Managing Your Blood Sugar Levels for Better Health
Blood sugar, also known as glucose, is your body’s main energy source. It comes primarily from carbohydrates in the foods you eat. While your body needs glucose for fuel, maintaining balanced blood sugar levels is crucial for overall health and preventing conditions like prediabetes and diabetes.
Understanding Blood Sugar
When you consume carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose. In response, your pancreas releases insulin – a hormone that helps deliver sugar to your cells for energy. However, consistently eating too many carb-heavy foods can cause dramatic spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. Over time, this may lead to insulin resistance and increase your risk of developing prediabetes or diabetes.
Prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are elevated but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. According to the CDC, a staggering 80% of individuals with prediabetes are unaware they have it. This highlights the importance of regular blood sugar monitoring.
Measuring Blood Sugar
There are several ways to measure blood glucose levels:
- Glucose meters or continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for at-home testing
- A1c tests performed by healthcare providers, measuring average blood glucose over 3 months
For those without diabetes, a normal fasting blood sugar level is below 99 mg/dL. The American Diabetes Association recommends target fasting levels of 80-130 mg/dL for people with diabetes. An A1c below 5.6% indicates no diabetes, while 5.7-6.4% signals prediabetes, and 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes.
Tips for Managing Blood Sugar
Whether you have diabetes or simply want to maintain stable energy levels throughout the day, incorporating healthy lifestyle changes can help manage your blood glucose. Registered Dietitian, Courtney Fuller, with CMC Nutrition recommends implementing the following habits to help manage your glucose:
Exercise regularly
Physical activity promotes healthy insulin function and weight management. New to exercise? Try these tips for getting started.
Manage your carb intake
Carbs are broken down in the body into glucose. The more carbs you eat, the more glucose will be in your bloodstream. Your body needs carbs for energy, but it is important to monitor how many carbs you are consuming and to spread them out. Courtney Fuller, RD, states, “A good rule of thumb is to aim for at least 30-45 grams of carbs at each meal and 15 grams of carbs at each snack.”
Add protein
When you do consume carbs, our team of registered dietitians encourages you to always pair your carbohydrate with a protein to manage the blood sugar spike. Protein and carbs work hand in hand. Courtney encourages people to, “think of them as best friends—you can’t have one without the other! When you pair protein with carbs, you’re not only helping to stabilize your blood glucose levels, but you’re also keeping yourself fuller for longer.
Break up your day with bursts of movement
Any movement is better than no movement! If you find yourself sitting at your desk for several hours, make it a goal to stand up and march in place for three minutes every hour. Get up and walk to the mailbox or simply park your car further away at the grocery storel. Especially after you eat a meal, getting up and moving for at least five minutes will help keep your blood sugar from spiking as high as it normally would. For more ways to move more throughout your day, click here.
Increase your fiber intake
Fiber slows digestion and the body’s absorption of sugar. Eating more fiber will help to gradually increase those blood sugar levels when you eat instead of a rapid spike. Some high-fiber foods you can incorporate into your diet include berries, apples, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, whole grains, lentils, black beans, almonds and chia seeds. Courtney suggests, “Try making 50% of your carbs whole grains to increase your fiber intake. We need 25-30 grams of fiber daily!”
Manage your stress
In times of high stress, your body secretes hormones like cortisol which cause blood sugar levels to rise. Some ways you can manage your stress include regular exercise, journaling, arts, and crafts, taking deep breaths, meditation and mindfulness.
Drink water
Water can help your kidneys get rid of excess sugar through urine. Staying hydrated can also make you feel more full throughout the day. Aim for at least eight 8oz glasses of water per day.
Get enough sleep
Poor sleeping habits can affect blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity. Lack of sleep can also make you feel hungrier and crave more sugar throughout the day, leading to potential weight gain. Sleep deprivation can also increase cortisol, which impacts blood sugar management.
Diagnosis By the Best in Myrtle Beach
Anyone who has symptoms of diabetes should be tested for the disease. Doctors use a variety of tests to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes. Which test your doctor recommends may differ depending on whether you have symptoms or not, or whether you are pregnant.
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, the first thing to do is see a qualified and trustworthy endocrinologist with a wealth of experience treating individuals with your condition. Diabetes is a complex condition that requires careful management and ongoing support. Through proactive measures, such as early detection, lifestyle modifications, and regular medical supervision, individuals can lead fulfilling lives while effectively managing their diabetes.
At CMC Endocrinology, we remain dedicated to empowering our patients with the knowledge and resources needed to live well with diabetes. If you live in Myrtle Beach and the Conway area, we have the doctors for you. Specializing in treating type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, our endocrinologists are excited to offer top-notch endocrinology treatments and diabetes management options. Call 843-234-9700 for more information about our practice and the physician referral process.
