5 Habits to Help Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

Roughly 140 million Americans have high blood sugar (glucose), including about 100 million with diabetes and 40 million with prediabetes, a condition where glucose levels are elevated but not enough to cause diabetes — yet. Left untreated, high glucose can lead to significant health issues, including lifelong conditions and even life-threatening complications.

At STL Medical Weight Loss, Joseph Moleski, DO, and Margaurette Walsh, PA-C, help patients keep glucose levels under control with lifestyle changes and, when needed, medications like semaglutide. Here, learn some simple steps you can take to keep your glucose levels in check.

1. Focus on healthy eating

Managing blood sugar begins by managing the food you eat. Yes, sugary foods can raise glucose levels, but so can foods high in carbs, including plenty of processed foods and refined grains. Overeating can lead to spikes in blood sugar, too.

A better option: Fill your plate and your shopping cart with fresh fruits, leafy greens, and non-starchy vegetables, like peppers, sweet potatoes, and squash. Replace refined grains and white flour with whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and add lean and plant-based proteins with a little healthy fat to help you stay full longer. 

Watch portion sizes — these tips can help — and include healthy snacks, like celery sticks and hummus, to avoid between-meal bingeing. Our team can help with nutritional counseling tailored to your needs and preferences.

2. Lose those extra pounds — for good

Being overweight makes it harder to manage your blood sugar levels by interfering with the way your body uses insulin, a hormone that helps balance glucose levels. Extra pounds also increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Even modest weight loss can help you take control of your blood sugar levels. We know it’s not easy losing those pounds, but the good news is that our medical weight-loss plans are designed to work right from the start, so you can lose those pounds and keep them off.

3. Adopt healthy sleep habits

You might be sound asleep, but your body is still hard at work, and that includes processes that manage your glucose levels. Your blood sugar fluctuates naturally while you sleep, and if you’re not getting enough sleep or your sleep is of poor quality, it can be a lot harder for your body to regulate glucose efficiently.

Research shows people with poor sleep habits have higher glucose levels, which can lead to insulin resistance and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. Plus, feeling drowsy during the day can lead to unhealthy eating habits, including filling up on carb-rich foods. Ideally, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night, and incorporate these tips to improve your sleep environment.

4. Make stress management a priority

Chronic stress can boost your levels of cortisol, a hormone that can also elevate glucose levels. Plus, when you’re stressed, you’re also more likely to binge eat or snack on unhealthy foods.

Incorporating stress-management techniques into your daily routine is a targeted way to stabilize glucose levels while improving your health in other ways, too. Lower stress is better for your blood pressure, your heart, and even your mental health. Try these breathing exercises to get started.

5. Get up and get moving

Physical activity helps manage glucose levels by ramping up your metabolism and making your body more sensitive to the modulating effects of insulin. In fact, data show exercise helps stabilize blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours after activity, plus, it helps you manage stress and improve sleep, too.

On the flip side, researchers found inactive, sedentary lifestyles are associated with insulin resistance and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, along with other health problems, like obesity, heart disease, depression, dementia, and even some types of cancer. 

Small changes yield big benefits

These simple tips can help you manage your glucose levels, and they can benefit your health in lots of other ways, too. To learn how our team can help you reduce your risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases, call or book an appointment online with STL Medical Weight Loss at our locations in Chesterfield, Missouri, or Dallas, Texas, today. 

Can’t make it to the office? We also offer telehealth services for patients in Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Delaware, Arizona, New York, Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Nevada, and Washington State.