Do you regularly wake up with a rumbling stomach? Are you tired during the day and is the candy machine at work not safe? Can't you possibly go without eating for a few hours without getting cranky, shaky, or dizzy? Chances are that your blood sugar level fluctuates. Did you know that a stable blood sugar level makes you fit and energetic and helps to keep your weight stable?
In this blog you can read how the rise and fall of your blood sugar level works. And above all, the 11 best tips to How to Reduce Blood Sugar Levels, so that you can start the autumn energetic and with a healthy weight.
How does blood sugar work?
When we eat, the carbohydrates in our diet are broken down into glucose. This glucose enters the blood from the intestines and is then sent to the cells by the hormone insulin. The cells burn the glucose to generate energy. When more glucose enters than the body can burn, the excess is stored in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen.
The liver and muscles are relatively small storehouses; there is room there to store energy for about one day. When the muscles and liver are full, the excess glucose is converted into fat. When blood sugar levels are low, the pancreas produces the hormone glucagon, which converts the glycogen from the liver and muscles back into glucose. And when little or no carbohydrates are received, for example in the case of fasting or with a low-carbohydrate diet, the body can switch to fat burning. Also, in extreme cases, the body can convert proteins into glucose (gluconeogenesis).
When is the blood sugar level too high?
The amount of glucose in your blood is measured in millimoles per liter (mmol/l). A normal fasting value is between 4.0 and 6.0 mmol/l. Two hours after eating, your blood sugar should actually be below 9.0 mmol/l. Blood sugar values of 6-8 mmol/l are too high and if the fasting values are above 7.0 mmol/l, there is diabetes. Thirst, drinking and urinating a lot, infections, itching, tiredness, listlessness and irritability can indicate too high a blood sugar level.
The link between diet and your blood sugar level
As you have read, the carbohydrates in our diet are broken down and converted into glucose. This happens very quickly with certain foods; sugar and white flour products, for example, are converted into glucose in no time and raise blood sugar levels rapidly. As a result, an immediate boost of insulin is also produced to Reduce Blood Sugar Levels.
Due to the excess of insulin, the blood sugar level falls below the normal values, with the result that your body asks for fast sugars again. If you often feel hungry soon after eating, this could indicate that blood sugar levels are rising and falling too quickly. Carbohydrates with a lot of fiber, such as in vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains, are broken down more slowly and therefore increase the blood sugar level more gradually. Fats and proteins have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar levels. For example, they slow down the breakdown of carbohydrates, so that the blood sugar level rises less quickly.
Keep your blood sugar stable with these 11 tips
1. Eat a protein-rich breakfast in the morning
Proteins are very satiating and keep the blood sugar level stable. Especially if you eat them in the morning, they can have an effect throughout the day. Try it out, if you eat enough protein in the morning you will have much less appetite in the late afternoon.
For example, instead of bread, breakfast with eggs in the form of an omelet. Or how about a banana pancake made from 2 eggs and 1 banana? Avocado, nuts/seeds and full fat (goat/sheep) yogurt also contain a lot of protein. Check out our protein blog here .
2. Eat enough fiber
Carbohydrates that contain a lot of fiber are broken down less quickly and therefore gradually increase the blood sugar level. For example, think of legumes and whole grains such as buckwheat and oatmeal. Vegetables are also packed with fiber that slows the absorption of glucose into the blood. Try to get your portion of vegetables at lunch and dinner.
Furthermore, if you drink enough water, you can take extra fiber, for example from Psyllium.
3. Use apple cider vinegar and/or lemon
Organic apple cider vinegar and lemon make your body more sensitive to insulin. This allows the glucose from the blood to be used properly by the cells. You can drink apple cider vinegar (preferably through a straw to protect your tooth enamel) by mixing 2 tablespoons in a glass of water. You can also put squeezed lemon juice in water, or make a dressing with it.
4. Add cinnamon to your food
Cinnamon helps in Control blood sugar level and can therefore make you less hungry for sweet things. It is wonderful to add to your smoothie or porridge made from whole grains, such as oatmeal. Cinnamon also works well on the banana pancake.
5. Eat coconut oil regularly
Coconut oil contains certain fatty acids (MediumChainTriglycerides) that can be immediately converted into a useful source of energy for the body, namely ketones. The brain in particular functions very well on ketones in addition to glucose. Coconut oil saturates and provides immediate energy without raising blood sugar levels. You don't have to worry about getting fat from coconut oil, it has a beneficial effect on your thyroid and therefore your metabolism. You can mix coconut oil into your smoothie, bake in it and take 1 to 2 teaspoons between meals.
6. Avoid fast sugars
All cookies, candy, soft drinks, but also white bread, white pasta and white rice and potatoes are converted into glucose in no time. They therefore raise your blood sugar level at lightning speed, with all the associated consequences. Stay away from sweets and drink water instead of soda, which you can flavor with herbs like mint and ginger or some fruit like lemon.
Make sure that your lunch and dinner preferably consist of half vegetables, supplemented with proteins, good fats and some whole grains.
7. Avoid Too Much Fruit, Juices, and Diet Sodas
Fruit is delicious and healthy, but it contains a lot of fruit sugars that can make your blood sugar level skyrocket. Don't overdo it and stick to 1 to 2 pieces of fruit per day. Dried fruits, such as dates, are very high in sugars, so take them in moderation.
Fruit juices contain sugar from a number of fruits, so you quickly get a lot of sugar with one glass. Preferably make fruit juices yourself and drink them in moderation, certainly not every day.
Diet soft drinks are not an option, they may not contain sugar, but your brain does register the sweet taste, so that insulin is still released. This then lowers your blood sugar level, making you hungry for ... you guessed it: sugar.
8. Reduce stress
In periods of stress there is an increased energy requirement, the body is then in the fight or flight mode. In times of stress, under the influence of adrenaline and cortisol, extra glucose is released from the liver and muscles, which increases the blood sugar level. You can also get more sugar cravings during periods of stress due to the increased energy requirement.
Do not let stress in your life get the better of you and relax in time. Feelings of stress? Learn how to deal with feelings of stress better in three practical emails with the A.Vogel Relaxation Coach .
9. Use the right fats
Omega 3 fatty acids in fatty fish such as: herring, salmon, mackerel and sardines ensure that the cell membranes remain flexible enough and can respond well to insulin. This allows your body to burn energy from glucose and fats more efficiently. Put fatty fish on the menu at least twice a week or supplement with a good quality purified fish oil or krill oil.
10. Exercise on an empty stomach and after eating
By exercising you burn the carbohydrates you consume. They sometimes say: 'you have to earn your carbohydrates' and that's how it really is. When you exercise daily, you burn the carbohydrates you ingest and lower blood sugar levels.
Exercise also makes you respond better to insulin. Exercising on an empty stomach and taking a walk after a meal are especially beneficial.
11. Sleep 7-8 hours a night
Sufficient sleep is very important for hormone balance. If you sleep too little, it affects almost all functions in your body, including your blood sugar level. If you are very tired, you have an energy deficit and you eat more easily. Your appetite for fast sugars will then be greater. So make sure you go to bed on time and get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.
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