How to Stabilize Your Blood Sugar Naturally
Eat every 3 to 5 hours., Include a nutritious, high fiber carbohydrate at each meal., Include healthy fats and protein at each meal., Limit alcohol., Plan ahead.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Eat every 3 to 5 hours.
If you're trying to better stabilize and control your blood sugar, it's important to consider the consistency and timing of your meals.
If you're skipping meals or waiting too long in between meals, you can experience fluctuations in your blood sugar.
When you eat foods your body digests them and then absorbs the nutrients.
Through this process, your body's blood sugar will rise.
When you skip a meal, your body won't get the needed nutrients and your blood sugar will dip to the low end.Always eat three meals daily.
In addition, plan to have a snack if you know there will be more than five hours between meals.
This will help to keep you satisfied until your next meal.Also be consistent with portion sizes.
If you ate a really big meal and feel like you should "hold back" at your next meal, you really can't (especially if you're taking medications for diabetes).
If you don't eat enough
- regardless of what you ate earlier
- you can still experience a low blood sugar. -
Step 2: Include a nutritious
Carbohydrates are the nutrient that makes blood sugar rise.
Including a nutritious and healthy carbohydrate source at your meals can help you manage your blood sugar throughout the day.
Carbohydrates are found in a wide variety of foods including: grains, fruits, starchy vegetables and dairy foods.
In addition, carbohydrates are found in sweet treats and sweetened beverages in the form of refined sugar.
However, it's better to get most of your carbohydrates from foods like whole grains or fruits as these contain fiber, vitamins and minerals in addition to not spiking your blood sugar very high.Include a serving of high fiber carbohydrates at each meal.
This will cause your blood sugar to rise slowly, instead of spiking, and can keep it stable longer.Choose: 1/2 cup of fruit, 1 cup of starchy vegetables, 1/2 cup or 1 oz of 100% whole grains or 1 cup of low-fat dairy.Skipping these carbs at a meal doesn't provide your body with the necessary carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar stable.
You're at risk for hitting a low blood sugar if you skip all of these foods. , In addition to making sure that you include a nutritious carbohydrate at each meal, it's also wise to include some healthy fats and protein.
Both of these nutrients also help stabilize your blood sugar.
Healthy sources of fat when combined with a nutritious carbohydrate help slow the rise of the carbohydrate in your blood stream.
This decreases the risk of spiking your blood sugar really high.Include a serving of healthy fats at each meal.
Try: 1 oz of nuts, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 cup of avocado, 3-4 oz of fatty fish like salmon or 1 tablespoon of seeds.
Like healthy fats, protein also has a similar effect on your blood sugar
- helping to slow the release of carbohydrates into your blood stream.
Stick to 3-4 oz of lean protein sources like: poultry, eggs, lean beef, seafood, tofu or pork. , If you have diabetes or have difficulty stabilizing blood sugars, it may be wise to limit or give up alcohol.
Drinks like wine, beer or liquor can make keeping blood sugars stable more difficult.
Alcohol interferes with 3 of your body's processes involved in maintaining and regulating healthy blood sugar numbers.In addition, excessive consumption overtime can reduce your insulin's effectiveness.It's especially important to never drink on an empty stomach.
It can cause a very delayed low blood sugar
- even up to 24 hours later.
Also, be careful if drinking larger amounts of alcohol (which is never recommended).
Many symptoms of alcohol intoxication are identical to extremely low blood sugars.
This can make it difficult for others to assist you if you were to pass out.If you are planning to have a drink, women should drink no more than 1 cocktail and men shouldn't drink more than
2., When you're working on stabilizing your blood sugars, it's important to make sure to know your body and plan ahead.
Many low blood sugars or overly high blood sugars happen when you're not prepared.
Think about your typical day and how often you need to eat.
Make sure you pack enough meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day.
In addition, always have an emergency snack on hand.
You never know when you might be delayed in eating a meal.
Skipping is not advisable as your blood sugar can drop dangerously low.
Keep a healthy snack like a granola bar, a pack of peanut butter crackers or a bag of whole wheat pita chips on hand in case you need something in between meals. -
Step 3: high fiber carbohydrate at each meal.
-
Step 4: Include healthy fats and protein at each meal.
-
Step 5: Limit alcohol.
-
Step 6: Plan ahead.
Detailed Guide
If you're trying to better stabilize and control your blood sugar, it's important to consider the consistency and timing of your meals.
If you're skipping meals or waiting too long in between meals, you can experience fluctuations in your blood sugar.
When you eat foods your body digests them and then absorbs the nutrients.
Through this process, your body's blood sugar will rise.
When you skip a meal, your body won't get the needed nutrients and your blood sugar will dip to the low end.Always eat three meals daily.
In addition, plan to have a snack if you know there will be more than five hours between meals.
This will help to keep you satisfied until your next meal.Also be consistent with portion sizes.
If you ate a really big meal and feel like you should "hold back" at your next meal, you really can't (especially if you're taking medications for diabetes).
If you don't eat enough
- regardless of what you ate earlier
- you can still experience a low blood sugar.
Carbohydrates are the nutrient that makes blood sugar rise.
Including a nutritious and healthy carbohydrate source at your meals can help you manage your blood sugar throughout the day.
Carbohydrates are found in a wide variety of foods including: grains, fruits, starchy vegetables and dairy foods.
In addition, carbohydrates are found in sweet treats and sweetened beverages in the form of refined sugar.
However, it's better to get most of your carbohydrates from foods like whole grains or fruits as these contain fiber, vitamins and minerals in addition to not spiking your blood sugar very high.Include a serving of high fiber carbohydrates at each meal.
This will cause your blood sugar to rise slowly, instead of spiking, and can keep it stable longer.Choose: 1/2 cup of fruit, 1 cup of starchy vegetables, 1/2 cup or 1 oz of 100% whole grains or 1 cup of low-fat dairy.Skipping these carbs at a meal doesn't provide your body with the necessary carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar stable.
You're at risk for hitting a low blood sugar if you skip all of these foods. , In addition to making sure that you include a nutritious carbohydrate at each meal, it's also wise to include some healthy fats and protein.
Both of these nutrients also help stabilize your blood sugar.
Healthy sources of fat when combined with a nutritious carbohydrate help slow the rise of the carbohydrate in your blood stream.
This decreases the risk of spiking your blood sugar really high.Include a serving of healthy fats at each meal.
Try: 1 oz of nuts, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 cup of avocado, 3-4 oz of fatty fish like salmon or 1 tablespoon of seeds.
Like healthy fats, protein also has a similar effect on your blood sugar
- helping to slow the release of carbohydrates into your blood stream.
Stick to 3-4 oz of lean protein sources like: poultry, eggs, lean beef, seafood, tofu or pork. , If you have diabetes or have difficulty stabilizing blood sugars, it may be wise to limit or give up alcohol.
Drinks like wine, beer or liquor can make keeping blood sugars stable more difficult.
Alcohol interferes with 3 of your body's processes involved in maintaining and regulating healthy blood sugar numbers.In addition, excessive consumption overtime can reduce your insulin's effectiveness.It's especially important to never drink on an empty stomach.
It can cause a very delayed low blood sugar
- even up to 24 hours later.
Also, be careful if drinking larger amounts of alcohol (which is never recommended).
Many symptoms of alcohol intoxication are identical to extremely low blood sugars.
This can make it difficult for others to assist you if you were to pass out.If you are planning to have a drink, women should drink no more than 1 cocktail and men shouldn't drink more than
2., When you're working on stabilizing your blood sugars, it's important to make sure to know your body and plan ahead.
Many low blood sugars or overly high blood sugars happen when you're not prepared.
Think about your typical day and how often you need to eat.
Make sure you pack enough meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day.
In addition, always have an emergency snack on hand.
You never know when you might be delayed in eating a meal.
Skipping is not advisable as your blood sugar can drop dangerously low.
Keep a healthy snack like a granola bar, a pack of peanut butter crackers or a bag of whole wheat pita chips on hand in case you need something in between meals.
About the Author
James Gordon
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in pet care and beyond.
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