Your doctor told you your blood sugar levels are high. Then they ask you to eat better and exercise. Well… What does that mean? Does that mean you should throw out every piece of bread in your home? What does it mean to have diabetes? Keep reading, and you’ll surely find the answers to your questions.
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition where your body does not use the hormone, insulin, adequately, or doesn’t make enough insulin to keep up with the amount of sugar in your bloodstream.
The most common type of diabetes is type II. In fact, 90% of people diagnosed with diabetes have type II diabetes.
There are many side effects associated with high blood sugar levels including: high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease or kidney failure, eye damage, neuropathy or even amputation. If you are told that your blood sugars are high it is necessary for you to make lifestyle changes to maintain your health. The main areas you should be considering are nutrition and exercise. Keep in mind sleep and stress levels can also affect your blood sugar levels, but changing you exercise and nutrition habits will make the most impact on your blood sugar levels.
Exercise Considerations
Your muscles work like an insulin pump. So, every time you move your body you are pumping insulin into your bloodstream to uptake the glucose in your blood for energy. That means any type of exercise is beneficial for decreasing your blood sugar levels. Canadian guidelines suggest 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week to see maximum benefits in your health. That’s only about 30 minutes, 5 days per week. The Canadian guidelines for exercise also recommend about 2-3 days of strength training.
If this sounds like a lot to start with, start small, build the habit of exercising and then work your way up. Studies show you can start as little as 10-minute bouts of exercise to see improvements in your blood sugar levels.
Nutrition Considerations
Nutrition adjustments are necessary for managing high blood sugar levels. Although there is no one diet that is said to be the “best” diabetic diet, small strategic changes in the way you eat can greatly improve your blood sugar levels. In fact, studies show that a well-balanced diet with a variety of fruit, vegetables, healthy oils, nuts and seeds are shown to be the best for our bodies. In order to begin improving your nutrition intake to improve your blood sugar levels try the following tips:
- Increase your intake of fibre
- Do not wait more than 6 hours in between meals
- Use the “plate” method to create your meals
- Ask for extra vegetables when eating out
- Have a protein or fibre source with every meal
If your doctor has told you your blood sugar levels are high, do not stress. There are ways you can manage your blood sugar levels in your day-to-day life. Although it can be scary to receive this type of diagnosis, I urge you to stay calm and make a plan. Work with a healthcare provider to determine what changes you can make today to see results in your blood sugar levels.
Written By: Shaquelle Thomas, Registered Kinesiologist and LivingWell Coordinator at Delmanor West Village
