health

7 Deadly Glucose Sins

Dr.Poonam Sharma

October 14, 2022

Blood sugar or blood glucose is a type of sugar that your bloodstream carries to the cells in your body which is necessary to supply energy. Your blood sugar regulates many functions in your body. Therefore, keeping your blood sugar levels in a stable range is essential to keep your body working correctly. The most effective way to maintain a healthy glucose level is by monitoring glucose fluctuation and the amount of sugar the blood transport in a single instant. 

Your carbohydrate intake plays a vital role in the swings or fluctuation of your glucose levels. What you eat and how it affects your body directly impact your glucose levels. But, it is not easy for any individual to monitor their glucose levels now and then. However, you can do it easily using a continuous glucose monitoring device like BIOS by HealthifyPro. BIOS can help you actively assess and manage your glucose levels. 

There are various other reasons you should monitor your glucose levels closely. Besides watching your food intake and exercising routine, monitoring your glucose levels is crucial for your metabolic health.

BIOS helps detect your glucose levels after every meal, shares the data with you and provides data-backed information, helping you take active measures to avoid glucose spikes.

The BIOS will tell you what food and activity in your body make your glucose levels crash at any given point of the day. Therefore, having a proper insight into what could crash your glucose levels is essential. It is crucial to know what you should do and avoid keeping your glucose levels at a minimum range. 

7 Deadly Glucose Sins that You Should Avoid

Below are a few mistakes that you should avoid or look out for to keep your glucose levels in check:

1. Completely Eliminating  Fats

People often think eliminating all types of fats from their diet will help them maintain their weight and glucose level spike. It is partially true because you have to eat the required fats to maintain your glucose levels and weight. However, not all fats are bad, and eating good fats will help you maintain a healthy glucose level and weight. Therefore, it is essential to know the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats. 

Healthy fats are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. These fats are very beneficial in preventing type 2 diabetes, a spike in blood sugar levels, and other metabolic disorders. In addition, healthy fats are good for your heart health and cholesterol levels. 

Some of the best sources of healthy fats are avocado, fish, chia seeds, dark chocolate, and eggs.

2. Not Having Balanced Meals

Diet plays a vital role in combating any disease. And swings in your glucose levels largely depend on what you eat. Not including necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in your diet can fluctuate your glucose and slow your metabolism. In addition, different foods can cause various levels of glucose fluctuation in your body. 

Monitoring your glucose levels with a CGM can give you a proper diet of what you can include and exclude from your balanced diet. Diet can not be the same for everyone as everyone has different triggers from different food. Therefore, consulting a dietician and using a CGM device will give you data-backed information and proper advice on maintaining your blood sugar levels. However, you can follow some dietary guidelines like eating less starchy food, consuming less artificial sugar or sweeteners, eliminating oily and refined foods, limiting excess carbohydrate intake, etc.  

3. Avoiding Stress and Mental Health Issues

Managing stress is very important for your body to function correctly, not just your glucose levels. In addition, a study suggests that stress disrupts your glucose levels and metabolic activities. Moreover, the same proves that not taking proper steps to manage your stress and mental health can lead to chronic diseases such as hyperglycemia. 

There are different personal and professional reasons which can make you feel stressed, anxious, or nervous. Consulting a healthcare professional or joining yoga or stress management classes can help you manage your stress better and keep your glucose levels in check.

4. Not Maintaining Proper Body Weight

Obesity or weight gain is one of the biggest causes of fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Excess body weight can lead to various metabolic dysfunctions and post-meal glucose spikes. Maintaining a healthy body helps in lowering your post-meal glucose spikes. In addition, losing at least 5-10 pounds of body weight can help you better manage diabetes and keep blood sugar levels under control. 

Tracking your calorie intake and the impact of foods on your glucose levels is essential to making a conscious effort to lose weight. But it is not easy to track each amount of calories you consume every day. Therefore, HealthifyPro has made calorie tracking smarter. HealthifyPro calorie tracker helps you track calories of any food item you want to consume. 

You can track the exact amount of calories in any food item by taking a picture of what you are going to eat. With the help of the calorie tracker, you will be able to make smarter food choices by avoiding or eliminating foods that have high calories. And with regards to your metabolism and glucose levels, it could do wonders. 

5. Neglecting your Sleep

Not getting enough sleep can make you feel sluggish throughout the day. It is vital to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep for your body and brain to work effectively. Your sleep duration affects the response of your glucose levels. Not getting enough sleep can offset the hormonal functions leading to metabolic syndromes. In addition, poor quality sleep can also lead to abnormal circadian rhythm and hormonal imbalances, which directly affects your glucose levels. 

6. Not Exercising:

Exercising daily for 30-40 minutes can have long-term effects on your glucose levels. Your body needs extra energy from blood sugar or glucose when you exercise. Doing a quick walk or jog after your meals can help you lower your post-meal glucose spike. In addition, being active throughout the day or doing exercises like cardio, Zumba, weight training, etc., make your body sensitive to insulin, which helps manage your glucose levels and decreases the risk of diabetes. Being active makes you feel fresh throughout the day and helps with digestive and metabolic issues.

7. Not Drinking Enough Water

Keeping yourself hydrated is the key to keeping various health issues at bay. Hydration plays a vital role in managing your glucose hormones. You should drink 8-12 glasses of water every day. Drinking enough water keeps your metabolic rate in check and lowers the post-meal glucose level fluctuations. Hydrating yourself properly also aids in weight loss which is essential for your blood sugar levels and metabolic health. 

Conclusion

Lastly, having proper knowledge about do’s, and don’ts of blood sugar can help you easily combat your fluctuating glucose levels. In addition, various studies suggest that lifestyle significantly impacts how your glucose levels react after every meal. Therefore, it is vital to bring healthy changes in your lifestyle concerning your glucose levels and overall health. 

Eating right and avoiding junk and artificial sweeteners like corn sweetener, fruit juice concentrates, corn syrup, high-fructose, honey, etc., is necessary to maintain your glucose levels and diabetes. Highlighting awareness is the very first step to maintaining stable glucose levels. CGM devices and calorie trackers can give data-backed information about your metabolism and glucose levels, which will empower you to make a change in your daily routine. Everything comes into play when talking about glucose levels, from taking care of your dietary habits to exercising daily.

About the Author

I, Dr. Poonam have 3+ years of experience in the field of Medicine. Currently serving as a Resident Physician at HealthifyMe, I have worked with premier hospitals such as Manipal Hospital, Bangalore as a Resident in Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital, Chennai as a Medical Officer. I aspire to put my knowledge in medicine to use in providing healthcare and fitness services to people and help enhance my abilities in meeting the ever-growing healthcare needs.


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