Research has shown that in 2017, 352.1 million adults in the world were prediabetic, and by the year 2045, the numbers will increase to 587 million individuals.
Moreover, research has concluded that up to 70% of these prediabetic people will end up with diabetes in the future, and diabetes is likely to become the seventh primary reason for deaths across the globe.
So, if your blood reports indicate increasing blood sugar levels, it is high time to start focusing on yourself and break free of any unhealthy habits. But you don’t have to worry too much, because you’ve just clicked on the best article.
We’ll help you understand the blood sugar levels, how they spike quickly, and exactly what habits you need to avoid to manage your blood sugar levels efficiently and effectively.
What is Blood Sugar?
Do you remember when you felt a little lightheaded and someone around you would always say that it’s because of low sugar levels?
This “sugar level” that everyone talks about is the sugar content in the blood. When we consume our food, it gets broken down into glucose. Our pancreas then produces a hormone called insulin, which helps the blood cells to absorb the glucose and helps give us energy for our everyday activities.
Furthermore, normal blood sugar levels support our organs, muscles, and nervous systems in performing their functions properly, help manage our hormones, and affect our sleep, mood, and weight management.
If the insulin hormone is not released by the pancreas enough, the glucose content keeps building up in our bloodstream, causing the blood sugar levels to spike, endangering our organs, nerves, and blood vessels.
Having high levels of random blood sugar that is more than 200mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) not only puts an individual at a high risk of diabetes but having chronic high blood sugar levels leads to heart disease, blindness, and even kidney failures.
To avoid these problems, we should consume little sugar, i.e., 24gm for women and 36gm for men, to stay within the average blood sugar range of less than 140 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).
But hey! You don’t need to worry because further ahead in this article, we will tell you the 12 habits that you must get rid of to manage your blood sugar levels efficiently and effectively.
Symptoms of Blood Sugar Level Spike
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 13% of adults are living with diabetes and 34.5% have prediabetes. While some people can understand their high blood sugar levels symptoms, many cannot do so.
They either don’t start showing symptoms until they spike too high or cannot recognize the signs. Here are a few things to keep an eye out for so you can know when your blood sugar levels go too high.
The symptoms typically include the following:
- Recurrent urination
- Very hungry
- Fatigue
- Feeling too thirsty
- Blurry vision
- Headaches
12 Habits You Should Break
Here are the 12 habits that you should break away from if you want to manage your blood sugar levels properly and stay healthy:
1. Focusing on the Calorie Only
When eating any meal, you must focus on what food groups you’re covering and not consuming calories.
Focusing too much on the calorie intake distracts you from keeping a check on the food group you’re eating. Your plate must have balanced portions of carbs, fats, and proteins so you can control your blood sugar effectively.
Carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, beans, starchy veggies, etc., break down into glucose, while the fat and proteins are the buffers and slow down the breaking process, stabilizing the blood sugar level.
2. Low Protein Consumption
Proteins are an excellent food option for keeping yourself full for longer hours and maintaining your blood sugar levels.
The proteins we consume in our everyday diets, such as meat, fish, eggs, poultry, beans, nuts, etc., take a longer time to digest and minimize the glucose content being released in the bloodstreams, allowing the sugar level to stay under control.
3. Less Fiber Intake
One of the most important habits you need to take care of when keeping your blood sugar levels under control is consuming enough fibre.
Fiber is one of those food groups that must be consumed between 25 to 35 grams every day. The fiber slows down sugar absorption in the bloodstream and helps regulate blood sugar levels efficiently.
The best sources of fiber include whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, etc.
4. Avoiding Fats
Even though it is said that you must avoid fats when trying to lose weight and stay healthy, you must learn to differentiate between good fats and bad fats.
Consuming good fat, such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, salmon sardines, etc., is beneficial for you. Such good fats help slow down the digestion process and control the blood sugar levels in the body effectively.
Related Article: The Complete Guide of Fat Burners and How to Use for Best Results
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5. Consuming Too Much Sugar
If you are reading different names of sugar, such as fructose, galactose, maltose, etc., and consuming them regardless of the quantity, then you’re mistaken.
Even with different names, you’re still consuming sugar in your food, and if there is too much sugar in your food, that means you’re putting yourself at a high risk of prediabetes and diabetes.
It is always best to read up on the different names used in the nutrition list on products and consume limited amounts of sugar in your diet so you can manage your sugar levels.
6. Skipping Workouts
When the experts say to work out at least three to five times a week, they mean it.
This is because when you exercise frequently, the body develops insulin sensitivity, allowing your blood to effectively use up the sugar in your blood and control the sugar levels.
If you’re exercising correctly, then whether your body is producing enough insulin or not, the glucose gets utilized in moving the muscles and keeping up your energy levels, ensuring balanced blood sugar levels.
7. Insufficient Sleeping Hours
Having short sleeping hours and inconsistent sleeping patterns cause an individual to go through physical, mental, and internal fatigue.
Not getting seven to nine hours of sleep makes your body less sensitive to insulin, causing a spike in your sugar levels, leading to diabetes.
Related Article: Why is Sleep Important for Your Health?
8. Stress
Stress comes out in various forms, such as depression, anxiety, etc. If not appropriately managed, this stress forces an individual to reach out for sugary items causing high blood sugar levels.
Moreover, having an imbalance of hormones in your body and too many stress hormones, i.e., cortisol and adrenaline, raises the blood sugar levels, leading to diabetes and other diseases.
9. Not Staying Hydrated
Yes, that’s right. A simple thing like drinking water or any other zero-calorie drink can help you keep your sugar levels under control.
Consuming more water allows you to stay hydrated and flush out any excess sugar in your bloodstream through urination. This keeps your sugar level, hydration and weight gain all under control.
If you still keep forgetting to incorporate more water in your diet, here is a trick, using supplements like DMoose EAA hydration powder can cover up your hydration levels, ultimately helping you to keep high sugar levels at bay.
Related Article: Here’s How Hydration Supplements Supercharge Your Summer Workouts
10. Not Aiming for Low Glycemic Index Food Items
Low glycemic index measures how quickly the carbohydrates are broken down and how quickly your body absorbs them.
Low glycemic index foods are any food item with a GI below 55. Consuming such items allows you to keep your sugar levels controlled and reduce the risks of diabetes.
Low GI foods include barely unsweetened Greek yogurt, beans, oats, lentils, etc.
11. Not Spreading Out Your Meals
If you know someone with diabetes, you must have seen how they take small quantities of food spread throughout the day.
This spreading out the meals and taking healthy snacks reduces the risk of diabetes in healthy individuals and improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin, allowing you to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
12. Not Adding the Following Foods to Your Diet
Various studies have shown that adding apple cider vinegar, fenugreek seeds, and cinnamon to your diet can help reduce your blood sugar levels.
These food items contain fiber and other ingredients that can delay digestion and enhance insulin sensitivity, so your blood sugar levels can stay under control.
Final Words
When it comes to managing sugar levels, it’s thought to be a challenging task for every individual, given the fact that the glucose levels change quickly even if you eat or don’t eat, work out, or don’t work out.
Fortunately, overcoming some unhealthy habits such as poor sleeping patterns, consuming unhealthy foods, excessive sugar intake, and skipping workouts can help you control the glucose levels and avoid any risks of diabetes and other diseases.
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