Tips to Help Stabilize Your Blood Sugar Around Mealtime

  • People with type 2 diabetes are prone to having higher blood sugar readings after meals, and even have trouble bringing it down even hours after.
  • Having high blood sugar can cause dizziness, headache, feelings of thirst, tiredness and even trouble thinking.
  • Along with healthy diets and medications for controlling blood sugar levels, timing your meals 4 to 5 hours apart gives enough time for blood sugar rates to stabilize.

People with type 2 diabetes may have higher blood sugar levels after a meal or snack.  They may even stay higher even hours after a meal which by then they start feeling dizzy, having trouble focusing or thinking, feeling tired and thirsty, and experiencing headaches. They can even lose consciousness when levels go extremely high. And chronically high blood sugar readings can put them at higher risk for long-term conditions like heart or kidney disease, and nerve damage.

While medications and eating the right kind of food can help with blood sugar control, there are other things you can do to help keep your blood sugar in range.

Load up your breakfast with more protein.

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The day’s first meal seems to be a particularly good time to load up on protein. That’s because protein slows down digestion, making your blood sugar rise more slowly after meals. Fewer carbs also means your body makes lesser blood sugar.  Don’t skip breakfast, because that all the more raises your levels after lunch and dinner. In fact, one study showed that people who ate breakfast with at least 35 percent protein had lower blood sugar spikes after meals than those who ate lesser protein and higher carbs.

Eat a balanced dinner.

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Experts usually recommend choosing a dinner or post-dinner snacks that are low in carbohydrates especially the processed form. This is because sugar levels are hardest to curb in the later hours of the day. Fat and protein don’t cause blood sugar to spike the same way carbs do. To make sure your meals are well-balanced, ask advice from your doctor or a registered dietitian who’s a diabetes specialist.

Time your meals.

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With diabetes or pre-diabetes, mealtimes and snack times scheduled too close together don’t give enough time for your blood sugar levels to drop naturally after eating. Meals should be taken 4 to 5 hours apart with snacks 2 to 3 hours after the last meal.

Exercise after eating.

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Studies suggest that a 15-minute walk after dinner not only help lower blood sugar levels, but also keep it down for up to 3 hours. That is because exercise of any form pushes more sugar to the muscles.

Sleep. Slacking on sleep leads to higher blood sugar because insulin in the body is not used as efficiently.

Visit your dentist regularly.

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Blood sugar levels may be higher if you have gum disease or gingivitis. Having infected or inflamed gums makes the body’s defense system go on overdrive, making it harder for the body to control blood sugar.

Drink lots of water. Dehydration causes your glucose to be higher than it should be.

Know your stress level.

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When you’re stressed, the body releases the “fight or flight” hormones, which make the body less insulin-sensitive and causes other changes that increase your blood sugar. Try relaxation techniques to help you deal with stress, thereby lowering your blood sugar levels and promoting overall health.

Source: Web MD