Are you one in two that has diabetes or is pre-diabetic? And, for personal reasons, you don’t want to take prescription medication to control it? Well, you don’t necessarily have to. Here are 4 ways to reduce your blood glucose levels without medication.
1. Get Moving
First, and foremost, you should be exercising anyways as part of a healthy lifestyle. But, if you’ve been neglecting that part of your life, now’s a good time to start.
Exercising regularly can help you lose weight, which is essential to diabetic management. It can also help increase your insulin sensitivity. The motion of exercise also helps lower your blood sugar levels when your muscles pick up the sugars from your bloodstream. They use it to contract.
2. Be Mindful of Carbs
Next, carbs taste great, but they can be harmful to a diabetic mainly because carbs translate into sugar. And, overeating carbohydrates raises your blood sugar levels.
There are different ways you can do this. You can count carbs, use a food exchange system, or simply go on a low-carb diet. Whichever method works for you, make sure you get your carb intake under control.
3. Go Fiber!
You may be wondering what fiber has to do with your glucose levels. But, the answer is plenty! Eating foods with fiber can help slow down sugar absorption into your bloodstream. Even better, it also helps slow carb digestion down.
Furthermore, you want to make sure it’s the right type, too. Soluble fiber is the one that lowers glucose levels.
4. Don’t Forget to Stay Hydrated
Lastly, don’t forget to drink water. You may think this is common sense, but it’s more important now if you are diabetic. Staying hydrated means that your kidneys will be able to flush excess blood sugar from your system.
In addition, one study observed that drinking water had lowered the risk of high glucose levels.
Final Thoughts
You were probably expecting something more complicated. But, to reduce your blood glucose levels without medication, it really is that simple. Live a healthy lifestyle, and you should see a reduction in those levels.
