How to Lower Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious disease, but knowing and monitoring your blood sugar levels can help you control the disease and live longer. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can lead to hyperglycemia. Untreated or extremely high blood sugar levels can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar nonketotic syndrome (HHNS). So it's extremely important to lower your blood sugar levels.

Things You'll Need

• Blood glucose monitor
• Test strips

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat healthy meals. Eating whole grain foods and fruits like melon, cantaloupe and watermelon will help you lower blood sugar levels. However, some fruits like grapes and bananas should be avoided. They may cause your blood sugar levels to increase. Vegetables like lentils, broccoli, spinach, green and kidney are better options. Also, eating skinless poultry, lean cuts of meat and fish 2 or 3 times a week will contribute to a lower blood sugar level.

• 2

  Test blood sugar levels. The most important and best way to avoid seriously high blood sugar levels are to self-test. This way you can stay in tune with your blood sugar levels and diabetes needs. Test blood glucose levels several times a day including in the morning, before meals, at bedtime and any time you feel any low or high symptoms. It's important not to guess that the blood sugars levels are low, normal or high. Also, glucose blood levels should be checked before and after exercising.

• 3

  Lower your A1C levels. The A1C test measures the average blood sugar or blood glucose in the blood over a 3 month period. According to DLife, the A1C should ideally be 7 percent or less. The result of continuously low A1C levels can also lower your risk for kidney, nerve, eye and cardiovascular diseases. Since hemoglobin and red blood cells, which the glucose sticks to, have an average life span of approximately 120 days. You won't see changes in the A1C levels for about 3 months.

• 4

  Get moving. Exercising can lower your blood glucose levels. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), losing 10 to 15 pounds does more than lower blood sugar levels, it can also decrease blood pressure and improve blood fats and reduce some of the medications doctors prescribe.