How to lower blood glucose (5 strategies)

To lower blood sugar levels, it is important to pay attention to diet, giving preference to whole foods and avoiding excess carbohydrates and sugar, as well as practicing regular physical activity, since in this way it is possible to avoid peaks of glycemia and the accumulation of sugar in the circulation.

Excess sugar in the blood, scientifically called hyperglycemia, occurs when the fasting blood glucose rate is greater than 100 mg / dL. If this is persistent, it can have serious consequences for the functioning of the organs. Therefore, whenever these symptoms arise, it is important to consult a general practitioner or endocrinologist for a clinical evaluation and tests to identify blood glucose levels, as well as blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, for, For example, situations that are also risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Strategies for lowering glucose 

To lower blood sugar levels, it is important to follow the general practitioner or endocrinologist's guidelines, is normally recommended:

• Make use of antidiabetic drugs, such as Metformin, Glibenclamide, Glimepiride, Gliclazide or Insulin, in the case of people already diagnosed with diabetes;

• Have a healthy diet, avoid excess sugar or carbohydrates, and increase the intake of vegetables and whole foods, mainly in the case of people with prediabetes;

• Eat small meals throughout the day, with an average interval of 3 hours, since in this way you can avoid glycemic peaks;

• Do not substitute foods for sweets or fruits, as it can cause a rapid increase in blood glucose levels;

• Practice physical activity on a regular basis, such as walking, running, or bodybuilding, since the sugar consumed can be used as a source of energy, preventing large concentrations from circulating in the body.

In addition, in the case of diabetes and prediabetes, it is important that the person receives regular medical monitoring, both by a nutritionist and by the general practitioner, since in this way it is possible to evaluate the evolution of glucose levels in the blood and make alterations in the treatment plan or in the diet.

Nutritional monitoring in prediabetes plays a fundamental role since by changing eating habits it is possible to avoid the progression to diabetes.

How to know if glucose levels are high

To know if blood sugar levels are high, it is important to perform a fasting glucose test, also known as a fasting glucose tolerance test, in which glucose levels are considered high when a concentration is greater than 100 mg / dL. Diabetes is usually considered when the glucose concentration is above 126 mg / dL in at least two different measurements, or above 200 mg / dL in a single measurement.

In addition to the fasting glucose test, the doctor may also request other tests such as the oral glucose tolerance test, postprandial glycemia, or glycosylated hemoglobin, which reports the glucose levels of the last three months.

To confirm high blood sugar levels, the doctor also evaluates signs and symptoms that the person presents and that indicate hyperglycemia, such as excessive thirst, increased urge to urinate, headache, tingling in the hands or feet, and drowsiness. , for instance.