As a diabetic person, ensuring that you maintain or regulate your blood sugar levels within your desired range is incredibly important. This practice helps reduce the chances of facing long-term and serious health issues such as heart disease, vision problems, and kidney disorders. By consistently staying within this range, you not only boost your energy and emotional state but also actively work towards preventing or delaying potential complications. Let’s see how to reduce sugar levels with home remedies.
What causes high blood sugar?
High blood sugar, or hyperglycaemia, can result from several factors:
- Poor diet: High intake of sugary foods, refined carbs and processed snacks spikes glucose levels.
- Sedentary lifestyle: Lack of physical activity reduces insulin sensitivity.
- Stress and lack of sleep: Both can trigger hormonal changes that elevate blood sugar.
- Skipping medication: For those with diabetes, missing insulin or oral medication doses can lead to spikes.
- Infections or illness: Physical stress can increase glucose levels even in non-diabetics.
- Obesity: Excess fat, particularly around the abdomen, can make it harder for the body to use insulin effectively.
Understanding the root causes is key to choosing the right remedies and preventive measures.
Easy ways to lower blood sugar levels naturally
The following are some of the popular tips on how to control sugar levels with home remedies.
- Regular physical activity offers you a pathway to achieving and sustaining a moderate weight, alongside bolstering your insulin sensitivity. Heightened insulin sensitivity translates to an enhanced capacity of your cells to optimally utilise the circulating sugar in your bloodstream. Moreover, exercise is pivotal in enabling your muscles to effectively employ blood sugar for energy generation and muscle contraction.
- It is advised to consider a routine practice of monitoring your levels before and after physical activities. This practice yields valuable insights into your responses to diverse activities, thereby preventing undesirable fluctuations in your blood sugar levels.
- Incorporating intermittent exercise routines helps mitigate blood sugar fluctuations and counteract the potential harm stemming from prolonged periods of sedentary behaviour. This approach involves taking short bursts of physical movement, such as brief walks or light resistance exercises, throughout the day, effectively interrupting extended periods of sitting. It is worth noting that an array of physical activities, typically involving weightlifting, brisk walking, running, cycling, dancing, hiking and swimming, contribute to the pursuit of an active lifestyle. Irrespective of the intensity, any form of regular movement trumps a sedentary way of living.
- The significant impact of carbohydrate consumption on your blood sugar levels is undeniable. Carbohydrates undergo breakdown into sugars, predominantly glucose, which is then harnessed and stored by insulin for energy. However, overindulgence in carbohydrates or disruptions in insulin function can disrupt this process, leading to elevated blood glucose levels.
- The consumption of a low-carbohydrate diet helps you in reducing blood sugar levels and prevent unwarranted spikes. It's important to distinguish between low and no-carb diets; the former allows for some carbohydrate consumption while favouring whole grains and unprocessed options, which offer enhanced nutritional value and contribute to stabilising blood sugar levels.
- The role of fibre in moderating carbohydrate digestion and sugar absorption is notable. With its capacity to slow the digestion process, fibre facilitates a gradual rise in blood sugar levels. While both soluble and insoluble fibre types are valuable, it's the former that has demonstrated a direct impact on improved blood sugar control. Embracing a high-fibre diet showcases potential benefits for regulatin blood sugar and minimising lows, particularly relevant for type 1 diabetes management.
These remedies can work best when combined with your doctor’s guidance. You should also regularly monitor your blood sugar levels to take action on time. Also, choose a good health insurance plan that supports regular testing and treatments.
Tips to control sugar levels
If you or a loved one is managing sugar, these tips will help keep it under control:
- Monitor your sugar levels regularly using a glucometer.
- Avoid sugary drinks and processed snacks.
- Plan your meals a day before to avoid unhealthy snacking and curb cravings.
- Keep meal portions small but frequent to ensure that energy does not fluctuate throughout the day.
- Read food labels for hidden sugars.
- Limit alcohol or have it with food to avoid sugar crashes.
- Visit your doctor regularly. If you are caring for aging parents dealing with sugar, having medical insurance for parents will provide coverage for checkups and tests.
By following this balance of precautions and tips to manage blood sugar, you can live a life that is free of health stress and emergencies. While the fight with sugar is a lifelong journey, these tips help ensure that the journey is a smooth one.
Conclusion
Maintaining balanced blood sugar levels is crucial for preventing potential health complications. Engage in regular physical activity, monitor your responses to exercise and incorporate intermittent movement to help stabilise your blood sugar. Also, having the right health insurance plan ensures you are always supported in case of medical needs.
By making lifestyle adjustments, you'll contribute to a healthier and more controlled blood sugar profile, promoting your overall well-being.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your general physician or another certified medical professional for any questions regarding a medical condition. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.