Basic skills for diabetes patients to control blood sugar

Diabetes is one of the typical chronic diseases in modern society. There are more than 100 million "diabetics" in China. Controlling and monitoring blood sugar is a very important part of their daily life. Today is World Diabetes Day. Here are some ways to control blood sugar for your reference and forwarding.

1. Control your weight and waist circumference

In addition to taking medicine, among all the ways to control sugar, I think controlling weight and waist circumference is the most intuitive and fundamental measure. You don't need to learn so many professional terms and knowledge, just keeping an eye on these two indicators is basically enough. Because it includes controlling total energy intake, especially controlling carbon water and fat, and also includes the concept of eating and moving balance.

As long as BMI and waist circumference are within the normal range, controlling sugar is a natural thing. BMI = weight divided by height squared, over 24 is overweight, over 28 is obese. Waist circumference should generally be controlled within 85cm for men and 80cm for women. You can compare it yourself. My waist circumference is 22.5 inches, just to be honest.

2. Control refined carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for the human body and the only source of energy for the brain, so a strict low-carb "ketogenic diet" is not recommended. It's not that you can't eat carbohydrates, but the key is to control refined carbohydrates, such as refined rice and refined noodles, because they raise blood sugar quickly.

You can eat whole grains, such as whole grains, potatoes, beans, etc. They are not only more nutritious, but also slow to raise blood sugar. It is better to choose whole grains with low grinding degree and large particles. Some whole grains are over-grinded and are almost the same as refined carbohydrates.

3. Eat less sugar

Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by what you eat, but it is not caused by eating sugar, although eating less sugar is also important. In daily life, juice, drinks, cakes, biscuits, ice cream, chocolate, honey and other foods are easy for people to detect, but there are some hidden sugars that need attention.

For example, there is a lot of sugar in yogurt, and it even contributes more sugar than various beverages. Many cooking dishes also use sugar to enhance the flavor, especially braised, stir-fried, sweet and sour, etc. There are also many salty snacks and sauces that actually contain a lot of sugar, such as meat jerky, dried meat, ketchup, etc.

Sweeteners used in sugar-free foods are good for controlling sugar intake, but they do not mean you can eat and drink as much as you want. In particular, some sugar-free foods also contain a lot of starch, which is still sugar when you eat them.

4. Eat more vegetables

Vegetables contain a lot of cellulose and soluble fiber, which can provide a longer-lasting feeling of fullness, reduce the speed of carbohydrate digestion and blood sugar response. This is why the so-called "blood sugar-lowering foods" popular among the people are often vegetables, such as celery, fungus, mushrooms, bitter melon, okra, broccoli, etc.

It is certainly right to eat more vegetables, but their blood sugar lowering effect is definitely not immediate. There are often illegal elements selling blood sugar lowering health products on the market, such as bitter melon extract, shiitake polysaccharide, etc., which are particularly effective. Don't think about it, just report them for adding drugs.

5. Exercise more

In addition to maintaining a healthy weight, exercise can also reduce blood sugar. There is some truth in the saying that taking a walk after a meal can help you live to 99. Vigorous exercise after a meal is definitely not recommended, but taking a walk or brisk walking can effectively reduce blood sugar peaks.

People usually think that moderate-intensity continuous aerobic exercise is the most beneficial for controlling blood sugar, but in fact muscle strength training is also beneficial, it can improve insulin resistance. Therefore, you can combine the two, first do some anaerobic resistance training, and then some aerobic training.

6. Others

In addition to the above, there are some other factors that need attention. For example, smoking and drinking less, keeping a regular schedule and not staying up late, ensuring adequate sleep and rest, regulating stress, eating small meals and drinking plenty of water, etc. In short, although diabetes cannot be cured now, as long as effective control measures are taken, it is completely possible to coexist with it for a long time without affecting the quality of life.

Of course, it is better to take preventive measures now to avoid the three high chronic diseases. If you still have time.