Almost 10% of the U.S. population has diabetes. According to the National Diabetes Statistics Report, more than 30 million people have this condition.
Studies suggest that all we have to do is change our lifestyle and diet if we want to avoid all the dangerous conditions that come with type 2 diabetes. So, if we have all the diabetes symptoms, we should start reversing our condition immediately.
Here are five easy ways we can try to manage diabetes naturally.
1. Change The Eating Habits
As challenging as it may seem, changing our diet is crucial for a healthy life. But, we have to focus on achieving a healthy balance rather than perfection. Moreover, this diet is simple. We need to avoid concentrated sugars and processed foods.
However, it is alright for us to eat sweet treats, just try to limit your daily intake.
Plus, we need to add more fiber to our diets, like veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Remember, we need to keep our carbohydrates in check, so stay away from sugary drinks and trans fats.
We will need more protein. For example, 25% of our plate should be filled with either chicken, fish, veggies, or dairy. For snacks, we can eat some crunchy nuts and fruits.
Just remember not to eat too much. Furthermore, we will need a proper meal plan, so it is a good idea to consult with a dietitian. Doctors will always know what is best for us.
2. Exercise Regularly
The most important step to a healthy life is exercise.
We need to keep our body active for at least 3 times a week and 30 to 60 minutes per day. In addition, we can regulate our blood sugar, boost our heart rate, help our body function properly with insulin, and lower blood pressure.
These are all crucial points necessary for managing diabetes. That is why we should find an activity that we love and enjoy. Which means we can go swimming, dancing or hiking. These are all exercises that can help our body and are fun to do.
Of course, we should have a partner to join us and make our experience more entertaining. Therefore, if we want to live a longer and healthier life, we should be more active and change our lifestyle.
3. Soothe Stress
Stress can cause problems with our blood sugar and make it harder to control. That is why we need to relax more or try doing exercises that will reduce stress. Here is a list of some examples of what we can do to soothe our stress:
- Mediation
- Tai Chi
- Yoga
- Massage
- Listen to soothing music
Moreover, if we soothe our stress, we can sleep better. If we are sleep-deprived, our glucose tolerance will face problems and may even worsen type 2 diabetes. That is why we need a good night’s sleep that lasts more than 7 hours.
4. Walk More
Walking on a daily basis can lower our blood pressure.
Therefore, we should start walking or jogging for 30 minutes every day if we want to manage diabetes. The Joint National Committee stated in their seventh report that this kind of exercise is important for every person with diabetes.
5. Lose Weight
If we want to manage our type 2 diabetes, we need to lose some weight.
Thus, we can keep our blood sugar levels under control and balance our glucose levels. According to McLaughlin, people who store their fat in the belly have a higher chance of developing diabetes type 2.
Therefore, they need to try regular exercises and a healthy diet to shed some excess pounds. We need to distribute our fat around the body to manage type 2 diabetes more easily.
Source: WebMD | Everyday Health | Dr. Axe
