Creating habits in managing your blood sugar is important to overall wellness in a variety of ways. Our body gets glucose(sugar) from the food we eat to make energy and support our organs, muscles, and nervous system. Finding the correct level of your blood sugar (not too high and not too low) to support normal body functioning will make you feel your best.
Balanced blood sugar helps support stable energy, brain function, mood, weight management, and hormone function. Below are some practices to add into your lifestyle to improve your blood sugar management.
1. Focus on Nutrient Dense Calories
Make macronutrients your friends! We need a balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrate to support stable blood sugar. This is because when we eat carbohydrates (from any source: grains, beans, fruit, veggies, etc.) it breaks down into glucose. Fat and protein combined with carbohydrates promote slower breakdown of those carbs, creating more stable blood sugar. Try to get a mix of carbs, protein and fat on your plate. Complex carbohydrates also contain fiber and typically more nutrition, which can also help keep your blood sugar levels more even. Prioritize balance, even if you are keeping an eye on calories.
2. Pump up the Protein
Protein will keep you feeling fuller for a longer time. If you find yourself hungry and cranky a short while after eating, you may need more protein. It helps minimize blood sugar spikes since it slows down the digestion of your meal or snack. Find it in foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products, as well as in plant sources like beans, nuts, seeds, and meat substitutes. Aim to have one serving at each meal and make sure your snacks have some as well.
3. Get Fiber-Filled
Fiber has amazing blood sugar benefits! It helps slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, improving blood sugar regulation. Reach for whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils, fruits, and vegetables to reach your goal of 25 grams/day. Include at least one high-fiber food at each meal.
4. No Fearing Fat
Although fat is more caloric than carbs and protein (one gram of fat provides nine calories, and carbs and protein each provide four calories per gram), it's helpful in balancing blood sugar, as it slows the digestive process and helps lower blood sugar. Good fats also absorb the nutrients of the foods you eat. Include healthy sources like olive oil, avocado, and nuts and reach for fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
5. Search out Sneaky Sugars
Limiting obvious sources of added sugar like desserts is important for maintaining healthy blood sugar. There are hidden sources of sugar to look out for in many yogurts, granolas, canned soups, frozen meals and many condiments. Read ingredient labels, keeping in mind that sugar has many names. Also, use sugar substitutes sparingly. Although they are lower in calories and may have less of a glycemic response, they can still have a behavioral impact, causing you to crave high levels of sweetness and alter brain chemicals.
6. Exercise
Incorporating exercise into your blood sugar management has many benefits. Exercise increases insulin sensitivity by moving sugar into the muscle cells for storage. When your muscles contract during activity, your cells take glucose and use it for energy whether insulin is currently available in the body or not. This helps lower blood sugar in the short term. Including a regular routine of strength training combined with aerobic exercise of different intensity, time and types will help lower weight and improve glucose control measured over a couple of months. (A1C test)
7. No Skimping on Sleep
Acquiring less sleep results in higher blood sugars due to the body being less sensitive to insulin. It can also increase your appetite. Sleep deprivation is also associated with changes in appetite and can affect the hunger-regulating hormones, leptin and ghrelin. This can lead us to feel hungrier and less aware of when we're full. Aim for 7-8 hours per night and create a sleep routine to help you get the rest you need.
8. Deal with Stress
Stress and anxiety often lead to higher blood sugars. It could be related to grabbing more comforting foods containing sugar or alcohol, but stress hormones are involved as well. Our body’s ability to manage glucose is related to hormone levels. Stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, when elevated, contribute to loss of glucose control.
Stress is an emotional, mental and physical health problem. Stress can be disguised as anxiety, worry or depression causing physical, nutritional and chemical changes. Balancing our health holistically, (including the four components of health) creating a stress management plan and seeking support may be helpful.
9) Eat Often
In order to keep our blood sugar levels where they need to be, we must provide it with good fuel often. Eating small, frequent and healthy meals and snacks throughout your day will help in stabilizing your blood sugars. Aim for an average 200 calorie snack and 350-400 calorie meal combining your macronutrients every 2-3 hours.
10) Choose Beverages Wisely
Avoiding sugary drinks such as sodas, juices and alcohol(1 gram of alcohol provides 7 calories) will prevent a blood sugar spike and crash. Diet drinks have extra chemicals that are not good for you and can make you crave more calories. Stick with mostly water throughout the day (half your body weight in ounces). Coffee is okay without the added sugars and high fat creamers. Be careful with your caffeine consumption, especially in the afternoon, to prepare for a restful sleep. Drinking herbal teas can help relax and destress you, especially at night after a busy day.
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