Is it difficult to truly understand the best ways to control your blood sugar levels?
Do you worry about what foods or activities may raise them? High blood sugar levels occur when your body is
not making enough insulin or when it cannot use insulin effectively this feared outcome is known
as hyperglycemia without treatment hyperglycemia can create serious long-term consequences for your
body damage to your organs blood vessels or your nerves vision loss even heart attacks or strokes
any and all of these frightening medical issues can happen due to chronic hyperglycemia
so it's extremely important to understand specific methods for taking control of your
blood sugar levels that's why we're about to reveal four easy steps to help you beat diabetes
learn how to lower blood sugar improve the health of your organs and reduce the risk
of diabetes related inflammatory diseases like subscribe and stay tuned for three free gifts
now let's cut to the chase here's how to beat diabetes in four easy steps
step number one eat quality fiber and protein you probably already know that fiber can help
you in the bathroom while protein can aid you in the energy department but did you know that both
fiber and protein can work to lower your post meal blood sugar levels they can also aid long-term
fasting glucose levels fiber it's actually a type of carbohydrate which your body can't digest
instead it's passed through your body but it can do a whole lot of good in the process
fiber comes in two different forms soluble fiber dissolves in water as this form of fiber moves
through your digestive system it attaches to cholesterol particles so when soluble fiber
exits your body it lowers both total cholesterol and harmful ldl cholesterol levels while reducing
your risk for heart disease plus consuming soluble fiber can help you feel fuller quicker which can
aid weight loss and it also works to lower glucose levels soluble fiber rich foods include oats
beans apples citrus fruits carrots and barley insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water instead
it aids your digestive system by adding bulk to your stool and it helps you avoid constipation
hemorrhoids and incontinence and just like soluble fiber insoluble fiber can quickly fill you up
which will help you avoid overeating and can thus contribute to weight loss studies even show
that consuming insoluble fiber can work to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes insoluble
fiber rich foods include nuts cauliflower wheat bran potatoes whole wheat flour and green beans
in general a huge benefit of fiber comes from its ability to slow your digestion that means it will
help your body moderate the release of glucose into your bloodstream which will help you avoid
a blood sugar spike so both soluble and insoluble fiber can be incredibly valuable to your health
especially if you are currently managing diabetes but now you're probably asking what about protein
this basic building block of life is essential to your diet but if you are vegetarian or vegan
don't worry protein is not just found within meat but also in certain plant-based foods
protein-rich foods include meats beans tofu nuts seeds eggs cheese and even milk
studies show that consuming a high protein diet even just for five weeks
can significantly lower blood sugar levels so how does protein provide anti-diabetes benefits
much like fiber consuming protein can slow the digestive process thus helping you reduce the risk
of a post-mule glucose spike studies have revealed that consuming a protein-rich food directly before
eating a carbohydrate-rich food can result in lower post meal blood sugar levels than by eating
the carb heavy food alone protein also has the effect of making you feel fuller quicker just like
fiber that means it can also be a perfect tool for quick satiety and it can help you avoid overeating
other less healthy foods meanwhile multiple studies have found that increased protein intake
can stimulate insulin secretion which also helps to better control post-meal glucose levels okay so
what can you do away from the kitchen to help you beat diabetes step number two take post-meal walks
did you know that going for a 20 to 30 minute walk after eating can help lower blood sugar in
fact physical activity is one of the quickest ways to bring down glucose levels especially if you get
active within three hours after eating even simple moderate walking will make your heart beat faster
and it will make you breathe harder this has the effect of making your muscles contract and moving
your muscles forces your body to utilize insulin as your muscle cells require glucose as their
main form of energy your pancreas will release insulin which will attach to glucose molecules
then insulin delivers that glucose to your muscle cells instead of it becoming stored as fat
over time these actions can help your muscle cells become less clogged with intra-myocellular fat
and it can make your muscle cells more receptive to insulin in other words exercise especially
directly after eating helps to increase insulin sensitivity this means that subscribing to a
daily post walking regime can work to reduce long-term fasting glucose levels while also
helping you manage your immediate post-meal blood sugar but beware more rigorous anaerobic movements
like weightlifting or sprinting can actually cause your body to produce more stress hormones
this may then lead to increased glucose levels however keeping it leisurely with a short pleasant
walk can achieve the goal of avoiding a post-meal blood sugar spike it can also help to improve
heart health lower ldl cholesterol aid with weight loss and it has even been shown to decrease stress
and improve your mood now let's look at another powerful diabetes fighting step you can take
by staying away from your kitchen step number three utilize intermittent fasting
lots of different diets focus on what you eat but intermittent fasting is an eating method
which focuses on when you eat or rather when you do not eat there are many styles of intermittent
fasting or if but there are three specific methods which have gained notoriety of late
the eat stop eat if method involves fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week the five
to two if diet is all about limiting yourself to 500 to 600 calories for two days per week
but the most popular if method and the style most commonly associated with diabetes fighting
benefits is the 16 to 8 if method this lifestyle change does not actually require you to burden
yourself with seemingly difficult fasting windows it simply means that you avoid eating
for 16 hours of the day while you limit yourself to an eight-hour eating window
therefore many have found a lasting success simply by skipping breakfast and eating dinner about
three to four hours before bedtime when you eat and in fact even before you take your first bite
your body readies itself to process the incoming food by releasing insulin into your bloodstream
chronically high levels of insulin can result in ever increasing insulin resistance but when
you fast your body won't have glucose to process which in turn will result in less insulin floating
through your bloodstream over time this can help your muscle cells become more sensitive to
insulin but studies show that even short-term fasting can help type 2 diabetics better manage
their glucose levels in fact a study published by the u.s national library of medicine revealed
that a significant percentage of type 2 diabetic participants who utilized short-term if routines
lost weight while reducing their insulin resistance the study even showed that those who
did not lose weight still had notable improvements in their glucose control and recent laboratory
tests showed that diabetic mice who were put on fasting regimes had improved beta cell function
and had overall healthier gut microbiota both of which can work to improve blood sugar balance plus
according to the national center for biotechnology information intermittent fasting may allow some
type 2 diabetics to lessen or even completely discontinue their prescription insulin use
meanwhile research has shown that if protocols can lead to other health benefits including lower
blood pressure reduced appetite and decreased oxidative stress however in the grand scheme of
things the various methods of intermittent fasting are all still generally new and not fully vetted
therefore it's best to discuss the pros and cons of if with your doctor before you give it a go
well now that we've shown you some important steps you can take away from your pantry we're going
back to the kitchen for the final step but first let's get you some extra help in the kitchen with
our new cookbook try out a variety of amazingly delicious and healthy meals for the whole family
with snacks meals and desserts that lower blood sugar plus round out your diabetes fighting
knowledge with the incredible book superfoods for diabetics and by watching episode 1 of that
diabetes documentary all three are all free just click the link in the description below to grab
them all right away now here comes step number four replace the bad carbs what are bad carbs well
they're not good that's for sure carbohydrates are a macronutrient naturally found in plant-based
foods these are typically considered good carbs and are also known as complex carbohydrates
excellent sources of complex carbohydrate foods include oats whole fruits whole grain breads
beans and other legumes and cruciferous veggies like kale spinach and broccoli
complex carbs are comprised of multiple sugar molecules strung together by long complex chains
typically your body requires ample time to process complex carbohydrates before they are converted
into glucose and released into your bloodstream but simple carbohydrates consist of just one
or two unit sugars and will be broken down inside your system in a much quicker fashion
essentially simple carb foods are often considered to be bad because their short processing time
may result in a blood sugar spike simple carbohydrates are often found in highly processed
sugar rich junk foods like chips crackers candies fast food products pastas cereals juice drinks and
high sugar soft drinks or energy drinks consuming simple carb foods will force your body to release
excessive quantities of insulin in short periods of time so it's no wonder why eating bad carbs can
lead to weight gain increased insulin resistance heart disease and of course they are a main driver
of the modern diabetes epidemic but at the end of the day we all still need to eat carbohydrates
after all they are the predominant source of energy for your muscle cells and your brain
so yes it is time for you to switch from your typically tasty but empty calorie
simple carb goodies two nutrient rich blood sugar balancing complex carbohydrate natural foods
for example while there are 52 grams of carbohydrates in one cup of cooked brown rice
higher starch white rice still only contains 53 grams of carbs but brown rice is higher
in fiber magnesium and other beneficial anti-diabetes pro-heart health nutrients
that's why eating white rice can lead to a significantly higher and faster blood sugar spike
than you'd get by eating that same amount of brown rice so instead of your usual white bread sandwich
why not utilize 100 whole wheat slices swap out your normal starchy white flour spaghetti
for bean-based organic pasta ditch the chips and try seaweed sheets kale chips or simply snack on
a few baby carrots while some of these foods may not be much lower in the overall carb amounts
they will contain more beneficial nutrients and higher levels of fiber which will aid you
in weight loss improved heart health and they will help you to better manage your blood sugar
well now you've got four easy steps to get you going on your anti-diabetes journey remember
replace the bad carbs with sources of complex carbohydrates investigate if an if method can
work for you fit in a half hour walk after each meal and don't forget to eat good sources of fiber
and protein did we miss any vital steps for beating diabetes let us know what you think
by commenting below don't forget to like and subscribe and you won't want to miss
out on your three free gifts so click that link below thanks for watching from all
of us here at diabetes smarts we hope you are having a happy and healthy day
you