From restless.co.uk/health
Maintaining normal, steady blood sugar levels can help to prevent or delay serious, long-term health conditions. For example, high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia) can increase the risk of heart disease and is also linked with diabetes and prediabetes (when blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be classed as diabetes).
Blood sugar levels are affected by various factors, such as activity and hydration levels, the size of the meals we eat, and how much sleep we’re getting. This often means that we can control them by making some small lifestyle changes.
With this in mind, here are 12 science-backed, natural ways to help you lower (and regulate) blood sugar levels.
Note: If you’re diabetic or are concerned about your blood sugar levels, it’s important to always speak with your GP before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Why is it important to maintain healthy blood sugar levels?
We all need a certain amount of sugar (or glucose) in our blood to provide our cells with energy. However, having too much sugar in your blood over a period of time can lead to a range of unpleasant symptoms and be dangerous for your health.
Symptoms of high blood sugar include feeling very thirsty, fatigued, losing weight, urinating a lot, and experiencing blurred vision. If left untreated, high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels, nerves, tissues, and organs. It can also put you at risk of more serious health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, and other related conditions – like diabetic retinopathy (permanent damage to your eyes).
High blood sugar occurs when the body doesn’t have enough insulin (the hormone that helps blood sugar enter the body’s cells so it can be used for energy), or if your body can’t use insulin properly.
High blood sugar is a common problem for people with diabetes. Other conditions, such as Cushing’s syndrome, pancreatic diseases, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can also cause high blood sugar levels.
Additional causes and risk factors for developing high blood sugar include stress, trauma, surgery, infections, taking certain medications, being inactive or overweight, and/or eating too much sugary or starchy food.
12 science-backed ways to lower (or regulate) blood sugar levels
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is important for our health. And the good news is there are various lifestyle changes that science has proven can help.
We’ll cover a few of these below…
1. Practise portion control
Practising portion control can help you to regulate your calorie intake and maintain a healthy weight.
This is important because research shows that weight management can promote healthy blood sugar levels, and has been linked to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Practising portion control can also prevent blood sugar spikes.
2. Add foods rich in chromium and magnesium to your diet
Research has linked high blood sugar levels and diabetes to micronutrient deficiencies, including magnesium and chromium deficiencies.
Chromium is involved in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, and research suggests that it can support healthy blood sugar regulation as a result. Examples of chromium-rich foods include broccoli, liver, seafood, potatoes, and whole-grain products.
Magnesium has also been shown to benefit blood sugar levels. In fact, diets rich in magnesium are linked with a significantly reduced risk of developing diabetes. Meanwhile, low magnesium levels may contribute to insulin resistance and decreased glucose tolerance in people with diabetes.
Examples of magnesium-rich foods include dark leafy greens, tuna, whole grains, squash, and pumpkin seeds. Our article, Magnesium – what it is and why it’s important, has more information.
3. Manage your carbohydrate intake
Carbohydrate intake has a significant influence on blood sugar levels. This is because the body breaks down carbohydrates into sugars (mainly glucose), before insulin stores and uses them for energy.
However, when you eat lots of carbohydrates or have insulin function problems, this process sometimes fails and can cause blood glucose levels to rise.
As a result, for some people (often diabetics), regulating carbohydrate intake can help to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. For example, many studies have found that eating a low-carb diet can reduce blood sugar levels and prevent blood sugar spikes.
Note: It’s important to recognise that low-carb and no-carb diets are not the same. You can still eat some carbohydrates when monitoring blood sugar levels – and some carbs contain vital vitamins, minerals, and fibre, which are an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Steps like prioritising whole grains over processed grains and refined carbs can help lower blood sugar levels too.
4. Choose foods with a low glycaemic index
The glycaemic index (GI) of food measures how quickly carbohydrates are broken down during digestion and the rate at which your body absorbs them. Both of these factors affect how quickly your blood sugar levels rise.
High GI foods are carbohydrates that are broken down quickly by the body and cause rapid increases in blood sugar levels. Examples include chips, white bread, pizza, crisps, and cereals (unless they’re whole grain).
On the other hand, low and medium GI foods take longer for the body to break down and cause a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels. As a result, science has found that low and medium GI foods can help to regulate blood sugar levels and prevent spikes.
Examples of low to moderate GI foods include barley, bulgur, oats, beans, unsweetened Greek yoghurt, lentils, and wholewheat pasta. These low-GI dinner recipes from BBC Good Food will hopefully provide some inspiration.
Other research suggests that eating enough protein and healthy fats can reduce blood sugar spikes following a meal.
5. Add more fibre to your diet
Research has found that eating a high-fibre diet can be an effective way to regulate healthy blood sugar levels. Unlike most carbohydrates, fibre isn’t broken down by insulin into sugar molecules but passes through the body undigested instead.
As a result, studies suggest that increasing your intake of dietary fibre by two servings of whole-grain products every day may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 21%.
Examples of high-fibre foods include apples, blueberries, lentils, beans, nuts, oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa. Healthline has a useful list of 16 easy ways to eat more fibre.
6. Stay hydrated
For some people, keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy range could be as simple as drinking enough water.
As well as preventing dehydration, drinking enough water also helps your kidneys to flush out any excess sugar through urine.
This scientific review, for example, found that people who drank more water had a lower risk of developing high blood sugar levels, while this study found that it also reduced the risk of diabetes.
7. Add more probiotic-rich foods to your diet
Probiotics are a type of friendly bacteria that bring several impressive health benefits – including improved blood sugar regulation.
Research has revealed that eating more probiotics may reduce insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes. Studies have also found that blood sugar level improvement is more notable in people who eat various types of probiotics for at least eight weeks. So where possible, it’s worth incorporating a range of probiotic foods into your diet.
Examples of probiotic-rich foods include fermented foods like kefir, yoghurt, tempeh, and kimchi. For more inspiration, check out our article; 8 fermented foods that are good for gut health.
8. Exercise regularly
Research has revealed that regular exercise can help people reach and maintain a healthy weight, and improve insulin sensitivity. Improved insulin sensitivity means that body cells are able to use the sugar available in your bloodstream more effectively.
During exercise, blood flow to our muscles also increases, which raises the rate at which glucose is delivered to our muscles. The more strenuous the workout, the longer your blood sugar levels will be affected. According to the American Diabetes Association, physical activity can lower your blood sugar for up to 24 hours or more after your workout by making your body more sensitive to insulin.
Alternatively, experts also recommend adding so-called ‘exercise snacks’ (a few minutes of exercise every 30 minutes) into your daily routine as this has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and help prevent build-up caused by sitting down all day. Recommended exercises include light walking and bodyweight resistance exercises such as squats or lunges.
Note: While exercise can help to lower blood sugar levels, it can affect different people’s blood sugar levels in different ways, depending on their health and the type of exercise they’re doing.
If you have diabetes, you’ll need to take steps to control your blood sugar levels during a workout to make sure that they don’t drop too low or rise even higher.
These steps include checking your blood sugar levels before a workout (a healthy target range to aim for before you begin is 4-7mmol/l), during a workout (every 30 minutes or so) if you’re exercising for a long time, and after. You can find out more about blood sugar levels and exercise on the Diabetes UK website.
9. Take steps to manage your stress levels
Research has found that stress can affect your blood sugar levels. This is because when we’re stressed, our bodies release the hormones glucagon and cortisol – both of which cause blood sugar levels to rise.
For example, this study found that exercise, meditation, and general relaxation significantly reduced stress levels – and also lowered blood sugar levels.
If you struggle with stress, you might like to have a read of our articles, 9 simple stress relieving activities and 7 tips for coping with stress and anxiety, for further help and advice.
10. Get enough good quality sleep
Getting enough good quality sleep is important for overall health. And scientific research has revealed that poor sleeping habits and lack of quality rest can affect blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In addition, other research has found that sleep deprivation raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which plays an essential role in blood sugar regulation.
The sleep and fatigue section of our website is full of useful advice on how to improve sleep quality, with everything from information on how the circadian rhythm works to how to find the right mattress for you.
11. Take steps to maintain a healthy weight
Maintaining a moderate weight promotes healthy blood sugar levels and reduces a person’s risk of developing diabetes.
For example, research has found that even a 5% reduction in body weight can improve blood sugar regulation and reduce the need for diabetes medication.
12. Consider eating healthy snacks more frequently
Studies have suggested that spreading what you eat throughout the day may help to avoid both high and low blood sugar levels.
Some people may prefer to do this by eating smaller, more frequent meals. For example, several studies have revealed that this approach can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels.
Equally, others might like to eat healthy snacks in between meals to keep their blood sugar levels steady. This article, 8 simple snacks that won’t spike your blood sugar from WebMD, offers some good ideas.
Final thoughts…
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is important for lowering our risk of various health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease.
And luckily science has shown that various lifestyle changes can make a significant difference when it comes to taking care of our blood sugar.
You might like to have a read of our article on type 2 diabetes, or head over to the general health and diet and nutrition sections of our website for more healthy lifestyle tips. If you’re concerned about your blood sugar levels, it’s important to seek advice from your GP.
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