
02 Mar More Tips on How to Easily Lower Your Blood Sugar the Natural Way
High blood sugar occurs when your body doesn’t make enough or effectively use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose and helps it enter your cells for energy.
High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is associated with diabetes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 13% of U.S. adults live with diabetes, and 34.5% have prediabetes.
This means close to 50% of all U.S. adults have diabetes or prediabetes.
Below is our continuation of our previous article about easy ways to lower your blood sugar levels the natural way.
8 Monitor your levels
“What gets measured gets managed.”
Measuring and monitoring blood glucose levels can also help you better manage your levels.
For example, keeping track helps you determine whether you need to make adjustments in meals or medications. It will also help you find out how your body reacts to certain foods.
Try measuring your levels every day and keeping track of the numbers in a log.
Checking your blood glucose and maintaining a log every day will help you adjust foods and medications when necessary to help decrease your blood sugar levels.
9 get quality sleep
Getting enough sleep feels excellent and is necessary for good health.
Poor sleeping habits and a lack of rest can also affect blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. They can increase appetite and promote weight gain.
Sleep deprivation decreases the release of growth hormones and increases cortisol levels. Both of these play an essential role in blood sugar management.
Furthermore, adequate sleep is about both quantity and quality. It’s best to get a sufficient amount of high quality sleep every night.
Good sleep helps maintain your blood sugar levels and promote a healthy weight. Poor sleep can disrupt critical metabolic hormones. The PHMP Knowledgebase has a plethora of helpful articles about sleep for you to check out.
10 chromium and magnesium
High blood sugar levels and diabetes have also been linked to micronutrient deficiencies. Examples include deficiencies in the minerals chromium and magnesium.
Chromium is involved in carb and fat metabolism. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels. A lack of chromium may predispose you to carb intolerance.
However, the mechanisms behind this are not entirely known. Studies also report mixed findings.
Some studies of people with diabetes showed that chromium had benefits for long-term blood sugar management. However, the alternate has also been found.
Chromium-rich foods include:
- meats
- whole grain products
- fruit
- vegetables
- nuts
Magnesium has also been shown to benefit blood sugar levels, while magnesium deficiency has been linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes.
Studies have linked individuals with the highest magnesium intake with up to a 47% lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
However, if you already eat plenty of magnesium-rich foods, you probably will not benefit from supplements.
Magnesium-rich foods include:
- dark leafy greens
- squash and pumpkin seeds
- tuna
- whole grains
- dark chocolate
- bananas
- avocados
- beans
Eating foods rich in chromium and magnesium regularly can help prevent deficiencies and reduce the risk of blood sugar problems.
11 apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has many health benefits. It promotes lower fasting blood sugar levels, possibly decreasing its production by the liver or increasing its use by cells.
Furthermore, studies show that vinegar significantly influences your body’s response to sugars and can help improve insulin sensitivity.
It may be mixed in a few ounces of water that you can drink before a high carb meal or be mixed in salad dressing.
However, it’s essential to talk with your doctor before taking apple cider vinegar if you’re already taking medications that lower blood sugar.
Adding apple cider vinegar to your diet can help your body in many ways, including reducing blood sugar levels. Check out our knowledgebase article on the 6 health benefits of apple cider vinegar.
12 cinnamon extract
Cinnamon is known to have many health benefits. It’s been shown to improve insulin sensitivity by decreasing insulin resistance at the cellular level.
Studies show cinnamon can also lower blood sugar levels by up to 29%.
It slows the breakdown of carbs in the digestive tract, which moderates the rise in blood sugar after a meal.
However, there are risks involved if you take too much cinnamon.
Cinnamon has been shown to help reduce fasting blood sugar levels and may help improve insulin sensitivity.
13 Try berberine
Berberine is the active component of an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, including treating diabetes.
Berberine has been shown to help lower blood sugar and enhance carb breakdown for energy.
What’s more, berberine may be as effective as some blood-sugar-lowering drugs. This makes it one of the most effective supplements for those with diabetes or prediabetes.
However, many of the mechanisms behind its effects are still unknown. More high-quality studies are needed to determine its safety and effectiveness.
Additionally, it may have some side effects, such as:
- diarrhea
- constipation
- flatulence
- abdominal pain
Speak with your healthcare provider first if you’re considering using berberine.
Berberine can help lower blood sugar levels and manage diabetes. However, it may have some digestive side effects.
14 fenugreek seeds
Fenugreek seeds are a great source of soluble fiber, which can help manage blood sugar levels.
Many studies have shown that fenugreek can effectively lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. It also helps reduce fasting glucose and improve glucose tolerance.
Although not that popular, fenugreek can be added to baked goods to help treat diabetes.
The recommended dose of fenugreek seeds is 2–5 grams per day, although this varies from study to study.
Fenugreek seeds are easy to add to your diet and can help regulate blood glucose levels.
15 Maintain Moderate Weight
It’s a no-brainer that maintaining a moderate weight will help improve your health and may help prevent future health problems.
Weight management also promotes healthy blood sugar levels and has been shown to help reduce your risk for developing diabetes.
Even a 7% reduction in body weight can decrease your risk for developing diabetes by up to 58%, and it seems to work even better than a common diabetes medication.
What’s more, these decreased risks can be sustained long term.
It’s important to monitor your waistline, as it’s perhaps the most crucial weight-related factor for estimating your diabetes risk.
A measurement of more than 35 inches (88.9 cm) for women and more than 40 inches (101.6 cm) for men is associated with an increased risk of developing insulin resistance, high blood sugar levels, and type 2 diabetes.
Having a healthy waist measurement may even be more important than your overall weight (91).
Keeping a moderate weight and waistline will help you maintain normal blood sugar levels and decrease your risk for developing diabetes.
The bottom line
Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before making lifestyle changes or trying new supplements.
This is particularly important if you have problems with blood sugar management or if you’re taking medications to lower blood glucose levels.
If you have diabetes or have blood sugar management problems, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to create and start a treatment plan as soon as possible.
Lauren Boos
Posted at 21:57h, 14 MarchSo where do I buy “berberene”? Time to Google it.
David Griffin
Posted at 08:29h, 14 MarchOk, got it.
Michele Christman
Posted at 19:41h, 13 MarchThank you.
Jo webber
Posted at 20:58h, 12 MarchThanks good info
Doris Morrison
Posted at 12:28h, 12 MarchThis was some great information thank you
Kristie+Donelson
Posted at 00:58h, 12 MarchI have never heard of Berberine and Fenugreek. Thank you for the interesting information. Thank you.
Susan Keens
Posted at 00:13h, 12 MarchThank you
Teresa+Dickson
Posted at 22:46h, 11 MarchThank you
Pamela Palmer.
Posted at 18:54h, 11 MarchThanks.
Trudie Mitchell
Posted at 14:19h, 11 Marchvery good info … thanks
Shirlene+Jackson
Posted at 04:46h, 11 MarchThanks
Shirley+Gonzales
Posted at 19:22h, 10 MarchGood info
Barb Laib
Posted at 13:17h, 10 MarchGreat info
Ann Guetterman
Posted at 12:15h, 10 MarchThanks
Thomas hartney
Posted at 11:22h, 10 MarchPerfect good read
Kelly Wallace
Posted at 22:54h, 09 Marchk
Tonya+Pouncy
Posted at 22:50h, 09 MarchThank you
Linda Tobin
Posted at 22:25h, 09 MarchGood
Kali Kocian
Posted at 22:19h, 09 MarchThank you! Great info for me and to share with my patients!
Pearl Chapman
Posted at 22:12h, 09 MarchGreat information