Four Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar

Diabetes is a condition that millions of individuals deal with on a daily basis, and by 2050 it is projected that 1 in 3 individuals will be diagnosed with this disease.¹ So with November being National Diabetes Month, I wanted to talk about diabetes because our lifestyle is key for the prevention or management of this disease. Even if you aren’t diagnosed with diabetes, these tips can be helpful for things like increasing energy levels, improving mental clarity and digestion, or losing weight.

Here are four ways to lower your blood sugar today:

1. Pump up the protein: Protein is the macronutrient that I find so many people are not consuming enough of. Not only is protein a building block for our muscles and tissues, it also helps to keep our blood sugars stable and keep us full. An extra bonus: it can speed up our metabolism 3x more than carbohydrates or fats! I recommend having at least 4 ounces of protein at every meal.

2. Pay attention to your fluids: Are you drinking enough water throughout the day? Most people aren’t. Water has many important functions, and one of its main roles it to dilute sugar from our bloodstream. I recommend drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example, someone who weighs 160 pounds should drink at least 80 ounces of water throughout the day.

3. Incorporate physical activity daily: Physical activity aids in lowering blood sugar because it moves glucose out of our bloodstream and into our cells so we can use it for energy. You don’t need to spend an hour at the gym to get in your physical activity; you can incorporate movement all day long. Some ideas include parking your car far away in a parking lot, taking an extra lap around the grocery store before doing your shopping, going on family walks after dinner, or doing squats during commercial breaks. I suggest you find what works best for you, and aim for 30 minutes of physical activity every single day.

4. Remember – you’re sweet enough already: Sugar is everywhere, which makes the addition even harder to break. Did you know that sugar triggers the same reward center in our brain that cocaine does? Not only does sugar cause our blood sugar levels to increase, it can also lead to weight gain, anxiety, high blood pressure, and energy crashes. The good news is that our taste buds are continuously changing, so when you wean off sugar your taste buds will adapt and you won’t have the same desire for it anymore. I suggest working on cutting out the sugar by making small goals. For example, put half the amount of sugar in your coffee than you normally would. Starting with small and simple goals will help make weaning off sugar so much easier, and you’ll start to discover you don’t need it anymore.

If you would like help lowering your blood sugar or improving other areas of your health, schedule a free consultation with me today!

Health and Happiness,

Autumn Enloe, MS, RD, LD

Registered Dietitian

Live Your Life^TM

Bringing Physical Therapy & Wellness to You!

Autumn Enloe is a registered and licensed dietitian who holds a Master’s degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences. Autumn has worked with hundreds of clients on areas such as weight management, blood sugar support, gut health, mindful eating, and food sensitivities.  She applies a holistic approach to nutrition and knows that our health is based on much more than just what we eat. Learn more about our dietary services here: http://www.liveyourlifept.com/physical-therapy-wellness-services/dietary-services

References

¹ Number of Americans with Diabetes Projected to Double or Triple by 2050. https://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r101022.html. Accessed November 14, 2016.