The shelves on the bookstore shelves are full of different diets, and pharmacies offer nothing less than various additives that promise instant results with minimal effort.
We commit so many rash acts and make so many inappropriate decisions to lose weight and improve our health. But what if the key to losing weight could be a banal reduction in blood sugar?
In fact, blood sugar plays a huge role in a person's ability to burn fat and lose weight.
If the blood sugar is high, then the person is prone to fullness, so the first thing to do on the way to improving health and losing weight is to lower blood sugar.
Learn how to quickly lower your blood sugar with a few simple diet tips.
What is blood sugar?
In simple words, blood sugar is the concentration of glucose (or sugar) in the blood.
With each meal, our bodies extract essential sugars from carbohydrates and various nutrients as food undergoes its digestive journey within the stomach. As carbohydrates break down, the resulting sugars flow into the bloodstream, prompting the hormone insulin into action.
Insulin acts as a facilitator, ushering the sugars from the bloodstream into the body's cells, where they are utilized as a fundamental source of energy.
If your energy reserves are replenished and you are still not full, insulin makes all the excess sugar stored in various parts of the body fat.
If the sugar level is constantly elevated (which may be due to malnutrition), the pancreas works almost all the time to produce insulin, because only it can cope with the constant flow of the sugar.
First, the body cannot handle a lot of sugar at the same time.
If there are constant foods that increase blood sugar, the body will begin to accumulate excess sugar in the form of fat deposits. Over time, the body may get tired of constantly producing insulin and stop responding to sugar in general.
This is a very dangerous condition because this uncontrolled excess blood sugar can lead to obesity, various neurological diseases, and type 2 diabetes.
With high sugar, the body hardly burns fat at all, because in such a state it only stores it.
Another disadvantage of high blood sugar (if the above was not enough) is that it contributes to the production and release of stress hormones - cortisol.
Cortisol is produced as a result of severe shock, stress, and anxiety.
When the body regularly produces an increased amount of this hormone, all attempts to lose weight will be in vain because it triggers the process of fat accumulation. This is a protective mechanism that has evolved in humans since the time of the cavemen.
To start burning fat, you need to get rid of the causes that lead to an increase in blood sugar. These changes should affect your diet (you need to at least know which foods lower your blood sugar) and lifestyle.
By lowering blood sugar, hormones will receive less signal to store sugar in the form of fat, and the remaining fat will be consumed naturally.
Lower blood sugar naturally
Don't think that all sweet foods raise blood sugar.
Our body depends on glucose as a source of fuel, so the presence of carbohydrates in the diet is a prerequisite for optimal health. You just need to eat real carbs.
Problematic foods include those that increase blood sugar very quickly. It is mostly high in sugar and low in nutrients such as fiber, protein, or fat.
As a rule, these are products that have undergone strong processing, such as:
- White bread;
- White flour cakes: muffins, donuts, cakes, cookies;
- Sweets;
- Soda;
- Paste;
- Sweet juices
- Alcohol.
Conversely, when it comes to nourishment, embracing foods rich in fiber, protein, and beneficial fats—such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds—exerts a decelerating effect on sugar absorption into the bloodstream, maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
This explains the fact that although fruits contain sugar, they also have fiber, which slows down the release of sugar.
To speed up the process of losing weight and improve your health, I present you with 11 quick and easy ways and folk remedies to lower blood sugar.
How to lower blood sugar without pills
1. Say goodbye to refined carbohydrates
The first and most important step on the path to lowering blood sugar should be the step of restricting food, which causes spikes in glucose levels: sugar.
The obvious sources of refined sugars are pastries, sweet drinks, and bread.
To reduce the consumption of processed sugar in food, read the labels on the goods carefully. Refined sugar is hidden in many foods, even under the name "good for health", such as granola bars or sauces, so be careful.
First, it was nice to replace processed grains with whole grains. But if there is a possibility to give up cereals in general, it will help lower blood sugar and speed up the process of losing weight.
2. Choose gluten-free cereals
To normalize blood sugar, it is better not to eat sticky varieties of crops such as wheat, rye, and barley.
This is because gluten is an anti-inflammatory protein that the body digests for a long time and with difficulty. This inability of the body to digest gluten can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar. Even if there is no sensitivity to it, it is still better to limit its consumption.
Replace gluten-free cereals with brown rice or quinoa, which in small amounts will not affect blood sugar.
3. Add protein and healthy fats to all meals
For a balanced blood sugar, make sure to include a mix of protein and wholesome fats in every meal, preferably opting for homemade options.
Embrace proteins from sources like chicken or quinoa, paired with nourishing fats such as coconut oil and avocados. This combination works to gently regulate the release of sugar into your bloodstream, thwarting any abrupt surges in glucose levels.
4. Include apple cider vinegar in your diet
If you take apple cider vinegar just before a meal, it will improve insulin sensitivity and help control blood sugar, especially after eating carbs.
The only downside to apple cider vinegar may be the taste.
5. Perform high-intensity exercises
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to lower blood sugar because it allows cells to consume any amount of sugar from the bloodstream.
Even the simplest exercises, such as walking, for example, lower blood sugar levels, while high-intensity exercises, such as strength and interval, can improve insulin sensitivity.
6. Include more cinnamon in your diet.
Cinnamon has been shown to help potentiate the effects of insulin on the brain, thus increasing insulin sensitivity.
Just add cinnamon to your favorite foods and drinks to experience all the benefits of this spice.
Choose your cinnamon carefully. Ceylon cinnamon sticks contain substances that help lower blood sugar. They are the most useful. Most cafes and restaurants use a mixture of cinnamon powder and powdered sugar on their menu.
7. Reduce stress and learn how to deal with it.
The term "stress leads to fullness" is a very true statement.
Cortisol, a stress hormone, prompts the body to store fat. Elevated levels of cortisol in the bloodstream raise sugar levels and hinder the body's ability to burn fat.
We need to find ways to deal with stress so that excess cortisol does not lead to excessive accumulation of body fat.
Yoga, deep breathing, meditation, going to the spa, shopping, and removing any sources of stress from your life can help you reduce your body's reaction to the stimulus and help you lose weight.
8. Replace caffeine with herbal tea
I do not recommend consuming caffeine every day, and this is partly due to its effect on blood sugar. Caffeine leads to sudden spikes in blood glucose, so if you like to drink coffee several times a day, then stabilizing the situation does not work.
Instead of regular tea or coffee, try natural herbal teas or decaffeinated coffee that will help normalize blood glucose levels and increase fat burning.
9. Eat foods rich in fiber
As mentioned earlier, high-fiber foods slow down the release of sugar into the bloodstream and return it to normal, which in turn will speed up fat burning.
The best sources of fiber are whole foods, namely fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Try to eat whole foods with every meal.
10. Eat lots of garlic
Bad breath is not a problem because garlic has a lot of health benefits. Moreover, studies confirm that it can lower blood sugar.
11. Get enough sleep
Insufficient sleep is recognized as a type of stress. Moreover, the shorter your sleep, the greater the production of ghrelin—a hormone signaling hunger and boosting appetite within the body.
Increased ghrelin levels lead to the fact that a person constantly wants to eat and actually eats everything they can get their hands on sweets, fast food, and starchy carbohydrates. All of this ultimately leads to rapid weight gain and increased blood sugar.
To keep your appetite, nerves, and blood sugar normal, try to get at least 7 hours of restful and quality sleep every night.
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