How to Lower Blood Sugar

Those who suffer from diabetes must be well aware of the vagaries of blood sugar levels. Sometimes your blood sugar may be too high, or too low. Either way, the symptoms are bad, and cause a lot of stress to the mind and body. While low blood sugar levels are not uncommon and equally dangerous, it is high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia, that usually affect people, and need to be tackled to prevent them from shooting up and causing dangerous effects. Here, we give you some tips on lowering blood sugar naturally over time.

Relax
Though what you eat plays a very important role in elevating blood sugar, it has been found that stress is a larger trigger of blood sugar than the food you eat. You need to control your stress, and though it may sound difficult, there are ways in which it can definitely be managed. A lot of things may be stressing you, your work, your house, the presence of a demanding person in your life, your inability to cope with the pace of life, etc. Understand that you ought to deal with one situation at a time, and reduce the stress from that part of your life considerably, before going ahead and dealing with another one. Try yoga, meditation and some breathing exercises to help relieve some of your stress. There are certain yoga poses and exercises that are solely meant to target diabetes and blood sugar. As you learn to calm down and relax, you will note that you have managed to lower your blood sugar, and the rate at which it shoots up.

Exercise
Apparently, not enough has been said about exercise, because some of us still consider them to be unnecessary. You simply must understand the benefits of exercising. Not only does it affect the body and the way it reacts to diseases, it also affects the mind and gives you a more positive approach towards your life. This is where you can also bust the stress. Getting at least a 20-30 minute brisk walk daily is the least you can do to get your dose of exercise. Studies have shown that a 30 minute brisk walk has helped in considerably lowering high blood sugar levels almost immediately. Why don't you try it out? As it becomes a part of your routine, you may never really have to face a major problem if you are suffering from diabetes and high blood sugar levels.

Eat
You have already been warned not to eat refined carbohydrates in the form of white bread, pasta, etc. and other sugary treats. Have you been told what to eat then? There are certain low glycemic foods for diabetics, that can help control and lower blood sugar.

• Sprinkling cinnamon on your food, or taking a cinnamon capsule, will work to lower your blood sugar, by making the body more sensitive to insulin. Don't consume very large amounts of cinnamon as it can have adverse effects on your body.
• Include lemon in your diabetic diet. Lemon has the ability to reduce the glycemic index of several foods, which makes it a good defense against high blood sugar levels.
• Resort to eating foods high in fibers and proteins, which will automatically reduce your carbohydrate intake. These foods include oat bran, raw vegetables and fruits, whole grain foods, legumes, and nuts and seeds. Whole grain foods provide the body with healthy carbohydrates, as opposed to the unhealthy ones you consume from white bread and sugar.
• Studies have shown that green tea is a great beverage that not only helps in controlling blood sugar, but also takes care of a lot of other health problems. Include at least a cup of this drink in your daily diet.
• If you must have coffee, avoid the sugar in it, and try to have its decaffeinated counterpart. Use a natural sugar substitute such as Stevia or agave nectar. Avoid saccharine as it does more harm than good to your body.
• Control your alcohol intake. While a glass of red wine has the ability to keep blood sugar under control, it also has the ability to add calories to your body. Once in a while, it is alright. Don't consume alcohol in large amounts on a regular basis.

Consume everything in moderation. We usually have a tendency to believe that if something is good for us, it can be consumed in large amounts. Too much of anything can have adverse effects, and this applies to all these healthy foods for your body too.

There is no way to lower blood sugar instantly, in a natural way. The only way is to take insulin by way of an injection or a pill that is meant to lower blood sugar. However, these methods are sure to help you keep it in check, and lower them steadily. Don't give up. Hang in there. Lowering your blood sugar is not an impossible feat. Though it takes time, you can ensure that the results are only going to be positive when you follow these tips.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.