If you’ve been diagnosed as Prediabetic—or if you’re already managing Type I or Type II Diabetes—one of your daily concerns is your blood sugar level. Where possible, who wouldn’t want to avoid daily glucose pinpricks, injections, or medication pumps? The good news is that no matter what form of diabetes or prediabetes you’re managing, there’s scientific evidence supporting some natural approaches to managing your condition. While these won’t help every type of diabetic avoid prescription drugs, they will make management easier across the board, and for many prediabetics, these quick fixes could even prevent the progression to Type II Diabetes.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight. There are a couple parts to this one: if you’re overweight, this is the time where you want to really focus on taking off a few pounds. Studies show that even reducing your overall body weight by 7% can drop your diabetes risk by 58%. Where you carry your weight matters, too: “Apple” shapes (weight carried in belly/abdomen, roughly 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men) are at the highest risk of developing insulin resistance.Eat Smarter. This ties into maintaining a healthy body weight: portion control, reduced amounts of carbs, and choosing foods high in fiber with a low glycemic index will all contribute to better blood sugar levels, reduced risk of diabetes, and overall may help you reduce weight, too. Low carb diets are a great way to avoid a blood sugar “spike”, soluble fiber will keep you feeling full and maintain normal blood sugar levels by preventing blood sugar “crashes,” and foods rich in chromium and magnesium (like egg yolks and bananas) can help bust through your carb cravings. A food journal will help you keep track of portions, as well as tracking your carbs and fiber.Water is Your Friend! Not only will you stay hydrated (dehydration is often a false hunger cue), but you’ll also be flushing out excess blood sugar through regular urination. And while other non-caloric beverages are good for staying hydrated, remember sugary sodas, coffee drinks, and fruit juices all raise your glucose levels and in some cases, cause you to become more dehydrated.De-Stress. Stress can cause your body to secrete the hormones cortisol and glucagon, both of which raise blood sugar. Exercise, relaxation, and meditation (as you might find in yoga, pilates, or other mindfulness-based stress reduction) can all help you keep your stress (and blood sugar!) in check naturally.Get a Good Night’s Sleep. Quality sleep controls glucose levels and promotes healthy weight, while poor sleep habits disrupt metabolic hormones, increase appetite, and prompt the secretion of stress hormones.Move More! Regular exercise—even as little as 15 minutes of walking daily—will help you lose weight and improve your insulin sensitivity by making your muscles use your blood sugar for energy and contractions. Walking, weight lifting, running, biking, yoga, dancing, hiking, and swimming are all easy, fun ways to regulate blood sugar through activity.Give Natural Cures and Herbs a Try. A daily tablespoon of apple cider vinegar promotes lower fasting blood sugar levels and can improve both insulin sensitivity and your body’s response to sugar. Cinnamon extract decreases insulin resistance at the cellular level, and can lower blood sugar by up to 29%, though exercise caution and keep cinnamon intake at 1–6 g daily, roughly 0.5–2 tsp. Berberine, the active ingredient in a Chinese herb that’s been used to manage diabetes for centuries, controls blood sugar by enhancing the breakdown of carbs for energy, with a safe dose considered to be 1,500 mg daily, split up throughout mealtimes.
