Regulating the amount of glucose in the blood has both causes, and effects, on diet and food cravings, energy levels, and risk for some types of disease. Here we take a look at some of the home remedies and supplements that can help reign in a blood glucose level that has surpassed a healthy margin.
Why Does Blood Glucose Level Matter?
The best-known negative effect of having too much glucose, or sugar, in the blood is the development of type II diabetes. Per
smilizer.com, type II diabetes can be easily avoided, but, unfortunately, it has reached pandemic levels in many developed countries due to poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Making good diet and lifestyle decisions is the way to avoid this disease.
However, reducing your blood glucose level has other benefits besides preventing diabetes and other diseases. Lessening blood glucose helps get rid of cravings for unhealthy foods, per
homeremedyshop.com. Other possible effects of high blood glucose include headache, trouble concentrating, and tiredness/fatigue, per
medicalnewstoday.com.
Lifestyle Factors
Before remedies and supplements come into play, lifestyle factors need to be accounted for. Per
smilizer.com, the lifestyle factors that have a propensity to affect blood glucose are simple and basic; they include exercise (or lack thereof), eating junk food, smoking, and one's general level of physical activity, among other things. Keeping off excess weight is also a good general preventative measure. Taking care of these factors is probably the best way to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
Remedies for High Blood Glucose Levels
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live, and serve a purpose in, the gut. Per
smilizer.com, taking a probiotic supplement can be beneficial for one's blood glucose level because it helps to reduce inflammation in the gut. Inflammation is linked to many types of diseases.
Blueberries, perhaps unexpectedly (considering they contain sugar), can be a worthwhile booster in regulating blood glucose, per
homeremedyshop.com. They have the potential to help increase your body's sensitivity to insulin, a substance which helps to regulate glucose levels. Consider incorporating blueberries into your diet to help boost the efficacy of your body's natural insulin, and as a replacement to unhealthy sugary foods.
Fenugreek is an herb, commonly found in supplement form, that is useful because of its hypoglycemic activity which improves glucose tolerance, per
homeremedyshop.com. Fenugreek is known to be useful in reducing cravings for sugary foods, and it has been found effective in helping to control diabetes.
Vitamin D has been found to be useful in promoting the healthy growth of cells in the pancreas, which is the organ responsible for producing insulin, per
smilizer.com. Additionally, science suggests that a deficiency in vitamin D could put you at a higher risk of developing type II diabetes. Vitamin D is essential and has many roles, and its role in boosting blood glucose regulation is only one of them.
Magnesium is another substance, like vitamin D, that has many roles in the body. Per
smilizer.com, magnesium helps promote proper pancreatic functioning, and therefore might be helpful in promoting insulin production.
Berberine is a substance common to various plants that has been recognized for its various benefits and uses as a natural remedy. Per
consumerhealthdigest.com, berberine has been shown to reduce blood sugar level in those with type II diabetes and in those with metabolic syndrome. Some research suggests berberine might be as effective as some diabetes medications.
Bitter melon is a plant common in Indian Ayurvedic medicine for its usefulness in lower blood glucose, per
consumerhealthdigest.com. It contains several substances within it that are thought to do this, including one known as polypeptide p, which is similar to insulin. Bitter melon extract can be found in supplement form, often in supplements which contain a variety of ingredients designed to regulate blood glucose.