According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) National Diabetes Statistics Report 2017, over 100 million people in America have Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. The report also states at least two in every five adult Americans will have Type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. With such startling statistics, it comes as no surprise a vast number of people are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes every year. The most shocking news for many people, however, is they may have to be on medications for the rest of their life.
However, today we have good news. You can manage your blood sugar levels with simple lifestyle changes and no drugs; yes no drugs! Here are three tips to help you out…
1. Manage your weight. When you have Type 2 diabetes, being overweight can increase the symptoms, and you are more likely to suffer from high blood sugar levels. It may seem like managing or losing weight is difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. You can start small by doing easy things and move on to more complex methods.
Managing your food portions is the best place to start. You can do this by eating snacks between meals and reducing the amount of food you eat in one sitting. You may also look into eating more organic and low-carb foods as opposed to foods with processed sugars and fats.
It would also help if you considered incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet.
2. Stay physically active. If your weight is okay, you don’t need to work out aggressively, but you can take up a physical activity you enjoy. You can start by walking a few blocks every day.
Being physically active not only helps you to keep your weight in check but is also beneficial in keeping your blood pressure, blood sugar and stress levels low. When these levels are at a healthy level, your body is also able to effectively produce and absorb insulin which kicks out the need to use drugs.
3. Embrace proper bedtime practices. People with Type 2 diabetes are more likely to have sleep apnea than those without the disease. Improper sleep is dangerous because it may cause blood sugar spikes. One of the best ways to ensure you sleep soundly is to have good bedtime routines.
Some of the steps you may start to do include…
- staying away from your electric devices in the 30 minutes before bed,
- avoiding aggressive physical activities before bed, and
- embracing deep breathing before bed.
Final thoughts. Receiving news you have Type 2 diabetes can be a significant blow. Being on meds for the rest of your life can be devastating but by starting small with the tips above, you can still live a healthy life free of diabetes medications.