Here are effective ways to lower blood sugar levels naturally:
- Exercise regularly: Physical activity increases insulin sensitivity and helps muscles use blood sugar for energy. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week, including activities like walking, biking, swimming, or resistance exercises. Short, frequent sessions also help.
- Drink plenty of water: Staying well hydrated helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar through urine and may reduce blood sugar levels.
- Manage portion sizes: Eating moderate portions and avoiding overeating helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Use smaller plates, eat slowly, and track your food intake.
- Choose low glycemic index (GI) foods: Foods that break down slowly, like whole grains, legumes, oats, and non-starchy vegetables, cause less rapid increases in blood sugar. Adding protein or healthy fats to meals also moderates blood sugar spikes.
- Manage weight: Losing even 5% of body weight can improve blood sugar control and reduce diabetes risk.
- Eat healthy snacks frequently: Smaller, frequent meals can help avoid extreme highs or lows in blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Include probiotic-rich foods: Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi may improve blood sugar regulation.
- Incorporate specific foods known to lower blood sugar immediately: almonds, apples, chickpeas, air-popped popcorn, hard-boiled eggs, chia seeds, berries, edamame, olives, and Greek yogurt. These foods help reduce insulin resistance, slow carb absorption, or improve sugar metabolism.
- Adopt a healthy eating pattern: Favor whole grains, fruits, vegetables, pulses, and lean proteins while limiting salt, processed meats, and added sugars.
- Avoid sugary drinks and refined carbs as they can spike blood sugar.
These lifestyle and dietary changes can effectively help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk or severity of diabetes complications. Always consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice and treatment.