Let’s face it — times are a little bit stressful right now. How are you coping?
Maybe you’ve been at home, baking for the first time in years.
Maybe you’re indulging in just a bit more alcohol than you normally would.
Maybe you’re binge-watching Netflix at a much higher pace than usual.
Or maybe, you’re eating way more than you know you should because you’re stress eating or just bored.
The thing is, all of these behaviors can add up to an increase in blood sugar levels that you really can’t afford to have.
You see, nearly half the people in the United States either have diabetes…or they’re at risk of developing it.
Rising blood sugar is a major health concern — for many reasons.
Probably the most concerning is that for those that don’t yet have diabetes, you don’t really realize something’s going on until it’s gotten pretty bad. Unless you’re finger pricking and testing your blood regularly, the symptoms of insulin resistance can be pretty subtle.
Furthermore, in addition to the complications of diabetes, as you’ve probably heard in the endless loop of COVID news coverage — people with diabetes are at a higher risk of complications from viruses and bacterial infections.
If there’s a way to stop going toward that slippery slope, we need to do everything in our power to avoid it.
But, are there reliable ways to lower blood sugar naturally?
Or are we doomed to powerful medications that come with their own set of risks and inconveniences?
Let’s dig in.
What Are The Symptoms Of Insulin Resistance?
The symptoms of elevated blood sugar (or insulin resistance) can be quite subtle.
Feeling tired after eating is one of the hallmarks — but some people don’t notice this too much since we all walk around exhausted.
Another sign is a high thirst and/or frequent need to urinate.
Testing your levels is always a good idea, and it’s something you can do in the privacy of your own home. You can find testing kits inexpensively online and they can really help to find out if you’re one of the millions who have an issue but haven’t had to deal with it yet.
How to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally
There are definitely more than a few ways to help lower your blood sugar levels naturally. If you’ve recently been a little lax with your diet or your stress hormones are causing your blood sugar to elevate, it’s a good idea to reel things back in before they get too crazy.
If you either suspect or know that your blood sugar levels are out of balance, here are a few good places to start to get things back under your control.
Spices And Herbs
Some spices and herbs have the most remarkable abilities to modulate blood sugar levels.
Some of these include:
Taken regularly, either as supplements or as part of your daily food intake, these spices can do remarkable things for your blood sugar. And — they have very little chance of side effects when compared to diabetes medication.
Gut Microbiome & Fiber
Your gut microbiome is an essential part of so many bodily functions and its health can impact your brain, heart, and weight.
Eating plenty of fiber is great for keeping those trillions of microscopic bacteria happy and it’s also been shown to help reduce blood sugar.
Drink Plenty of Water
You’ve probably been told to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day at some point in your life. Now’s the time to start trying to actually do it. Water intake has been linked to lowered diabetes risk and it’s one of the simplest and cheapest things you can do to impact your health.
Reduce Simple Carbohydrates
Low glycemic index foods are better for your health and blood sugar levels. This does not mean that you need to cut out carbs. It means you need to cut out refined carbs and foods on the higher end of the glycemic index. Highly processed and refined foods are the culprit here, not carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits, and beans.
Get Plenty Of Exercise
Exercise is great for you, there’s no doubt. It builds muscle and helps your heart stay strong. But it can also help keep blood sugar levels in check. Furthermore, exercise can help you lose weight, which also helps lower blood sugar.
Practice Self Care
It’s more important than ever to remember to take care of yourself. Now is the time to reduce stress in any way you possibly can. If the news is getting to you, switch it off. If social media is making you feel anxious, delete it from your phone for a few days (or longer if you can). Focus on getting plenty of sleep and keep checking in with yourself. Controlling your outside environment is key to managing what goes on inside of your body.
Integrative Medicine In Austin
I know things right now are a little uncertain. And I know many of you are still struggling to find answers for your most burning questions about your health.
Sometimes, these kinds of situations give us the opportunity to focus on what’s really important.
And it’s more important than ever to resolve your underlying health conditions to protect yourself.
Since I typically only work with patients for a minimum of six months, I know that can be a huge challenge financially and a big commitment.
Which is why I’ve decided to open up my calendar for a short time to offer a quickstart program of 3 telehealth sessions.
No need to commit to a long program or a large investment.
We can handle some of your questions and concerns in carefully planned out sessions.
In a very short amount of time, I’ll be able to listen to your story, your background, your history, and then we’ll create a solid plan of action that you can follow to start making changes now.
I don’t know how long I’ll be offering this opportunity, but for now it feels like the right thing to do. And I sincerely can’t wait to help you finally figure out what’s going on with your health and get you back on track.
If this sounds like an opportunity you’d like to take advantage of, please click here to schedule a quick discovery call so we can chat and schedule your appointment.
I’m so excited to help you THRIVE.
References
“The Effect of Cinnamon on Glucose of Type ….” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3924990/.
“Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Type 2 … – NCBI – NIH.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2410097/.
“Metformin and berberine, two versatile ….” 11 Sep. 2017, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5839379/.
“Curcumin and Diabetes: A Systematic Review – NCBI.” 24 Nov. 2013, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/.
“Curcumin and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Prevention … – NCBI.” 8 Aug. 2019,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723242/
“A simple dietary addition of fenugreek seed leads to … – NCBI.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5954247/.
“Effect of fenugreek seeds on blood glucose and lipid … – NCBI.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19839001.
