Diabetes Control: Lifestyle habits to manage high blood sugar levels

Diabetes is a chronic health disease which occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when your body fails to use the produced insulin. Insulin is a hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar and glucose. It is an important source of energy for the cells which make up muscles and tissues.

Uncontrolled diabetes frequently results in elevated blood sugar, which over time causes major harm to many bodily systems, particularly the brain and blood vessels.

People with diabetes should refer to a doctor and make significant lifestyle changes to lead a healthy life.

Here are some lifestyle changes that can help you to control high blood sugar levels if you are diabetic:

Healthy food alterations

Intake of food items affects your blood sugar, which makes it necessary to maintain a balanced diet. Eat foods which have good nutritional value. Food items which have high fibre component and lower fat component can be your best buddies.

Avoid eating junk and fried items as they contain a lot of saturated fats. You can also consult a dietician to help you maintain and follow a healthy and nutritious diet.

Stay physically active

Exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes in a day can enhance glucose control. You can choose any physical activity, including walking, swimming, cycling depending upon your interest. Any workout done with moderate intensity will help to control your body weight.

It is important to note that self-starvation is not healthy, and one shouldn’t adopt it to lose weight.

Manage stress levels

Your blood sugar levels go up when you are under stress because they directly impact your hormones. You can manage stress levels by doing things that keep you happy. Listen to soothing music, watch TV, go out with friends or exercise to relieve your stress levels.

Quit smoking

Smoking leads to bigger health problems like heart disease, kidney failures, nerve damage, strokes, etc. Hence, it is important to keep a check on your smoking habits. Nicotine boosts blood sugar levels, making them more challenging to control. Those who smoke and have diabetes need larger dose of insulin to maintain blood sugar on target levels.

Regular Doctor appointments

Take regular check-ups with the professionals and get laboratory tests done as and when suggested by the doctors.

Notably, diabetes is an autoimmune disease which means it can’t be cured but there are many things that you can do on a day-to-day basis to manage it better.