Last Updated on December 16, 2021 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Diabetes is a health issue that more and more people are facing with every passing day. The proper management of health is essential among patients who are diagnosed with diabetes.
There are different types of diabetes, but the issues come down to the same being increased glucose levels in the blood. This can give rise to many issues that make you vulnerable to other health-related risks.
But you don’t have to worry because there are several ways that you can keep a check on your diabetic blood sugar levels. Today, we will tell you about 18 such helpful at-home remedies that you can try out to make sure that your blood glucose levels are well-controlled.
So let us begin!
18 best home remedies for lowering blood sugar in diabetes
There are several natural and effective ways in which you can control your blood sugar levels at home. All you will need are simple kitchen ingredients and some time for yourself.
Managing your diabetes takes into consideration your diet, your daily activities, proper medical care, and rest for the body. All of this combined can prove to be very efficient in keeping the blood sugar levels.
Here are some simple tricks and home remedies that you can begin and carry on with:
1. Count your carbs
This is the primary of all because keeping the blood sugar levels low starts from reducing the sugar intake from carbohydrates.
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So it is advised to have a check upon how many carbohydrates you have in a day. For the best maintenance, you should get 45% of your daily calories from carbohydrates, which is around 15g to 20g for women and around 45g of carbs for men, in each meal of the day.
Make sure to stay within limits and include healthy sources.
2. Eat more fiber
Fiber is often not given enough space in your meals. Fiber must be a major part of your everyday diet. It is great for your metabolic functioning and manages the digestive system well.
Fiber assists in slowing in speed at which food is broken down. This enhances better breakdown and absorption of nutrients. At the same time, this helps prevent sudden rises in the body’s blood sugar levels.
A high-fiber diet is said to manage diabetes. The daily fiber need for women is 25g, and that for men is around 40g.
You can derive your daily fiber from vegetables, leafy foods, fruits, whole grains, unrefined flour, lentils, etc.
3. Carry out portion control
This is a necessary habit that you need to include as a lifestyle change upon being diagnosed with diabetes. Keeping your food portions moderate and according to the daily limits is very necessary.
All food and their serving quantities vary for diabetic individuals. You must learn about the safe limits and practice those. This also helps you to keep a check on your daily calorie intake.
You can refer your doctors for a healthy serving suggestion, check food labels, weigh your meals, count the carbs, or check out defined portion sizes for food items.
4. Select Low Glycemic index foods
The glycemic index of foods shows how a particular food will impact your blood sugar levels. Each food item is assigned a glycemic value according to its carb content.
You can use this table to determine your safe food choices:
| Sl. No. | Glycemic Index categories | Glycemic Index ranges |
| Low Glycemic Index (safe for diabetics) | 0 to 55 | |
| Medium Glycemic Index (safe when taken in moderate quantities) | 55 to 69 | |
| High Glycemic Index (unsafe for diabetics) | From 70 and above |
Try to include more low and medium GI foods and avoid having high GI foods.
5. Exercise daily
Including regular physical activity is very crucial for the body, especially for diabetics. This helps to burn calories and accumulated fats.
Moreover, exercising helps to use up carbs leading to lowering blood sugar levels. Exercising also increases insulin sensitivity in the body, which is often the underlying cause.
The best exercises for diabetics include – brisk walking, swimming, yoga, cycling, jogging, weight-lifting, etc.
6. Manage your body weight
Keeping the weight within the normal BMI range is a necessity for diabetic patients. Increased weight and obesity often lead to diabetes and may even severe existing conditions.
Reducing your body weight can also help prevent many other health ailments like cardiovascular risks, joint pains, hormonal imbalances, and so on.
All of the above-given measures can also be used to keep your weight under control, leading to better management of your diabetic condition.
7. Include apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is known to be great for keeping blood sugar levels low. It also assists in improving the function of insulin in the body.
This can prove to be a good drink when mixed with water to aid proper liver and metabolic functioning.
8. Include more magnesium in your diet
Magnes.ium is a crucial mineral as it assists in keeping a lot of functions stabilized and well-maintained. Moreover, lower magnesium levels in the body can lead to diabetes.
Magnesium is also responsible for stabilizing blood pressure and maintaining proper muscle and nerve functioning. Magnesium is also effective in keeping the bones strong and healthy.
Some foods rich in magnesium include – leafy veggies, whole grains, tuna fish, dark chocolate, beans, bananas, etc.
9. Include more chromium in your diet
Chromium is also a crucial mineral for managing your diabetic levels. It has carbs and fats metabolizing properties that help in keeping the sugar levels low.
Some of the foods rich in chromium you can include are – tomatoes, meats, whole grain, nuts, fruits, etc.
10. Include good amounts of vitamin C
Vitamin C is a useful immunity booster that is needed by all. This also has many benefits in keeping the blood sugar levels steady.
As diabetics, you should have around 600mg of vitamin C each day. You can derive your daily Vitamin C doses from fresh citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, berries, and so on.
Vitamin C assists in improving health by fighting infection and chronic ailments in the body. They are also good for your skin as well as your hair.
11. Have drumsticks
Drumsticks or moringa are commonly available vegetables that include several nutrients and antioxidants that can help with keeping your diabetes under control. It also has a lot of vitamin C.
You can have moringa cooked into your dal, curries, etc. You can also have moringa pieces cut and added to water to make a detox drink that you can have throughout the day.
12. Include amla in your diets
The Indian gooseberry, commonly called amla, is also excellent for managing your diabetic levels as it has a lot of vitamin C.
Amla is also good for the pancreas and helps in improving insulin functioning leading to better diabetic control. You can have them raw or as pickles or powders.
13. Try Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera has a lot of medicinal properties. Having aloe Vera can improve your blood sugar management as it is bitter and tackles extra glucose in the body.
In addition to this, Aloe Vera also has many antioxidants that can help the body fight against the free radicals that may give rise to internal harm to the health.
Aloe Vera has cooling properties and also helps with keeping away stomach ulcers and other inflammatory diseases.
14. Fenugreek seeds
These seeds are almost magical for diabetic patients. You can soak around 2 tbsps of fenugreek seeds in water for the previous night and have this drink in the morning.
Following this as a daily routine can have significant improvements in your body’s blood sugar management. It reduces blood sugar levels and helps with better insulin secretion and sensitivity in the body.
15. Having cinnamon powder
Cinnamon is another spice that helps with combating diabetes. To use this as a medicine, you can mix around half a tablespoon of cinnamon in lukewarm water and drink it.
Cinnamon helps in slowing the breakdown of carbs during the metabolic process. Thus, blood sugar levels do not rise suddenly. In addition to this, it is also good for increasing your insulin sensitivity.
The use of cinnamon must be limited and done with care.
16. Drink green tea
Green tea is a drink that solves a lot of problems. You can replace your other daily beverages with a cup of green tea. This is very effective in keeping your blood sugar levels under control.
Green tea contains antioxidants that promote better health. It is a low-calorie drink and can be had by anyone. It is also linked with improved metabolism and weight loss.
17. Drink lots of water
Keeping yourself hydrated is very important. Drinking enough water can also help your kidneys to flush out excess amounts of sugar in the body.
Swap your high-calorie beverages for water, and you will start to notice better and refreshed health. Hydration is essential in keeping the blood sugars under check.
18. Sleep well
This is as important as your diet and exercise. Rest is necessary to get off stress and replenish your body naturally. Stress reduction is directly related to keeping lower blood sugar levels.
Quality sleep also improves hormonal balance, metabolism, insulin sensitivity, etc., which are crucial for beating diabetes.
Along with these many remedies, you also need to keep a check on your blood sugar levels. Make sure to monitor your diabetes closely and make regular visits to your doctors.
REFERENCES:
https://www.seniority.in/blog/15-easy-home-remedies-that-can-help-you-control-diabetes/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/natural-remedies-for-diabetes-88225
