Living with diabetes is not easy. Medicines aren't the only solution. One needs to make drastic changes to the diet and lifestyle as well.
Here are seven things that affect the blood sugar levels.
Stress
According to the Global Diabetes Community UK, stress can be a factor for the spike in blood sugar levels. When you are under stress, your adrenaline glands get triggered which encourage the organs to release extra glucose in the bloodstream, leading to a spike in blood sugar levels.
The blood sugar levels take time to come back to normal in diabetic people as compared to the normal ones.
Caffeine
According to Mayo Clinic, if you are suffering from diabetes, limiting your caffeine intake would be beneficial for your health. Caffeine affects every person differently so you need to ask your doctor about your caffeine limit.
According to the UK Global Diabetes Community, coffee increases the insulin resistance in people and that is harmful for people suffering from diabetes because then the body does not react to the insulin hormones which are necessary for maintaining the optimal blood sugar levels.
Lack of Sleep
Sleep also has an impact on diabetes. According to the US NIH, those who sleep for less than six hours, suffer from insulin resistance as their cells do not respond well to the insulin hormones and at times leads to full-blown diabetes.
Lack of sleep affects eating habits of people. It also results in hormonal imbalance which increases the blood sugar levels. So, one can fix their sleep routine so that body can utilise the insulin effectively, avoid late night snacks and go for walks after dinner.
Dehydration
Feeling thirsty frequently and dry mouth are signs of dehydration and also the first warning signs of diabetes. Kidneys try to flush the body of extra sugar and that is why frequent urination is a symptom of diabetes which also leads to dehydration.
But it is important to stay hydrated so that body does suffer when you urinate frequently to get rid of excess glucose in the blood. Skim milk, herbal tea, lemon water can be great options for regular hydration.
Skipping Breakfast
According to the CDC, skipping breakfast increases the risk of diabetes, specifically type-2 diabetes. Skipping breakfast once a week increases the risk of type-2 diabetes by 6 percent.
According to reports, 90-95 percent people suffer form type-2 diabetes in the US and it is more common than type-1. Skipping breakfast reduces the insulin sensitivity and the body cannot utilise insulin to maintain the blood sugar even if it is being produced by the pancreas.
Dawn Phenomenon
According to Mayo Clinic, dawn phenomenon is a condition in which there is a sudden spike in the blood sugar levels of the people suffering from diabetes and it happens between 2 am and 8 am.
It may happen due to various reasons like production of growth hormone, cortisol and midnight snacking that increase the insulin resistance. If there's a persistent spike in blood sugar levels during that time, keeping a check for a few days can help you know if it is the dawn effect or something else.
Artificial Sweeteners
According to the US NIH, artificial sweeteners do not increase the blood sugar levels instantly but they have a negative impact on the gut bacteria that leads to spike in blood sugar levels over time. However, the different type of artificial sweeteners may have a different effect and you need to consult your doctor to know how safe is it for you.
(This article is for your general information only. Before trying out any remedy, FIT advises you to consult a qualified medical professional. )
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