Diabetes is a common disease that causes high blood sugar. There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is usually diagnosed in childhood, while type 2 is diagnosed later in life and can be prevented by changing your diet and getting regular exercise. It’s essential to understand how diabetes affects your body so that you can manage it properly. Here are four things you should be aware of in blood sugar so that you know when your blood sugar drops or rises:
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Eating too much sugar can make you feel poorly
The problem with consuming too many simple carbohydrates is that they cause an energy spike and then a crash later on. This can lead to inflammation in your body, which may cause other conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Sugar also causes a spike in blood glucose levels, which can be bad for your health if it’s prolonged or excessive. Examples of foods that contain sugar include:
● Fruit juices (contain more sugar than soda).
● Fruit (some fruits are sweeter than others, so watch out!),
● Bread/pastries/donuts/cakes/cookies (these typically have lots of added sugars).
Certain foods help to lower blood sugar
You should also be aware that certain foods help to lower blood sugar. “Too low blood sugar can result in loss of consciousness, seizures, or even death.”
High-fiber, non-starchy vegetables are optimal for lowering blood sugar and insulin levels. These include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts.
Protein can also help maintain balanced blood glucose levels because it slows down the absorption rate of carbohydrates into the bloodstream. Foods high in protein include lean meats like chicken breast or fish; nuts such as almonds or walnuts; eggs; beans like lentils and black beans; low-fat dairy products such as yogurt and cottage cheese; soy products such as tofu or edamame (green soybeans).
Fatty fish is an excellent source of healthy fats, which help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation throughout the body. Fatty fish includes:
● Salmon (wild caught).
● Anchovies (packed in olive oil).
● Sardines (packed in olive oil) and herring (packed in olive oil).
Exercising can lower your blood sugar
The good news is that exercise is one of the best things you can do for health. It not only helps reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes but also increases overall energy and makes you feel good about yourself.
And in some cases, it can also help lower blood sugar levels.
To reap these rewards, however, you need to work up a sweat for at least 30 minutes every day (the ideal amount varies depending on your age, weight, and other factors). For those who don’t currently exercise regularly—or at all—it’s natural to be intimidated by this challenge at first.
But as with any new habit or skill set (cooking a meal from scratch; learning how to ride a bike), starting small is key: make incremental changes over time so that they don’t seem overwhelming or intimidating.
Your genes matter
Their genes partially determine a person’s risk of diabetes. Studies have found that specific gene variants are associated with higher/lower blood sugar levels, and these genes can be passed down from one generation to the next. But while genetics play an essential role in your overall health, they don’t have to limit your life choices. Your environment and lifestyle choices can influence how your genes behave—whether eating well or exercising regularly—and how much those genes affect your health and well-being.