Tips for Controlling Your Glucose Levels 

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Nowadays with the large amount of industrialized products and the low consumption of healthy food it is common that our body is metabolically inflexible, so insulin resistance is a factor that is increasingly seen in the population and to control such imbalances in blood glucose levels may not need drugs to control them, but a change in lifestyle is vital.

Whether you suffer from glucose-related pathologies such as diabetes or are a person with no apparent disease, lowering blood glucose levels is not just a short-term goal: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it helps prevent or delay diabetes complications such as heart, kidney, eye and nerve disease. It can completely change the course of the disease.

"It is very important that people try to control and if possible reduce blood glucose levels, for which it is key to implement lifestyle changes, since it is those small steps that manage to improve overall health conditions, and if you are a person who, due to the pathology you suffer from, needs to take medication, with such changes you can get to reduce and eliminate the need for it."

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It is well known that type 2 diabetes has a high incidence in our modern society, and because it is a progressive disease, you really have to figure out how to take control. That's why, in this article, we give you the keys to control it. 

Practical tips to control your glucose levels easily and dynamically 

1. Watch your carbohydrate intake

Paying attention to carbohydrates is important, as they impact blood glucose concentrations directly and cause them to potentially fluctuate. How many carbohydrates per meal is ideal? There is no definite answer, as these should be tailored to the individual. The amount of exercise, weight and age can affect how long sugars stay in the body, according to the CDC. People with diabetes typically have an intake of 200 to 245 g per day, which is half the carbohydrate of an unrestricted person. From there, adjustments need to be made based on blood glucose readings or as recommended by a dietitian. 

You should keep in mind that carbohydrates are not only found in the usual culprits, such as bread, potatoes and pasta. They are also in fruits, sweets and dairy products, so you also have to take them into account. 

2. Avoid large meals

One way to keep carbohydrates under control is to eat in moderation. It is better to spread your meals throughout the day, rather than "saving" calories for a large dinner. Feeding your body throughout the day helps regulate blood glucose levels and prevents glycemic spikes throughout the day. Try to watch what kind of food you eat when you snack. Maintaining about 15 g of carbohydrate per snack is a good standard approach. You can find this amount in 1 cup of fruit. 

3. Take more fiber

Fiber is another nutrient you'll want to consider for blood glucose control, but in this case, the more the better!

It can help stabilize your blood levels of this molecule and also plays a role in weight control and may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.  

Fiber also plays a preventive role. Studies have found that high-fiber diets can reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 15 to 19% compared to low-fiber diets. 

You will find fiber in plant foods such as raspberries, peas and whole grains. Beans are another good source of fiber. People with type 2 diabetes who ate at least one cup of legumes (beans, chickpeas and lentils) a day for three months had lower blood glucose levels, as measured by the A1C test (A1C is a way of measuring average blood glucose levels over a three-month period). Beans are also an excellent source of folate, which is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a common complication of diabetes. 

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4. Get more quality sleep

‍Littleor poor sleep affects body chemistry, and getting more sleep helps control blood glucose. Chronic lack of sleep may contribute to the risk of type 2 diabetes. In a Diabetology study, they found this when healthy volunteers who slept only four hours for three nights in a row had higher levels of fatty acids in their blood, which reduced insulin's ability to regulate blood glucose by about 23%, the researchers found. Lack of sleep is also linked to other health problems, such as obesity, heart disease and stroke. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Do you have sleep problems? Follow these recommendations from the National Sleep Foundation:

• Sleep in a cool, dark room.
• Avoid consuming alcohol or caffeine in the hours before bedtime.
• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Do not look at screens at least half an hour before going to bed, including television, tablets, cell phones and computers.

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5. Lose some weight

‍Loadingextra weight is a major cause of insulin resistance, which prevents the hormone that lowers blood glucose from working properly, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Weight loss goals don't have to be huge, either. Modest weight loss (5 to 10% of body weight) resulted in improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.  

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6. Drink more water

‍Staying hydrated is an easy way to maintain control of blood glucose levels. A previous study found that the more water participants drank, the less likely they were to develop high blood glucose levels. More specifically, the study found that people who drank less than half a liter of water a day had a higher risk of developing blood glucose problems. This is based on the idea that it is water that helps eliminate glucose from the body.

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7. Stress management

When you are stressed, blood glucose tends to rise. According to the Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California, San Francisco, when you are stressed, insulin levels drop, certain hormones rise and the liver releases more glucose, which ends up in the bloodstream and can cause disorders for up to eight hours. How can we avoid this fact? Include in your routine activities that generate wellbeing and peace in you, such as yoga, meditation, therapy, etc.

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8. Add more resistant starch to your dish

Resistant starch (found in some potatoes, fruits and beans) bypasses the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine, which means it does not raise glucose levels and promotes the growth of good bacteria in the body. Interestingly, resistant starch can change with heat, and some foods, such as rice, are higher in resistant starch when cooked and cooled than when cooked and served hot. Resistant starches are also found in:

• Bananas and unripe bananas
• Beans, peas and lentils
• Whole grains, such as oats and barley

Just be sure to keep carbohydrate counting in mind when incorporating resistant starchy foods into your diet.

9. Increase your movement every day

Exercise helps improve blood glucose by increasing insulin sensitivity and the body's ability to use glucose for energy. 

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10. Consult your physician or nutritional team whenever you are suffering from symptoms such as: polyuria, sudden weight loss, exhaustion, increased thirst, blurred vision, etc. 

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Bibliographic references: 

• Spiller GA. Definition of dietary fiber. In: Spiller GA editor. Dietary fiber in human nutrition. Boca Raton, Florida, USA: CRC Press; 1993. p. 15-20.
• Marlett JA, Mc Burney MI, Slavin JL. Position of the American Dietetic Association:health implications of dietary fiber. Journal of American Dietetic Association. 2002;102:993-1000.
• Sarker M, Rahman M. Dietary fiber and obesity management - a review. Adv Obes Weight Manag Control. 2017;7(3):295-297. DOI: 10.15406/aowmc.2017.07.00199
• Jenkins DJA, Kendall CWC, Augustin LSA, et al. Effect of Legumes as Part of a Low Glycemic Index Diet on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(21):1653-1660. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.70.
• USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://ndb.nal.usda.gov. Accessed Nov. 7, 2018.
• Dietary Reference Intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids (macronutrients). National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10490. Accessed Nov. 7, 2018.
• Veronese N, et al. Dietary fiber and health outcomes: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018;107:436.
• National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics/statistics-report.html External link. Updated July 17, 2017. Accessed October 19, 2017.
• Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Long-term effects of lifestyle intervention or metformin on diabetes development and microvascular complications over 15-year follow-up: the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study. The Lancet: Diabetes & Endocrinology. 2015;3(11):866-875.
• University of Missouri-Columbia. "Protein-rich breakfast helps curb appetite throughout the morning." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 14 November 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131114102528.htm>.
• Klem ML, Wing RR, McGuire MT, Seagle HM & Hill JO (1997). A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 66, 239-246.
• Erickson ML, Jenkins NT and McCully KK (2017) Exercise after You Eat: Hitting the Postprandial Glucose Target. Front. Endocrinol. 8:228. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00228.

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