Things to Lower Blood Sugar

Having diabetes, types 1 or 2, means keeping track of your blood glucose readings to see how your diet and lifestyle effect your blood sugar levels. While controlling your sugar intake remains important, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and keeping on top of medications can all help you to keep your blood sugar levels in a normal range.

Eating

• Lowering your blood sugar involves eating the right types of food and restricting others. Just avoiding obvious sources of sugar will not provide the desired results, as many foods -- such as refined carbohydrates and fruits and fruit juices -- also contain sugar. Staying within recommended serving sizes of fruits will allow you to continue eating them in a healthy way. Fruit juices should be avoided, as juice contains the concentrated sugar of several fruits without the beneficial fiber you get from eating the actual fruit. Concentrating more on low-sugar vegetables will help you lower your blood sugar, as will choosing more complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat bread. Eating regular amounts of healthy proteins and healthy fats will help as well.

Exercise

• Exercise works to lower your blood sugar by getting your cells to use the glucose available in your blood stream. Exercising after a meal will help you maintain a low blood sugar reading, and the exercise does not need to be strenuous or take a long time. A 15-minute walk after a meal will help you control your blood sugar. Your doctor will have recommendations of appropriate exercises for you.

Medication

• Taking medications to lower blood sugar may be right for you. Your doctor will recommend this option if she considers it the right treatment. There are many types of medicine for lowing blood sugar, but a common one is Glucophage, also called Metformin. Metformin works by actually restricting the amount of glucose your body produces. It cannot be used alone. If you take Metformin, you still must watch your diet and exercise regularly.