Experts reveal how to manage blood sugar levels and weight

health

by Adriana Diaz

Ah, sugar.

From your risk of heart disease and diabetes to lack of energy and weight gain, blood sugar levels affect you more than most people know. Keeping blood sugar levels in a healthy balance is an important task that is often overlooked.

And while trendy drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can help control the situation, things are not that simple. Many users still find it difficult to obtain the drug, which is expensive and often out of stock.

But there's good news, experts say.

“For the vast majority of people who don't have access to or can't afford these drugs, or who don't have insurance, lifestyle changes can recreate these effects,” said Dr. said Dr. Jamie Cain. The director of Northwell Health System's Weight Management Center told the Post.

Here are some simple, science-backed steps to help you start managing your blood sugar and weight naturally.

regular exercise

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults in the United States are recommended to get about 150 minutes of moderate physical activity and two days of strength-building exercise each week.

Exercise helps with weight management, but it can also increase insulin sensitivity, which allows your cells to use sugar in your bloodstream more effectively.

A recent study found that isometric exercise, especially wall sitting, may be the best type of training to lower blood pressure. The analysis found that doing about eight minutes of isometric exercise three times a week can lead to a healthy reduction in blood pressure.

Stay hydrated

Drinking water regularly keeps your blood hydrated, lowers blood sugar levels, and may reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

Staying hydrated also helps control your appetite and eliminates excess sugar through your urine.

Adjust carbohydrate intake

Monitoring your carbohydrate intake is an important part of managing your blood sugar levels. This is especially important for people with insulin resistance.

All carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels. When the body breaks down carbohydrates during digestion, they turn into sugar, primarily glucose, which enters the bloodstream and increases blood sugar levels.

Choosing foods with a low glycemic index (GI) can help regulate blood sugar levels.

Glycemic index measures how quickly carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed by the body, which affects how quickly blood sugar levels rise.

healthy diet

An overall healthy diet can help resolve most health problems, such as blood sugar levels and obesity.

Eating more fiber and snacking between meals are small steps you can take to help stabilize your blood sugar levels.

Fiber slows the digestion of carbohydrates and absorption of sugar, slowing the rise in blood sugar levels. Enjoying smaller amounts more frequently throughout the day can also improve insulin sensitivity and help maintain blood sugar levels.

Dr. Kane also suggests “switching away from ultra-refined foods, limiting excess animal protein, reducing intake of things like saturated fat, and avoiding artificial sweeteners.”

Instead, it advises eating a “high-fiber, low-fat, unrefined, whole foods and plant-based diet.”

Controlling your intake and monitoring your calories without restricting or going on a fad diet can also be helpful.

Dr. Barry Weinstein, medical director of Well by Messer, says, “The trick I recommend to my patients is to eat with their non-dominant hand, so they can eat more slowly. It will be,” he told the Post.

manage stress levels

Learning how to manage your stress levels has many mental and physical benefits, as well as lowering your blood pressure and maintaining a healthy weight.

When we are stressed, hormones called glucagon and cortisol are secreted, causing blood sugar levels to spike.

“The key to natural weight loss involves recognizing your emotional eating patterns and treating the underlying causes of anxiety and depression,” says Well, an endocrinologist at Fifth Avenue Endocrinology. Dr. Caroline Messer, founder of Buy Messer, told the Post.

get enough sleep

Lack of sleep can also affect blood sugar levels, insulin sensitivity, and weight management.

“Sleep deprivation increases levels of the hormone cortisol, which, as explained, plays an important role in blood sugar management,” Dr. Cain said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults should spend at least seven hours a night with their eyes closed, but many people don't seem to get that done.