Ditch Drastic Dieting with These 3 Blood Sugar Busters
People who get sent home from the doctor with a warning about their high blood sugar levels typically have one of two responses:
- They do nothing.
OR
- They attempt to completely overhaul their diet, never eat cake or sweets again… and ultimately fail.
Obviously, the end result is the same.
But I’m happy to tell you that lowering your blood sugar doesn’t require you to give up everything you love.
In fact, there are plenty of ways to lower your glucose levels naturally. And they have nothing to do with food.
Keep reading for three tricks for dialing down your blood sugar without drastically changing your diet.
High glucose levels aren’t ONLY about how much sugar you’re putting into your body. They’re also affected by what your body does with that sugar once it gets there.
Of course, diet controls how much sugar goes in. But there are MANY ways to influence the “what your body does with it” part. And I’ve got three of the best to share with you today.
The first is exercise.
Exercise helps remove sugar from your bloodstream by increasing your insulin sensitivity and making your muscles absorb more glucose.
Plus, exercise increases your heart rate causing your blood to flow faster, so you burn through sugar more quickly.
One study showed that 20 minutes of vigorous exercise four times per week—or 30 minutes of moderate exercise three times per week—was enough to significantly lower fasting blood sugar levels.
But that’s not all. It turns out WHEN you exercise is also a factor.
Exercising 20-30 minutes before eating can prevent after-meal blood sugar spikes.
The second way to lower blood sugar is by getting plenty of sleep.
Not getting enough shuteye can have a significant impact on your glucose levels. Sleep directly affects the release of insulin and glucagon—two hormones that regulate blood sugar.
One study showed that sleeping for less than six hours per night increased the risk of developing impaired fasting glucose.
This is a telltale sign of prediabetes… which is one step away from diabetes.
The third diet-free trick to manage blood sugar levels is to rein in your STRESS levels.
Long-term stress can cause blood sugar levels to climb.
That’s because when you’re under stress, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, making your muscles insulin resistant.
But, on the flip side, being relaxed releases hormones that help lower blood sugar.
Besides obvious stress-busters like breathing exercises and meditation, try this one: laugh more.
While negative emotions like fear and anxiety can send blood sugar levels soaring, laughing can do the opposite.
In one study, diabetic volunteers had far more stable blood sugar after they went to a comedy show (compared to folks who attended a lecture).
P.S. Over the long-haul stress doesn’t just harm blood sugar alone. It can mess with your health from head to toe. But researchers have recently identified a simple, truly revolutionary way to improve how your body responds to stress. Click through for the details.
SOURCE:
Laird, G. “10 Ways to Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally.” Perfect Science. https://perfscience.com/health/how-to-lower-blood-sugar-levels/
