What do I do to bring blood sugar levels down without medicine?
By Mark Harris from Sand Springs, OK
Garlic is supposed to be very good for lowering blood sugar, as is cinnamon. I'm not suggesting that you eat them both at the same time, but maybe you could incorporate a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon into your daily breakfasts and also eat garlic for dinner a few times a week. (01/27/2010)
By Dana
Exercise. Not such pleasant news, but I've been a type 1 diabetic for almost 40 years and it works. Try putting on some music and dancing, even dancing to the jingles on the ads, it seriously works. A walk will do it too. Good luck. (01/27/2010)
By merry woods
In addition to other things mentioned:
Have your vitamin D levels checked and make sure you have them in the high end of optimal. Many diabetics are short on D and studies are showing it to be linked. Don't settle for just "it's in the normal range" get it to the high end of normal. Sunshine in summer, supplements in winter. D3 is cheap. If you are very low, the Dr. will prescribe a high dose supplement, otherwise, most adults can take 5000 units daily in winter, more when sick. Do a web search on this or check Mercola.com for a lot of articles on this and most of the other points I'm listing.
Get enough sleep. Research has shown a connection between lack of sleep and weight gain, thus also to higher blood sugar.
Switch as many of your carbohydrates to high fiber as possible. Whole grain breads, oatmeal, high fiber/low sugar cereal, brown rice, dried beans, veggies, fruit instead of fruit juice, etc. You'll feel more full for less calories, and the fiber helps sweep fat through the system for a bonus. In general, the less processed any food is, the better it will be for you. Take the time to cook it yourself if you can. You will have more control.
Avoid soda, regular or diet. Empty calories in regular. Diet drinks and all other sources of artificial sweeteners are best avoided because the body gets confused and the craving for real carbs increases. I think I read somewhere that sometimes insulin levels will actually start to rise in response to the artificial sweeteners, but I'd have to hunt for that one to verify. Drink water. Milk or dairy foods 3 times a day does seem to really help with weight control too; if you aren't allergic try it.
Avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup. Despite their council's counter advertising, studies are showing that the body stores 40 calories out of 120 of fructose directly as fat. Of 120 sugar calories, the body burns all, but a couple. Also sugar turns off the appetite hormone, fructose does not, so you keep eating. Is it coincidence that the diabetes level has soared since corn syrup became the sweetener of choice in most groceries?
Eat smaller portions, but more often. 6 little meals a day rather than 3 larger ones will keep the blood sugar on a more even keel.
Keeping a food diary will help you keep track of what you are actually putting in your mouth. Measure your portions so you learn exactly what the official serving size looks like. 3 oz meat looks like deck of cards, 1/3 cup rice is half a baseball; serving of crackers is 5 or 12 , etc. Do both for at least a month and you will become much more aware of what you are eating. You will be reading a lot of labels for this and some of the previous suggestions.
There are a whole string of supplements that could help, but I don't know whether you would consider them medications. I would do at least the D3 during the months you can't get out into the sun (without sunscreen, by the way). (01/28/2010)
By Julie
Fenugreek is an herb and it works well. I take it. Also, it increases your stomach acid production. Potassium helps, use pills they don't add glucose, betaine hydrochloride might help, if your stomach is not in too bad of shape. (01/28/2010)
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
