Keeping one’s blood sugar levels within the recommended range can be challenging. That’s because many things make a person’s blood sugar levels change, sometimes unexpectedly. Following are some factors that could affect an individual’s blood sugar levels.
Food
Healthy eating is the most important aspect of healthy living, with or without diabetes. But, if one has diabetes, they must know how foods affect their blood sugar levels. It’s not just the kind of food that one eats, but also how much they eat and the types and combinations of food they eat. Learning about carbohydrate counting and portion sizing is the key to many diabetes management plans. Remember that carbohydrates have the biggest impact on the body’s blood sugar levels.
Every meal must be well balanced. A person with diabetes must plan for every meal to have a mix of starches, fruits, vegetables, fats, and proteins. People with diabetes may also have to take mealtime insulin so they can get the proper dose. Eating little food in proportion to diabetes medications, especially insulin, could result in dangerously low blood sugar. That said, too much food could cause blood sugar levels to climb too high. Hence, one should speak to their health care team about how to best coordinate their meal and medication schedules.
Exercise
Physical activity is also an important part of a diabetes management plan. When one exercises, their muscles use sugar for energy. Daily physical activity helps the body use insulin efficiently. Doing this lowers blood sugar levels with time. The more challenging the workout, the longer the effect lasts. Even light activities, like housework, gardening, or walking, can improve blood sugar.
It’s important to aim for around 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a day. Consider keeping an exercise schedule and checking blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise. While exercising, one must stay hydrated. One must ensure they drink plenty of water or other fluids as dehydration can affect blood sugar levels.
Medication
If one has diabetes, it’s important for them to store their insulin well. If it’s stored improperly or is past its expiration date, it will not be effective at controlling diabetes. Insulin is sensitive to extreme temperatures.
