Factors that Affect the Blood Sugar Level and What to Do About Them
Managing diabetes requires awareness. Here are some things you should know.
- Food
Counting carbohydrates is essential when managing diabetes. Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on the blood sugar level.
You should also learn about the portion size for each food type. Measuring cups can be used to ascertain this.
Make sure that your meals have balanced proportions of vegetables, proteins, fruits, starches, and fats. Foods with fibre help in managing the blood sugar level.
Avoid sweetened beverages; however, if you are experiencing a sugar-drop, drinking juice or soda can help in quickly raising the sugar level in the blood.
Make sure you are taking your medications and coordinate them with your meals. - Exercise
Exercise should be an important part of your diabetes management plan. Regular physical exercises ensure that the body uses insulin effectively. Additionally, it also lowers the sugar level in the blood.
Keep an exercise schedule; you should follow it at least 20 minutes on a daily basis.
Learn about your crucial numbers.
Get your blood sugar level checked regularly. And, importantly learn about the warning signs of hypoglycaemia.
Stay hydrated; you should drink lots of water and other fluids in order to prevent dehydration.
Always carry a small snack with you.
When exercising, monitor your body indicators in order to use the insulin or medication accordingly. - Illness
A sudden illness can affect your blood sugar levels.
Make sure that you do not skip on your diabetes medication even when you are unwell.
Under all circumstances, stick to the meal plan. Drink water and other fluids. Because during illness you may feel your blood sugar going low, it is advised that you sip some juice to prevent the blood sugar from dropping. - Stress
When your body is stressed, it produces hormones to release the stress; however, in some cases, these hormones can affect the level of blood sugar. Also remember that when you feel stressed, you may not want to stick to the management plan.
Create a log to record your stress levels.
Also, practice relaxation techniques to ensure that you avoid high levels of stress.
