Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, occurs when the body lacks enough insulin.
Hyperglycemia, which is closely linked to diabetes, can cause heart attacks, strokes, and nerve damage if left untreated.
This post may contain affiliate links
“The basic defect in all diabetic patients is insulin’s decreased ability to induce body cells to remove glucose (sugar) molecules from the blood,” says James Norman, MD, FACS, FACE.
Is It Good To Sleep With Lights On?
Type 2 Diabetes: What It Is and How to Treat It
“Whether the decreased insulin activity is caused by a decrease in the amount of insulin produced (type 1 diabetes) or by the cells’ insensitivity to a normal amount of insulin (type 2 diabetes), the end result is the same: high blood glucose levels.”
According to doctors, there are five simple ways to lower blood sugar.
1
Weight Loss:
Advertisement
Weight loss has been shown to improve blood sugar levels, and for diabetics, the more weight lost, the greater the chance of diabetes remission (one study showed 86 percent remission for those who lost more than 33 pounds!).
Michael Lean, MD says: ” Our findings suggest that putting type 2 diabetes into remission is possible even if you’ve had it for six years”.
“Unlike other approaches, we emphasize the importance of long-term weight loss maintenance through diet and exercise, and we encourage flexibility to optimize individual results.”
Advertisement
2
Exercise Regularly:
“Even if you don’t have diabetes, regular exercise is important,” Hess-Fischl says. “Maintaining a healthy level of activity can help you maintain a normal blood glucose level.
Do not exercise if you develop hyperglycemia or if ketones are detected in your urine. Exercise will cause your blood glucose to rise higher if you have hyperglycemia and/or ketones in your urine.”
3
Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels:
It’s critical to monitor your blood sugar levels if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes. “One of the main goals of diabetes treatment is to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range.
According to Robert H. Shmerling, MD, “this helps to prevent symptoms and complications, prolong life, and improve quality of life.”
“The development of CGM [continuous glucose monitoring] devices that can monitor blood sugar levels frequently and easily without the use of finger sticks has revolutionized diabetes care for millions of people.”
Some devices, in addition to providing blood sugar results, have alarm settings that notify the user or others if blood sugar levels fall dangerously low or high. Furthermore, some systems can send results directly to the user’s device.
4
Changing your diet has the potential to alter your blood sugar levels:
A healthy, well-balanced diet is a no-brainer if you want to lower your blood sugar quickly.
Amy Hess-Fischl, MS, RD, LDN, BC-ADM, CDCES, says that a healthy diet and proper meal planning can help people avoid hyperglycemia.
“This means eating frequently, watching sugar and carbohydrate intake, limiting alcohol consumption, and eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Consult your doctor or a dietitian if you’re having trouble planning meals.”
5
Dealing With stress
Did you know that stress can make it difficult for your blood sugar to stay within a healthy range?
“Stress management for people with diabetes isn’t just about finding ways to relax; it’s also about managing blood glucose levels,” says the American Diabetes Association.
“When you are stressed, your body produces stress hormones. These hormones can cause your blood glucose to rise, making diabetes more difficult to manage.
Stress can also have an effect on your blood glucose levels in other ways, such as making it more difficult to focus on your diabetes care.
You may overeat or undereat, avoid exercise, or forget to take your medications.
Your blood glucose levels may not always remain within your target range, no matter how hard you try. You’re not by yourself.”
