About 1 in 10 Americans has diabetes, a disease that makes it hard for your body to use sugar the right way.
Managing blood sugar levels is an important way to stay healthy with diabetes.
If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar in a normal range can help you feel good.
“When your blood sugar is high, you tend to feel very fatigued,” said Bryan Gibson, assistant professor of biomedical informatics at the University of Utah.
High sugar over time can also damage your eyes, kidneys, heart, nerves, and even your feet.
So how high is too high?
“Under 100 for a fasting blood sugar is where you want to be,” said Alison Massey, owner of Flourish Nutrition Therapy & Wellness.
The first way to keep your sugar in check: stay hydrated! Dehydration can lead to sugar spikes. One study found that people who drank at least 34 ounces of water per day were 21% less likely to develop high blood sugar than those who drank 16 ounces or less a day.
Also, exercise is vital for blood sugar control.
“Exercise, I always say, is free medicine for the body,” said Massey.
“You generally see around a 24%-25% drop in blood glucose, within, let’s say, a half an hour of a walk,” explained Gibson.
Next, get enough sleep. Aim for at least seven hours a night.
And examine your diet.
“The one thing I suggest is get rid of the sugary beverages,” said Massey.
Finally, eating more soluble fiber can help slow the absorption of carbs in your gut, which prevents blood sugar spikes.
You also might want to consume minerals, chromium and magnesium. Studies show they may enhance how insulin works.
Lowering stress levels can also keep your blood sugar levels low. A 2024 study found that out of the participants who had moderate stress levels, 59% had abnormal blood sugar.
However, if the participants followed a plan for their diabetes, they were able to have normal blood sugar despite their stress.