20 Ways to Manage Blood Sugar Naturally
This article offers 20 natural ways to control your blood sugar levels. These methods, including food changes, exercise routines, and mindfulness practices, are geared toward long-term health.
- Tricia Quitales
- 6 min read
Keeping an eye on your blood sugar is very important for your health, especially if you have diabetes or insulin resistance. This piece focuses on natural ways to control blood sugar, including lifestyle and diet changes and natural remedies. Using these tips, you can support healthy blood sugar control without relying solely on medications. Taking a holistic to controlling sugar can benefit your mental and physical health.
1. Stay Hydrated
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Drinking at least 8 cups of water daily can help prevent high blood sugar. Staying hydrated helps the kidneys work, which is essential for getting rid of extra glucose in the blood.
2. Incorporate Fiber-Rich Foods
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Fiber helps control how much sugar enters your system. Fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, help maintain your blood sugar level. Fiber in every meal slows processing and keeps glucose levels from rising too quickly.
3. Opt for Low-Glycemic Index Foods
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Blood sugar levels rise more slowly when you eat low-GI foods like beans, sweet potatoes, and most non-starchy veggies. They help keep your blood sugar levels in a safe range without making them rise quickly. Adding more low-GI foods to your diet will give you energy that lasts without making you crash.
4. Include Healthy Fats
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Avocados, nuts, and olive oil are good sources of healthy fats that improve insulin. Inflammation can lead to blood sugar instability, but these fats can help lower it. Adding these fats to your diet in small amounts can help keep your blood sugar levels regular.
5. Exercise Regularly
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Insulin sensitivity increases when you work out, which helps your body use energy better. It would be best if you tried to do both aerobic and power training. Both will help lower your blood sugar. To stay on track, try to work out for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
6. Manage Stress Effectively
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Hormones like cortisol are released when you’re stressed, which can cause your blood sugar to rise. Do things that help you relax, like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing routines. Every-day stress reduction can help you keep your blood sugar levels in check.
7. Drink Apple Cider Vinegar
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Apple cider vinegar lowers blood sugar by improving insulin’s function. Mix a tablespoon with a glass of water and drink it before meals to prevent your blood sugar from rising too quickly after a meal. Regular use may also help digestion and overall health.
8. Get Adequate Sleep
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Not getting enough sleep can interfere with hormone function, raising blood sugar levels. To help your body’s natural mechanisms keep blood sugar in check, aim for 7 to 9 hours of sound sleep every night. Set a regular time to sleep and create a relaxing routine before bed.
9. Eat More Cinnamon
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There are chemicals in cinnamon that may make insulin work better and lower blood sugar. Cinnamon is good for you, and you can enjoy it in smoothies, oatmeal, or even green teas. If you eat cinnamon every day, it might help keep your blood sugar from rising after meals.
10. Consume Bitter Melon (Bitter Gourd)
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Bitter melon, or Bitter Gourd, has chemicals like insulin to lower blood sugar. It can help control blood sugar by cooking it into food or drinking it as a juice. Tea with bitter fruit has been linked to better blood sugar control in people with diabetes who eat it regularly.
11. Try Fenugreek Seeds
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Fenugreek seeds contain a lot of soluble fiber, which helps control blood sugar by making digestion take longer. Soaking the seeds overnight and adding them to food or drinks can help keep blood sugar levels steady. The seeds may also help you lose weight, another essential way to control blood sugar.
12. Eat Small, Frequent Meals
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Try eating smaller meals more often instead of three big ones to prevent your blood sugar from rising too quickly. This method keeps glucose levels steady throughout the day. Eating well-balanced meals with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats is the best way to keep blood sugar stable.
13. Consume Probiotics
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Probiotics can help your gut stay healthy and make insulin work better. You can find them in fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi. A good gut microbiome helps the body absorb nutrients better and keep glucose levels in check. Regularly eating probiotics may help keep blood sugar levels in check and lower inflammation.
14. Avoid Refined Carbohydrates
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Low-fiber foods, like white bread and sugary snacks, quickly raise blood sugar. Choose whole grains or vegetables that aren’t high in starch for long-lasting energy. Cutting back on prepared foods is one of the best natural ways to control blood sugar.
15. Incorporate Turmeric
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Curcumin is the main ingredient in turmeric. It can help control blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation. Turmeric can be added to soups, teas, or curries to make them taste better and be better for you. Over time, it may also make insulin work better.
16. Practice Intermittent Fasting
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Intermittent fasting involves alternating between eating and not eating, which can help your body respond better to insulin. By giving your body time to reset and lower insulin resistance, intermittent fasting may also help lower your blood sugar. Start with a 12-hour window for fasting and slowly expand it as your body gets used to it.
17. Choose Magnesium-Rich Foods
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Magnesium helps keep blood sugar levels steady and helps insulin work. Spinach, nuts, and black beans are all great foods high in magnesium. Eating things high in magnesium can help keep your blood sugar levels steady.
18. Use Ginger in Your Meals
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Ginger has been shown to lower fasting blood sugar and improve insulin’s effectiveness. It’s easy to add ginger to smoothies, soups, and drinks, which makes them taste better and is suitable for you. If you eat ginger regularly, it might help keep your glucose levels in check.
19. Limit Alcohol Consumption
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Too much booze can make it harder to control blood sugar by making insulin less effective. If you do drink, don’t drink too much, and pick drinks that are low in sugar. Cutting down on booze can help keep blood sugar levels steady.
20. Track Your Blood Sugar
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Regularly checking your blood sugar can help you learn how different foods, activities, and habits affect it. If you write down what you do every day, you can make changes based on correct information and stay on track with controlling your blood sugar. When you track, you can find trends and make small changes to your life that will help you feel more in charge.