This Is the #1 Best Habit for Blood Sugar Balance, According to an Endocrinologist

Leah Groth
·3 min read
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Maintaining balance in blood sugar is crucial for overall health: Whether blood sugar spikes too high or drops too low, your body will let you know—and not in a good way. Understanding how blood sugar works and learning about the healthy habits that can help achieve balance is the first step in managing yours.

How Blood Sugar Works

Mary Vouyiouklis Kellis, MD, an endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic explains that the body uses glucose (or blood sugar) for energy. “Glucose is taken up from the bloodstream and enters the cells of the body and is used to make energy,” she says. Glucose is stored in skeletal muscle and liver cells in the form of glycogen and can be transported to different tissue in the body via the bloodstream. “Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas which helps to bring glucose from the bloodstream into the cells of the body."

The most common way that blood sugar rises is after eating. “This is especially true after meals that are rich in carbohydrates,” Dr. Kellis explains. However, it can also rise due to stress and sometimes with exercise.

While it’s normal for blood sugar to rise and fall throughout the day, achieving overall balance keeps your body working the way it is supposed to.

Related: This Is the #1 Worst Habit for Blood Sugar, According to an Endocrinologist

What Happens When Blood Sugar Is Too High?

Unfortunately, some people fail to maintain their overall blood sugar balance. A high blood glucose level is known as hyperglycemia, explains Dr. Kellis. “When your blood glucose is high, your pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, which helps to get the glucose into the bloodstream to be taken up by the cells in the body,” she says.

When blood glucose remains high despite the pancreas releasing insulin, this can result in diabetes mellitus. “In Type 2 diabetes, there is insulin resistance where the body is unable to effectively respond to the increased insulin levels and as a result, the blood glucose stays high,” she continues. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes enough insulin and as a result, the blood glucose remains high in the bloodstream.

Related: How To Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally

What Happens When Blood Sugar Is Too Low?

Low blood glucose is known as hypoglycemia. “This is usually when your blood glucose drops below 70 mg/dL,” says Dr. Kellis. When blood glucose drops, your pancreas releases the hormone glucagon, which converts glycogen (stored glucose) into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream.

Symptoms of this can include feeling shaky, sweaty, nervous, rapid heartbeat, confusion, nausea, hunger and blurred vision. “Prolonged untreated low blood glucose can even increase the risk for seizure,” she reveals.

Related: 6 Best Free Apps for Managing Diabetes and Blood Sugar

What Is the Number One Best Habit for Blood Sugar?

While maintaining a balanced blood sugar level depends on a variety of factors, the best habit for blood sugar is maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, says Kellis. “Increase fiber intake, eat whole grains while avoiding refined grains, pair protein and healthy fat with complex carbohydrates, minimize refined sugars, limit alcohol intake and stay hydrated,” she explains.

“Refined sugars can cause spikes in blood glucose levels,” she says. This means you should avoid desserts, white bread, white flour and white rice, as well as sugary beverages, including coffee with syrups or sugar. While these are fine to consume once in a while, if you're trying to balance your blood sugar, your best bet is to steer clear of them.

Another healthy habit Dr. Kellis suggests? Keeping stress to a minimum. “Try meditation to help combat stress as high-stress states can increase blood glucose,” she says. And, don’t forget to get plenty of sleep, as poor sleep can affect blood glucose as well.

Next up: What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels?

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