How Can You Lower Your Blood Sugar Level

What Is The Dawn Phenomenon

How to Lower Blood Sugar Fast

Your body uses glucose for energy and it is important to have enough extra energy to be able to wake up in the morning. So for a period of time in the early morning hours, usually between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m., your body starts churning out stored glucose to prepare for the upcoming day.

At the same time, your body releases hormones that reduce your sensitivity to insulin. In addition, these events may be happening while your diabetes medication doses taken the day before are wearing off.

These events cause your bodys blood sugar levels to rise in the morning .

Broccoli And Broccoli Sprouts

Sulforaphane is a type of isothiocyanate that has blood-sugar-reducing properties.

This plant chemical is produced when broccoli is chopped or chewed due to a reaction between a glucosinolate compound called glucoraphanin and the enzyme myrosinase, both of which are concentrated in broccoli .

Test-tube, animal, and human studies have shown that sulforaphane-rich broccoli extract has powerful antidiabetic effects, helping enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar and markers of oxidative stress .

Broccoli sprouts are concentrated sources of glucosinolates like glucoraphanin, and theyve been shown to help promote insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes when supplemented as a powder or extract (

11 ).

Keep in mind that the best way to enhance the availability of sulforaphane is to enjoy broccoli and broccoli sprouts raw or lightly steamed, or to add active sources of myrosinase like mustard seed powder to cooked broccoli (

What Causes Blood Sugar To Be High

Many things can cause high blood sugar , including being sick, being stressed, eating more than planned, and not giving yourself enough insulin. Over time, high blood sugar can lead to long-term, serious health problems. Symptoms of high blood sugar include:

Feeling very tired.
Having blurry vision.
Needing to urinate more often.

If you get sick, your blood sugar can be hard to manage. You may not be able to eat or drink as much as usual, which can affect blood sugar levels. If youre ill and your blood sugar is 240 mg/dL or above, use an over-the-counter ketone test kit to check your urine for ketones and call your doctor if your ketones are high. High ketones can be an early sign of diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a medical emergency and needs to be treated immediately.

How Can I Treat Low Blood Sugar

If youve had low blood sugar without feeling or noticing symptoms , you may need to check your blood sugar more often to see if its low and treat it. Driving with low blood sugar can be dangerous, so be sure to check your blood sugar before you get behind the wheel.

Carry supplies for treating low blood sugar with you. If you feel shaky, sweaty, or very hungry or have other symptoms, check your blood sugar. Even if you dont have symptoms but think you may have low blood sugar, check it. If your blood sugar is lower than 70 mg/dL, do one of the following immediately:

Take four glucose tablets.
Drink four ounces of fruit juice.
Drink four ounces of regular soda, not diet soda.
Eat four pieces of hard candy.

Wait for 15 minutes and then check your blood sugar again. Do one of the above treatments again until your blood sugar is 70 mg/dL or above and eat a snack if your next meal is an hour or more away. If you have problems with low blood sugar, ask your doctor if your treatment plan needs to be changed.

What To Know About Diabetic Macular Edema

Fiber plays a preventative role, too. Studies have found that high-fiber diets can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 15 to 19 percent compared to low-fiber diets, according to a March 2018 study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine.

Youll find fiber in plant foods such as raspberries, peas, and whole grains, according to the Mayo Clinic. Beans are another good source of fiber. People with type 2 diabetes who ate at least a cup of legumes daily for three months had lower blood glucose levels as measured by the A1C test, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Beans also are an excellent source of folate, which is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a common diabetes complication, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Men should aim for 30 to 38 g of fiber per day, and women should eat 21 to 25 g per day, according to the Mayo Clinic.

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Get A Handle On Stress

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When youre stressed out, your blood sugar tends to rise, Crandall Snyder says. According to the Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California in San Francisco, when youre stressed, insulin levels fall, certain hormones rise, and more glucose is released from the liver, which ends up in the blood stream and can cause disruptions for up to eight hours.

How can you burn off tension? Yoga and meditation can help people lower their blood sugar levels, Weisenberger says. A December 2014 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science involving 27 nursing students and found a combination of yoga and meditation practiced for one hour once a week led to reduced levels of stress and lower blood glucose levels after 12 weeks.

Crandall Snyder also suggests taking a few deep breaths, going for a walk, playing with your dog for a few minutes, or listening to a fun song. Basically whatever you can do to distract yourself for a few minutes and just lower your breathing rate will help, she says. Indeed, the CDC notes that less water in your body is liked with a higher blood sugar concentration.

How To Lower Your Blood Sugar

03 December, 2022

High blood sugar levels above normal values is a medical condition known as hyperglycemia. Prolonged hyperglycemia can cause damage to different tissues, so its important to know how to lower your blood sugar.

High blood glucose levels can have a wide variety of causes, from a diet rich in carbohydrates to the use of certain drugs such as corticosteroids. This is a common complication in people with diabetes, although studies claim that it appears in a significant number of patients with no history of the disease.

There are many complications associated with hyperglycemia such as diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome. In this way, lowering blood sugar is essential in order to prevent further damage. One of the quickest ways to do this is by taking rapid-acting insulin, although there are other helpful measures too.

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How Do I Lower My Blood Sugar Level If I Have Gestational Pregnancy

A little more than 9.2% of pregnant women have gestational diabetes. It is very common that all women are tested during their pregnancy. If you havent yet, bring it up to your physicians attention. The cause is really unknown, but doctors believe that it is because the extra hormones that are released during pregnancy hinder the insulin sensitivity and increase the need for more insulin. It is very important to keep blood sugar levels under control because high blood sugars can lead to complications such as:

Premature labor
Pre-eclampsia which can lead to seizures
Increased risk of the mother to develop type 2 diabetes later in life

Lowering blood sugar with gestational diabetes is a lot like the other ways mentioned above.

They include:

Breastfeeding after the baby is born is a great way to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life as well as providing many benefits for the baby. Read this article / that I wrote about all of the benefits of breastfeeding.

Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar In The Morning

How to Lower Blood Sugar Level / 6 Powerful Tips for Diabetics

If you wear a continuous glucose monitor , or if you routinely check your blood glucose every morning, you can see whether or not you are experiencing early morning hyperglycemia. In addition, you may also experience some of the signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia, which may include:

Frequent and excessive urination

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Foods That Help To Bring Down Blood Sugar

While no single food can magically prevent you from getting diabetes, several foods have been shown to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels over time. By reading on, you learn how to lower blood sugar immediately, what meals can help, and what foods to consume when your blood sugar is higher than youd want.

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Which Carbs Raise Blood Sugar Levels

In plant foods, carbs comprise a combination of starch, sugar, and fiber. Only the starch and sugar components raise blood sugar.

Fiber thats naturally found in foods, whether soluble or insoluble, doesnt break down into glucose in the body, and doesnt raise blood sugar levels .

You can actually subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carb content, leaving you with the digestible or net carb content. For example, 1 cup of cauliflower contains 5 grams of carbs, 3 of which are fiber. Therefore, its net carb content is 2 grams.

Prebiotic fiber, such as inulin, has even been shown to improve fasting blood sugar and other health markers in people with type 2 diabetes .

Sugar alcohols, such as maltitol, xylitol, erythritol, and sorbitol, are often used to sweeten sugar-free candy and other diet products.

Some of them, especially maltitol, can actually raise blood sugar levels in people with diabetes .

For this reason, use the net carb tool cautiously, as the count listed on a products label may not be accurate if all the carbs contributed by maltitol are subtracted from the total.

Furthermore, the net carb tool isnt used by the Food and Drug Administration or the ADA.

This carb counter may be a valuable resource. It provides data for hundreds of foods on total carbs, net carbs, fiber, protein and fat.

Summary

Starches and sugars raise blood sugar levels, but dietary fiber does not. The sugar alcohol maltitol may also raise blood sugar.

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Low Blood Sugar An Overview

Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, occurs when an individuals blood sugar levels drop below the healthy range. Every individual has different optimal blood sugar levels, varying at different times. However, for most people, low blood sugar is below 70 mg/dL.

The standard classification of low blood sugar is as follows:

Whats Considered To Be A High Blood Sugar Level

A fasting blood sugar is considered to be high if its above 130 mg/dl. Fasting hyperglycemia is common. A high postprandial, or post-meal, blood sugar is one that is above 180 mg/dl two hours after eating. Keep in mind, too, that your blood sugar goals may be different, so talk with your provider about your own goals.

Of course, blood sugar levels can go much higher for example, diabetic ketoacidosis may occur when blood sugars are above 250 mg/dl. Some people even have blood sugar levels in the 400s or 500s or higher.

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Never Skip Eating Breakfast

Cameron Whitman/Stocksy

Weve all heard that breakfast is the days most important meal. This is especially true for those who have diabetes. I think eating breakfast is important, especially with potential risk for hypoglycemia and avoiding potential highs related to fasting for too long a period of time, Crandall Snyder says.

A high-protein breakfast has an edge over breakfasts that are high in carbohydrates, according to research from The University of Missouri-Columbia. In the research, women ages 18 to 55 consumed meals with similar calories, fat, and fiber contents but differing amounts of protein. Researchers monitored the amount of glucose and insulin in the participants blood for four hours after they ate breakfast. The best breakfasts contained 39 g of protein and led to lower post-meal glucose spikes than the meals with less protein, the researchers found.

Besides, eating breakfast may help overweight people with type 2 diabetes shed extra pounds. Of the participants in the National Weight Control Registry who maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for at least one year, 78 percent said they eat breakfast daily.

What Happens If My Blood Glucose Level Becomes Too Low

Sometimes blood glucose levels drop below where they should be, which is called hypoglycemia. For most people with diabetes, the blood glucose level is too low when it is below 70 mg/dL.

Hypoglycemia can be life threatening and needs to be treated right away. Learn more about how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia.

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Preventing High Blood Sugars

Everyone with diabetes experiences high blood sugars sometimes there are simply too many variables in the human body out of your control to prevent them altogether.

That being said, there are a few guidelines we can all follow to minimize the frequency of high blood sugars:

Avoid full-sugar beverages including soda, juice, coffee drinks, iced tea, etc.
Choose your carbohydrates carefully starchy carbs from pasta, candy, bread, desserts, etc. will spike your blood sugar the most
Take your medications as prescribed and contact your healthcare team if you miss a dose to determine if you can take it late
Exercise daily even a 20-minute walk makes a big difference on a daily basis
Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration

And of course, if youre experiencing high blood sugars are a daily basis and youre unsure of the cause, talk to your healthcare team about making adjustments in your diabetes management regimen. A slight increase in your medications can have a big impact!

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Understanding Your Blood Sugar And Exercise

3 Ways to Lower Blood Sugar. Fast and Safe.

The effect physical activity has on your blood sugar will vary depending on how long you are active and many other factors. Physical activity can lower your blood sugar up to 24 hours or more after your workout by making your body more sensitive to insulin.

Become familiar with how your blood sugar responds to exercise. Checking your blood sugar level more often before and after exercise can help you see the benefits of activity. You also can use the results of your blood sugar checks to see how your body reacts to different activities. Understanding these patterns can help you prevent your blood sugar from going too high or too low.

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How To Lower Morning Blood Sugar Without Medication

Work With Your Doctor

Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels . Even if you have good control of your levels most of the time, morning blood sugars can be a problem.

But you have options for lowering your morning blood glucose levels. And they don’t involve more medications or insulin.

This article looks at why mornings are a problem and several strategies for starting your day off better.

Verywell / Julie Bang

High morning blood glucose is common. It’s called the dawn phenomenon or dawn effect.

It happens because:

Your body releases a surge of hormones as it prepares to wake up.
Those hormones can counter the effects of insulin.
Insulin regulates blood sugars, so this can make levels rise.
In people without diabetes, the body naturally releases more insulin to maintain things.
When you have diabetes, your body may not be able to compensate this way.

You can improve your morning readings despite this. It just takes some work and forethought.

Take Your Insulin As Prescribed

High blood sugar occurs when your body has too little insulin, or your body cant use insulin properly. Administering insulin can bring your blood sugar levels down.

Talk to your doctor about how much rapid-acting insulin you should administer when your blood sugar is high.

You may want to check your blood sugar about 1530 minutes after taking insulin to make sure your blood sugar is going down and that its not dropping too low.

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Things That Cause High Blood Sugar

High blood sugar can be caused by a variety of factors. The most common factors that contribute to high blood sugar include:

Overeating/eating large portion sizes
Using old, expired insulin
Injecting insulin incorrectly

Most patients with high blood pressure dont have a known cause. This is called essential hypertension or primary hypertension, Dr. Raja adds.

Hypoglycemia And Physical Activity

People taking insulin or insulin secretagogues are at risk for hypoglycemia if insulin dose or carbohydrate intake is not adjusted with exercise. Checking your blood sugar before doing any physical activity is important to prevent hypoglycemia . Talk to your diabetes care team to find out if you are at risk for hypoglycemia.

If you experience hypoglycemia during or after exercise, treat it immediately:

What If Home Remedies To Lower Blood Sugar Dont Work

When attempting to lower your blood sugar naturally, take the long view. You are talking about a lifestyle change, not a quick fix, says Asterino-McGeean. It may take a few weeks or months to see results.

What if youve been trying home remedies to lower blood sugar for a few months, and your blood sugar levels still wont budge? Asterino-McGeean says you should also schedule an appointment with your doctor. At this point, its time for a conversation with your healthcare provider to see whats going on and discuss your options. Together, you and your doctor can determine the next steps in caring for your health.