7 Ways to Prevent a Blood Sugar Spike
It can seem difficult to prevent a blood sugar spike, especially if you’ve recently been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes. But it doesn’t have to be!
When I was first diagnosed with prediabetes about 2 years ago, it felt overwhelming. I didn’t even know what caused blood sugar to spike, let alone how to prevent it. My doctor gave me barely any guidance and no resources. Did I need to eliminate all sugar? Was I still allowed to eat carbs?
As I’ve often had to do when it comes to my health, I advocated to be referred to an endocrinologist for more specialized care. It felt like a huge victory until I received my “specialized” plan: eat this many calories a day so you can get to this goal weight. These numbers weren’t based on any insight through conversations we had about my activity level or barriers to healthy eating either. I could have found the same information by Googling “daily calorie goal for weight loss” and “ideal weight for a 5-foot-6 woman”.
This was when I decided to take charge of my own health and enrolled in nutrition classes. I didn’t want to just be told what to do anymore. I wanted to understand how the foods I ate impacted my blood sugar and hormones so I could create a plan that was right for me.
And with these simple tips, you can start taking control of your health, too!
How to Prevent a Blood Sugar Spike
Eat Food Before Drinking Coffee in the Morning
The caffeine in coffee can lead to an early blood sugar spike that remains high the rest of the day. Caffeine lowers our body’s insulin sensitivity which can affect how our body responds to it. Since our bodies already don’t use insulin well if we’re diabetic or prediabetic, this can make it even harder for our blood sugars to drop to a healthy level after consumption. Having a breakfast high in protein, healthy fat and fiber before our coffee can help balance our meal and prevent a blood sugar spike. For even better results, try to eat within an hour of waking up!
Pair Carbohydrates with a Healthy Fat and Protein
Carbs often get a bad rep because they elevate our blood sugar. Some people even believe you have to limit or cut carbs out altogether if you’re diabetic or prediabetic. It’s natural for our blood sugar to spike after eating though; we just want it to stay in a healthy range. We also want our blood sugar to lower without crashing. It takes our stomachs longer to break down protein than carbs. When we eat them together, the protein slows the absorption rate of the carbs and prevents our blood sugar from spiking as much. Fat is the most difficult nutrient for our bodies to digest. This means that when we pair carbs with fat, the fat slows the digestion of the carbs as well. We just want to make sure we’re eating healthy fats like avocados, nut butters and seeds!
Space Meals 3-4 Hours Apart
Because we know that a blood sugar spike is expected after eating, we need to give our bodies time to rebalance after a meal. Balancing our meals with protein, fiber and healthy fats will help keep those blood sugar spikes within a healthy range but it still needs time to reset. Constant snacking or meals that are too close together prohibits our bodies from having the time it needs.
Get Moving After Meals
When muscles are used, they need more glucose. And when the muscles use glucose, it allows that glucose to leave the bloodstream, helping our blood sugars to drop back down. This activity also helps our digestion which aids our gut health too. Chronic inflammation from poor gut health has a large impact on how well our body uses insulin and balances blood sugar. After eating, take a short walk, tidy up or take out the garbage – anything to get those muscles and glucose moving!
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
When we’re tired, our body tells us that we’re hungry in an effort to create more energy. When we’re tired, not only do we snack more but we often opt for more convenient foods instead of healthy snacks. Lack of sleep can also create more inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation makes it more difficult for our bodies to properly use glucose, keeping our blood sugar levels raised. In addition to time and movement, rest also allows our bodies to reset and rebalance. I can’t think of a better excuse to sleep in a bit!
Navigating health issues will always have its challenges. But managing your blood sugar doesn’t have to be one of them. Thanks for joining me on this journey!
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