Lifestyle Changes to Help Control Your Diabetes

Diabetes is an illness that will both shorten and limit your life. Getting control of your food intake, boosting your exercise, and getting a handle on your stress can make it much easier to manage your diabetes. Consider the tips below to reduce your risk of dangerous blood sugar vacillations.

Exercise

When reviewing the risks and challenges of type 1 diabetes vs. type 2 diabetes, you can be confident that exercise will always be good for you. Experts at Tandem Diabetes remind us that whether you are unable to produce insulin or unable to use insulin effectively, increasing your exercise will help your body burn off the sugar.

Portion Control

After a diabetes diagnosis, learning to count your carbs to avoid elevated blood sugar levels is critical. Keeping a balanced plate is crucial to proper portion control Additionally, consider using a timer to learn to eat your meal over 20 minutes to let the “full” message from your stomach to reach your brain.

Carb Counts

Try to arrange your plate according to carb count. Carbohydrates turn to sugar as they break down. Whole grain products will be more filling and will take longer to break down. White flour products, such as pasta and bread, will break down more quickly and may cause an excessive elevation of your blood sugar levels, leaving you feeling sluggish and sleepy. Refined sugars will enter the bloodstream quickest of all. Unless your sugars are dangerously low, these are to be enjoyed sparingly.

Snacks

While working on your portion control, it’s also a good idea to carry snacks or glucose tablets to make sure your sugar doesn’t get too low. If you have not been exercising and start a new routine, be aware that this addition can impact your blood sugar for up to 24 hours. Know the carb counts of your favorite fruits and veggies and carry a snack to enjoy between your healthy meals.

Liquids

Staying hydrated is important for everyone but particularly important for a diabetic. Your kidneys are crucial to moving excess sugars in your blood out of the body. Once you have your sugars regulated, plenty of water will also keep your gut moving effectively and your joints loose. Focus on water, avoid artificial sweeteners to allow your taste buds to reset, and carefully monitor your alcohol intake.

Stress Management

High levels of stress can easily turn into high blood sugar levels. Depending on what happened before you got your diagnosis, you may have been feeling exhausted for a long time. Tired people are stressed people and may lean on comfort foods to feel better, which adds to your high blood sugar risk. Reducing your stress can be done by taking a walk in the middle of the work day, doing gentle yoga in the evening, or taking a tai chi class.

Getting your blood sugar under control is critical to maintaining a healthy body over time. As you build healthy habits, keep monitoring your blood sugar as it may lower as you make these simple changes.

 

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