5 of the Most Important Tips to Maintain Normal Blood Sugar
Normal blood sugar level is one of the most important lines a diabetic has to keeping his or her condition and general well being in check.
The same is true for non diabetics, to whom a normal blood glucose level entails good health and a strong body.
This is why it is important that you maintain your blood sugar at a normal level (4 to 8 millimoles per liter in non-diabetics).
This is not as hard a task as some people purport it to be.
All it takes is willingness and dedication as well as love for your health and body.
1.
Eat right Blood glucose comes from the food you eat, particularly the carbohydrate-rich food and beverages you intake.
Needless to say, your diet plays a big part on whether or not your blood sugar remains stable over time.
There are some foods you need to avoid and certain ones you need to include in your diet if you want to have a normal blood sugar level.
Examples of foods you need to avoid if you are to keep your blood sugar level normal are food items and snacks with too much refined sugar content.
These include cornflakes, marmalade, and white bread.
All of these foods are made with rapidly digested carbohydrates and can cause your blood sugar to shoot way above the normal limit.
On the other hand, foods that you want to include in your diet to keep your blood sugar level in check are those that contain complex carbohydrates, which generally take a longer time to digest and convert to fuel.
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include whole grain bread, oats, noodles, pasta, basmati rice, sweet potatoes, tortilla wraps, rye, pita bread, and sourdough.
Fruits are also a good source of complex carbohydrates.
Aside from foods and beverages made of complex carbohydrates, protein-rich food items are also essential to achieving a normal blood glucose level.
Protein helps slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates and keep blood glucose well at a well balanced level.
Some of the best sources of protein are milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, fish, soy, and legumes.
2.
Eat regularly Adjusting your diet to get rid of the wrong foods and include the right ones, however, is only of the better eating habits you need to develop if you want normal sugar levels.
Another is eating your meals regularly and on time.
Skipping meals, especially breakfast, throws off your sugar levels.
During the night, your body undergoes fasting and it is often depleted of its sugar supply come breakfast time.
If you skip this meal, your body continues to crave for sugar and this affects your concentration and physical endurance.
3.
Exercise Apart from diet, exercise is also a good way to keep your blood sugar level in check.
Exercise will help your burn off excessive sugar as well as excessive fats.
Just make sure not to over do physical activities, as this may lead to low sugar or hypoglycemia.
It also pays to strike a balance between your diet and your exercise.
Eat more food as you exercise more.
4.
Medicines The tips outlined above are both for non-diabetics and diabetics.
These tips may be enough for the former group but diabetics usually take medications to keep their blood glucose level in check.
If you are a diabetic and is taking medications, either insulin or oral treatments, make sure that you follow your schedule and your doctor's advice religiously.
5.
Regular monitoring Last but not the least, one of the best ways to maintain a normal blood sugar level is to monitor it regularly.
Buy yourself a simple glucose testing kit so you can check for you blood sugar level as often as necessary.
Diabetics usually follow a schedule of tests and are also advised to test their blood sugar whenever they feel sick or uneasy.
The same is true for non diabetics, to whom a normal blood glucose level entails good health and a strong body.
This is why it is important that you maintain your blood sugar at a normal level (4 to 8 millimoles per liter in non-diabetics).
This is not as hard a task as some people purport it to be.
All it takes is willingness and dedication as well as love for your health and body.
1.
Eat right Blood glucose comes from the food you eat, particularly the carbohydrate-rich food and beverages you intake.
Needless to say, your diet plays a big part on whether or not your blood sugar remains stable over time.
There are some foods you need to avoid and certain ones you need to include in your diet if you want to have a normal blood sugar level.
Examples of foods you need to avoid if you are to keep your blood sugar level normal are food items and snacks with too much refined sugar content.
These include cornflakes, marmalade, and white bread.
All of these foods are made with rapidly digested carbohydrates and can cause your blood sugar to shoot way above the normal limit.
On the other hand, foods that you want to include in your diet to keep your blood sugar level in check are those that contain complex carbohydrates, which generally take a longer time to digest and convert to fuel.
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include whole grain bread, oats, noodles, pasta, basmati rice, sweet potatoes, tortilla wraps, rye, pita bread, and sourdough.
Fruits are also a good source of complex carbohydrates.
Aside from foods and beverages made of complex carbohydrates, protein-rich food items are also essential to achieving a normal blood glucose level.
Protein helps slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates and keep blood glucose well at a well balanced level.
Some of the best sources of protein are milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, fish, soy, and legumes.
2.
Eat regularly Adjusting your diet to get rid of the wrong foods and include the right ones, however, is only of the better eating habits you need to develop if you want normal sugar levels.
Another is eating your meals regularly and on time.
Skipping meals, especially breakfast, throws off your sugar levels.
During the night, your body undergoes fasting and it is often depleted of its sugar supply come breakfast time.
If you skip this meal, your body continues to crave for sugar and this affects your concentration and physical endurance.
3.
Exercise Apart from diet, exercise is also a good way to keep your blood sugar level in check.
Exercise will help your burn off excessive sugar as well as excessive fats.
Just make sure not to over do physical activities, as this may lead to low sugar or hypoglycemia.
It also pays to strike a balance between your diet and your exercise.
Eat more food as you exercise more.
4.
Medicines The tips outlined above are both for non-diabetics and diabetics.
These tips may be enough for the former group but diabetics usually take medications to keep their blood glucose level in check.
If you are a diabetic and is taking medications, either insulin or oral treatments, make sure that you follow your schedule and your doctor's advice religiously.
5.
Regular monitoring Last but not the least, one of the best ways to maintain a normal blood sugar level is to monitor it regularly.
Buy yourself a simple glucose testing kit so you can check for you blood sugar level as often as necessary.
Diabetics usually follow a schedule of tests and are also advised to test their blood sugar whenever they feel sick or uneasy.
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