Hi today we
are going to discuss about how to bring your high blood sugar level in control.
But before going into detail about how
to manage your high blood sugar you should also know what exactly high blood
sugar is.
Having high blood sugar levels can be discomforting and many people wish
to know what they can do to help to bring down high blood glucose levels.
We look at some of the options for lowering blood glucose in the short
term.
Managing blood
sugar levels can help to prevent serious complications.
Keeping blood sugars at target levels
helps people with diabetes avoid serious complications from the disease. High blood
sugar can cause many ill effects, which can be sudden, such as acid buildup in
the bloodstream, or occur gradually over time.
Over time, keeping blood sugar at
unhealthful levels can damage small and large blood vessels in several organs
and systems, leading to serious consequences, such as:
- vision impairment and
blindness
- foot ulcers, infections, and
amputations
- kidney failure and dialysis
- heart attacks and strokes
- damage to the nervous
system, leading to pain and weakness
By keeping blood sugar levels under
100 mg/dL before eating and under 180 mg/dL after eating, people with diabetes
can significantly reduce their risk of adverse effects from the disease.
In this article, we look at some
different ways to help people lower their blood sugar levels. These steps
include lifestyle changes, diet tips, and natural remedies.
But before talking about what are the solution we should know when our
blood sugar is high.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF HIGH BLOOD SUGAR?
The classic symptoms of high blood glucose levels are:
§ Feeling
very thirsty
§ Needing
to go the toilet often
§ Having
a dry mouth
§ Feeling
tired/lethargic
§ Feeling uncomfortable and irritable
Then what is
the solution for it??
CHECK YOUR
BLOOD SUGAR
If you take
medication that may cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), it’s
highly advisable to check your blood sugar levels before
you try to bring your sugar levels down.
This is just in case your blood sugar is normal or low, which can be the
case in some situations.
Testing of blood sugar before bringing your levels down is particularly
important if you take insulin.
Blood sugar levels
are a primary concern for people with diabetes. High blood sugar, known as
hyperglycemia, occurs when a person’s blood sugar is over 180 milligrams per
deciliter (mg/dL).
High blood sugar levels can be
dangerous if not promptly managed and lead to both short-term and long-term
problems.
CORRECTING HIGH BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS WITH INSULIN
If you take insulin, one way to reduce blood sugar is to inject insulin.
However, be
careful as insulin can take 4 hours or longer to be fully absorbed, so you need
to make sure you take into account how much insulin you
may already have in your body that is yet to be absorbed by the blood. Insulin
that is yet to be absorbed by the blood is called ‘active insulin’.
If you decide to correct with insulin, watch you don’t over correct as
this can lead to hypoglycemia and can be dangerous, particularly so before bed.
Apart from this you can also bring your sugar level by:-
1. WALKING
Exercise can
help to lower blood sugar and walking is a good way of
achieving this.
It might make sense that exercising harder would have a better effect on
lowering blood sugar therefore but this is not always the case as strenuous
exercise can produce a stress response which causes the body to raise blood
glucose levels. This response does tend to vary from person.
2. Monitor blood
sugar levels closely
High blood sugar levels often do not
cause symptoms until they run well over 200 mg/dL. As such, it is essential for
a person with diabetes to monitor their blood sugar several times a day. Doing
so will mean that blood sugar levels never get that high.
A person with diabetes can use a home
glucose monitor to check blood sugar levels.
Recommendations for how frequently to
check glucose levels during the day will vary from person to person. A doctor
can make the best recommendations regarding blood sugar monitoring to a person
with diabetes.
3. Reduce
carbohydrate intake
Researchers have carried out studies showing that eating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet
reduces blood sugar levels.
The body breaks down carbohydrates into sugar that the body uses as energy. Some carbs are
necessary in the diet. However, for people with diabetes, eating too many
carbohydrates can cause blood sugar to spike too high.
Reducing the amounts of carbohydrates
a person eats reduces the amount a person’s blood sugar spikes.
4. Eat the right
carbohydrates
The two main kinds of carbohydrates —
simple and complex — affect blood sugar levels differently.
Simple carbohydrates are mainly made
up of one kind of sugar. They are found in foods, such as white bread, pasta,
and candy. The body breaks these carbohydrates down into sugar very quickly,
which causes blood sugar levels to rise rapidly.
Complex carbohydrates are made up of
three or more sugars that are linked together. Because the chemical makeup of
these kinds of carbohydrates is complicated, it takes the body longer to break
them down.
As a result, sugar is released into
the body more gradually, meaning that blood sugar levels do not rapidly rise
after eating them. Examples of complex carbohydrates include whole grain oats
and sweet potatoes.
5. Choose low
glycemic index foods
The glycemic index measures and ranks various foods
by how much they cause blood sugar levels to rise. Research shows that
following a low glycemic index diet decreases fasting blood sugar levels.
Low glycemic index foods are those
that score below 55 on the glycemic index. Examples of low glycemic foods
include:
- sweet potatoes
- quinoa
- legumes
- low-fat milk
- leafy greens
- non-starchy vegetables
- nuts and seeds
- meats
- fish
6. Increase dietary
fiber intake
Eating plenty of
soluble fiber, including whole grains such as brown rice, may help.
Fiber plays a significant role in
blood sugar management by slowing down the rate that carbohydrates break down,
and the rate that the body absorbs the resulting sugars.
The two types of fiber are soluble
and insoluble fiber. Of the two types, soluble fiber is the most helpful in
controlling blood sugar.
Soluble fiber is in the following
foods:
- vegetables
- legumes
- whole grains
- fruit
7. Maintain a
healthy weight
Losing weight helps control blood sugar levels.
Being overweight is linked to increased incidents of diabetes and greater
occurrences of insulin resistance.
Studies show
that reducing weight by even only 7 percent can reduce the chances of
developing diabetes by 58 percent.
It is important to note that a person does not need
to achieve ideal body weight to benefit from losing 10–20 pounds and
keeping it off. Doing so will also improve cholesterol, reduce the risk of
complications, and improve a person’s general sense of well-being.
Eating a healthful diet full of
fruits and vegetables and getting enough exercise can help a person lose weight
or maintain their currently healthy weight.
8. Control portion
size
At most meals, a person should follow
portion guidelines provided by a doctor or nutritionist. Overeating at a
sitting can cause a spike in blood sugar.
Although simple carbohydrates are
typically associated with elevated blood sugar levels, all food causes blood
sugar levels to rise. Careful control of portions can keep blood sugar levels
more controlled.
9. Exercise
regularly
Exercise has many benefits for people
with diabetes, including weight loss and increased insulin sensitivity.
Insulin is a hormone that helps
people break down sugar in the body. People with diabetes either do not make
enough or any insulin in their body or are resistant to the insulin the body
does produce.
Exercise also helps to lower blood
sugar levels by encouraging the body’s muscles to use sugar for energy.
10. DRINKING MORE WATER
When your blood sugar levels are running high, your body will try to
flush excess sugar out of your blood through the urine. As a result, your body
will need more fluids to rehydrate itself. Drinking water can help the body
with flushing out some of the glucose in the blood.
Just a word of caution to be sensible with drinking water; water
intoxication (which can result in death) is possible if a number of litres
water are drunk in a short space of time. This is rare and quite difficult to
manage but it pays to be aware of this.
11. Try herbal
extracts
Share on PinterestHerbal supplements, such as green tea, may help to boost the
diet with essential nutrients.
Herbal extracts may have a positive
effect on treating and controlling blood sugar levels.
Most people should attempt to gain
nutrients from the foods they eat. However, supplements are often helpful for
people who do not get enough of the nutrients from natural sources.
Most doctors do not consider
supplements as a treatment by themselves. A person should consult their doctor
before taking any supplement, as they may interfere with any prescribed
medications.
Some supplements a person may want to
try are available for purchase online, including:
- green tea
- American ginseng
- bitter melon
- cinnamon
- Aloe vera
- fenugreek
- chromium
12. Manage stress
Stress has a
significant impact on blood sugar levels. The body gives off stress hormones
when under tension, and these hormones raise blood sugar levels.
Research shows
that managing stress through meditation and exercise can also help to lower
blood sugar levels.
13. Get enough
sleep
Sleep helps a person reduce the
amount of sugar in their blood. Getting adequate sleep each night is an
excellent way to help keep blood sugar levels at a normal level.
Blood sugar levels tend to surge in
the early morning hours. In most people, insulin will tell the body what to do
with the excess sugar, which keeps the blood sugar levels normal.
Lack of sleep can have a similar
effect to insulin resistance, meaning that a person’s blood sugar level could
spike significantly from lack of sleep.
These were some of the ways by which
you can control your blood sugar.
In brief all this was:-
Eating a healthful, well-balanced
diet is key. Additional strategies to help lower or manage blood sugar levels
include:
- staying hydrated by drinking
plenty of clear liquids
- exercising regularly
- eating small portions more
frequently
- not skipping meals
- managing or reducing stress
- maintaining a healthy body weight or losing weight, if
necessary
People with diabetes may also need to
take medications and measure their blood sugar regularly to reduce the risk of
potentially dangerous symptoms and complications.
Managing high blood sugar is key to
avoiding serious complications from diabetes.
There is a range of lifestyle
interventions that can help a person struggling with high blood sugar to lower
their glucose levels.
A person should always follow their
doctor’s advice for lowering high blood sugar.
This is all for this article.
You should manage your blood sugar level
to live a healthy lifestyle.
For any query or doubt comment in the
comment section below.
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