lowering insulin resistance. It's simpler to initiate and maintain healthy lifestyle modifications for correct blood sugar management when you're less stressed. Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level, on the other hand, will improve your mood because high and low blood sugar symptoms include mood changes. If your mood is being thrown off by stress or a mental disease, get help from your healthcare professional.

Get more sleep

Make an effort to stick to a regular sleeping routine. Cortisol, the stress hormone, rises when you don't get enough sleep. Getting adequate sleep will make you feel better during the day and give you more energy to prepare nutritious foods and exercise, all of which will help you maintain a stable blood sugar level.

Monitor carbohydrate intake

What you eat and how you eat are critical factors in maintaining a healthy blood sugar level. Choosing meals that help stabilize your blood sugar and reduce high blood sugar spikes to a minimal will help you avoid getting diabetes or manage it if you already have it. Some diets oversimplify a balanced diet by just telling you to reduce carbohydrates or eat low-carb meals. It's a little more complex than that.

Tracking your intake of items that cause high blood sugar levels, such as baked goods, processed meals, fried foods, and sweets (including natural sweeteners like honey, agave, and maple syrup), might be a good beginning to start changing your diet to balance your blood sugar.

Increase your fiber intake

Because meals that drop blood sugar include a lot of fiber, increasing your soluble fiber consumption will help you lower your blood sugar. Focus on unprocessed carbs like whole grain bread or pasta, sweet potatoes, legumes, lentils, nuts, and non-starchy veggies that help to keep blood sugar stable.

Is there any other benefit? High-fiber meals might make you feel more satisfied. This might help you avoid overeating or wanting items that can cause blood sugar problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, males should strive for 30 to 38 grams per day, while women should aim for 21 to 25 grams per day.

Stick to an eating schedule

To prevent the rollercoaster of high and low blood sugar spikes and falls, Dr. Kara advises avoiding "skipping meals regularly." Rather of having a heavy breakfast or dinner, spread your meals out throughout the day to help manage blood sugar. The greatest technique is to eat consistently from dawn to evening.

Don’t rely on supplements or vitamins

Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels isn't easy. A supplement or vitamin by itself will not help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and they may interfere with other prescriptions. Before adopting dietary supplements, shakes, or vitamins to achieve blood sugar management, speak with your healthcare physician and maybe get a referral to a nutritionist who specializes in blood sugar control.

Diabetes medications (for when natural remedies don’t work)