Before I go over my list of essentials for naturally lowering blood sugar, fellow diabetics (and their loved ones), let me set the scene. My blood sugar was slightly under 200 on the first day after I was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago. Oh no! I didn't completely get the implications of having diabetes when I was first told I had the condition. In actuality, it took almost a week for this life-altering information to completely settle in. I was afraid to confront the reality. On some level, I believe I went through a denial phase. Finally, when the bad news did fully click, I knew what I needed to do. I knew deep down in my soul that I had the power to change things. No matter how good the doctors were, I knew that the person that had the most power to help me was me.
I have long been a supporter of alternative therapies, and I often explore scholarly journals to find scientific evidence that these natural approaches are effective. I also gain knowledge from my grandmother's and other people's wisdom. I was well aware, even prior to my diagnosis, that diabetes could be reversed with proper diet and other natural methods. I was aware that blood sugar could be lowered naturally and that these methods were effective. The adage "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!" never meant more to me with all the extra sugar coursing through my veins. I was inspired to make a bad situation better.
With my doctors still talking about adding additional diabetes medications to lower my blood sugar, I made the decision to radically change my diet, make certain lifestyle changes, and try to beat my diabetes by natural means. I told my doctors what I wanted to do and I found one doctor who was willing to work with me, although even he seemed a tad skeptical. I assured him I was very serious and hard headed enough to make it work. He laughed at that and said, "we'll see." Most modern doctors are trained to think of medications first and natural methods a far distant second if at all.
I've been reading the online diabetes discussion boards and I'm sometimes really struck by what other people say. One person said his diabetes was actually a blessing in disguise because more than anything else ever had, it motivated him to get a whole lot more healthy. At first, his statement hit a nerve with me that made me feel uneasy. However, the more I thought about what he said, the more I agreed with him. Nothing has ever motivated me more in my entire life to follow what I already knew to be true. The first step is knowledge but without the motivation to go along with it, you won't reverse your diabetes.
So, without further ado, I give you my list of 5 things you must understand if you want to know how to lower your blood sugar naturally but I give you this list with the caveat that in order to make it work, you must be properly motivated:
Food Is Medicine To the Diabetic
You literally have the power to reverse or make worse your diabetes by the foods you put into your body. You have to learn which foods to avoid and have the will power to do so. If you have diabetes, this means your glucose metabolism is all screwed up. You need to start eating the foods that will heal your body and make your cells more receptive to insulin and you have to learn what those foods are. You need to eat foods that naturally lower blood sugar. This does not mean your diet has to boring or bland. Quite the contrary, my menu has gotten much more delicious and nutritious since I was diagnosed with diabetes and decided to reverse it by eating the right things.
Losing Weight Can Drastically Lower Blood Sugar
Approximately 90% of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are over-weight, many to the point of being obese. Losing just 5-10% of your total body weight can dramatically lower your blood sugar. If you need to lose more than that, remember every journey starts with a single step. Many diabetics say losing weight helped them more than any other change they made. Of course, if you are eating the right foods, avoiding the wrong foods, and controlling portion sizes, exercising more, sleeping more, and lowering stress, you will find it easier to lose weight.
Daily Exercise Helps Keep Your Blood Sugar From Going On Roller Coaster Rides
You need to get 30 minutes or more exercise a day. Daily exercise will not only lower your blood sugar but will also level out your blood sugar levels. This doesn't mean you have to be a marathon runner or even join the local gym. Exercising can be as simple as walking around your neighborhood or in a local park. It is helpful if you can develop new interests or renew old interests that will motivate you to be a more active person. So turn that computer off for a while and go walk the dog, or go bird watching, berry picking, sight seeing, treasure hunting, travel, photography, beach combing, gardening, volunteer work, helping seniors and the disabled, etc, etc. These activities can all be a fun way to become more active in lieu of formal exercise which many people view as a chore.
Sleep Can Make or Break You
This is an area that needs more research but recent studies have shown very conclusively that diabetics who get more sleep have lower blood sugar levels. The quality of sleep also seems to make a significant difference. If you're like most Americans, you need to schedule more time for sleep and create an environment where you can sleep well without being interrupted. Just as I said earlier that food is medicine, sleep is medicine too. So, instead of popping a pill, try getting an hour or two more sleep each night.
Stress Is One of the Primary Causes of Diabetes and Can Prevent the Healing Process
The effect of stress on diabetes is another area that needs more research but it is has already been demonstrated through research studies that stress can bring on diabetes and make it worse. We know that when you are stressed the body produces more of a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is intricately involved in glucose metabolism. It increases blood sugar and counteracts insulin, which of course is not good for a diabetic. Decreasing stress can lower cortisol levels and thus lower blood sugar and make your cells more responsive to insulin. You should think of lowering stress as a natural medication for your diabetes and not only will it improve your health and extend your life, your quality of life with go up.
There are many ways to reduce stress and the best method(s) vary by person and you are the best judge of what will work for you. Music therapy, message, hydrotherapy, gardening, getting better organized, taking care of your financial obligations, making more of an effort to bond with other people, getting a pet, soaking in beautiful sunsets, volunteering, aromatherapy, cooking up healthy comfort food, getting more sleep, helping others, doing things that make you laugh, spending more time with your kids, spending more time with your partner, and taking time to smell the roses are all things that work to lower stress in some people. Certain foods also lower cortisol.
You CAN reverse diabetes by eating the right foods and other natural means.
I am living proof of this and so are the many other people who were diagnosed with diabetes but now have normal blood sugar levels. My doctor could hardly believe the difference in my blood sugar readings after only a few weeks.
