A little lesson in bio: To function normally, your body needs energy. Food provides that energy, which your body breaks down into smaller pieces and either absorbs or excretes. When you consume carbs, your body converts them to glucose, a simple sugar that serves as your body’s principal fuel source. (Daily Habits for Healthy Blood Sugar)
Glucose goes through your bloodstream and is absorbed by cells—in the muscles, the brain, and practically everywhere else—to be transformed into energy that allows you to do nearly everything your body does, from solving problems at work to running marathons.
Our bodies would not function if we didn’t have enough blood sugar. Blood sugar levels that are too high can also be problematic. That’s why we have hormone signaling pathways to control blood sugar levels in a healthy range. However, it can be thrown off a bit or a lot from time to time for a variety of causes.
How does the body manage blood sugar?
Hormones keep your blood sugar levels in check. This equilibrium guarantees that the body has adequate energy when it’s needed, and it’s mostly maintained by hormones such as insulin and glucagon.
Insulin, which is produced in and released by the pancreas, reduces blood sugar by telling cells all over the body to take in glucose (sugar). There is less glucose in the blood as glucose enters the cells to be used as energy or stored as glycogen.
Glucagon causes blood sugar levels to rise. The pancreas releases glucagon when blood sugar levels are too low, which usually happens many hours after you eat. The hormone glucagon tells the liver and muscles to convert stored glycogen to glucose and release it into the bloodstream.
Other hormones are also involved in this process. Amylin and somatostatin reduce blood sugar by inhibiting glucagon secretion. Blood sugar levels are raised by epinephrine, cortisol, and growth hormone, as well as glucagon. Hormone changes as we get older also make a difference: As we become older, our average baseline blood sugar levels tend to rise.
What is the impact of blood sugar on your appetite and metabolism?
Blood sugar rises in the hours after a meal as your body digests the food you just ate, then drops when your body expends that energy. Several factors, including your specific biology, what you’ve eaten, and your activity levels, influence how high your blood sugar increases, how far it dips, and how long the whole process takes.
Generally speaking, the higher and faster your blood sugar rises, the lower and faster it will fall. When blood sugar levels drop swiftly to the low end of the normal range, a hormone response occurs, resulting in increased appetite and hunger, as well as sugar cravings. It may also cause your metabolism to slow down.
Of course, you should consult your doctor if you develop other symptoms of low blood sugar, such as shakiness, sweating, anxiety, or irritation. They may want to do some tests to see if the symptoms you’re having are diabetes-related. Physiological indications of low blood sugar can also occur in non-diabetics a few hours after a meal.
Reactive hypoglycemia is the medical term for this syndrome. While the symptoms aren’t usually severe, it’s worth discussing with your doctor. Certain blood sugar management techniques can assist to alleviate symptoms.
How can you consume to maintain a healthy blood sugar level?
Blood sugar equilibrium is best achieved by attacking it from a variety of directions. This includes certain lifestyle changes, which we’ll discuss in a moment. But first, let’s go over some general mealtime norms.
1. Choose foods with a low glycemic index
The glycemic index (GI) is a metric that measures how diet affects blood sugar levels. It’s based on how quickly a carbohydrate-containing diet is broken down into glucose by the body.
Higher values (between 70 and 100) indicate that food may induce a greater spike in blood sugar levels, while lower numbers (under fifty) indicate items that would cause a more gradual rise—and often a softer fall.
2. Limit your intake of refined sugars in your everyday die
If you’re trying to control your blood sugar, cutting less on foods with refined sugars is an excellent habit to develop. It might be worth giving it a try if you have a sweet craving.
It includes a daily pill to maintain regular glucose and energy metabolism, as well as mints containing Gymnema Sylvestre extract, which temporarily masks the taste of sweetness, making it easier to pinpoint sugar sources in your diet.
3. Look for chromium and magnesium sources
Magnesium is abundant in greens, avocados, dry legumes, nuts, seeds, and tofu. Most fruits and vegetables are high in chromium, but broccoli, green beans, and nutritional yeast have particularly high levels. If you’re looking for magnesium supplements, try LivOn Labs’ Liposomal Magnesium L-Threonate and The Nue Co.’s Regularity Relief.
4. Consume a high-fiber diet
High-fiber diets, particularly those high in soluble fiber, have been demonstrated to aid in blood sugar control. If you eat a diet high in plant-based foods, you should be able to acquire enough. And if you want to add more soluble fiber to your diet, try including fenugreek or chia seeds into your oatmeal or smoothies.
5. Cinnamon, if using
When cinnamon and cinnamon extract are included in your diet, they can help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level. That’s why our Metabolism-Boosting Superpowder contains 500 milligrams of cinnamon extract (equal to around two grams of cinnamon powder).
What other activities can help you keep your blood sugar in check?
Take control of your tension
When you’re stressed, your body prepares to respond to a perceived threat by lowering insulin levels and increasing stress chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol, which together raise blood sugar.
This mechanism ensures that you have enough energy available to survive any threat you are facing in a real fight-or-flight situation.
However, if your stressor is a pile of work tasks—not a life-threatening threat, even if it feels that way at times—you’re probably not burning off the excess blood sugar. It’s likely that your blood sugar is continuously raised if you’re under a lot of stress.
Stress management can be beneficial
Meditation and breathwork are effective options, but if they aren’t your thing, go for a hike. Spend quality time with your buddies. Play a game of tennis with your friends. Five minutes of dancing whatever suits your needs.
Get plenty of rest
People who get less than six hours of sleep per night are far more likely to have impaired insulin sensitivity, which means their cells aren’t as able to absorb sugar from the blood, according to one large study.
Exercise on a regular basis
Moving your body requires energy, which means your cells, must rely on the sugars in your bloodstream to function (thereby decreasing blood sugar). Exercise can also make your body more responsive to insulin, which is a positive thing, for twelve to twenty-four hours after a workout, according to research. Getting a daily workout and moving your body throughout the day will help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level.
Keep yourself hydrated
Low water intake is linked to a higher risk of elevated blood sugar. Keeping your blood hydrated and lowering your risk is as simple as drinking plenty of water.
Caffeine and alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum.
Caffeine and alcohol, when consumed in excess, can impair the efficacy of insulin in the body.
Eat slowly and deliberately
The practice of present-moment awareness during a meal or snack is known as mindful eating. Slowly chew your meal, paying attention to the various flavors and textures. Pay attention to your body for satiety and satisfaction signs.
Conclusion:
This article has discussed some Daily Habits for Healthy Blood Sugar. You can follow all the instructions to keep your blood sugar in control. Keep sending us your suggestions and feedback. Goodbye!
