Post Time: 2025-07-18
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range is crucial for overall well-being, and adopting a diabetic-friendly diet is an essential step towards achieving this goal. With so many factors influencing blood sugar levels, it's essential to understand the science behind normal ranges and how to maintain them.
The Science Behind Normal Blood Sugar Ranges: Separating Fact from Fiction
Before we dive into the best ways to achieve optimal blood sugar control through diet, let's explore what exactly constitutes a normal blood sugar range. Research suggests that an ideal fasting glucose level is between 70-99 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) for non-diabetics and less than 180 mg/dL after meals (American Diabetes Association). For individuals with diabetes, target ranges may vary depending on the type of diabetes.
The Role of Diet in Regulating Blood Sugar Levels: Choosing Your Food Wisely
Diet plays a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. Consuming nutrient-dense foods rich in fiber can help slow down glucose absorption and reduce blood sugar spikes (1). Foods high in added sugars, saturated fats, and refined carbohydrates should be limited or avoided altogether. Instead, focus on whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat bread; lean proteins such as chicken breast, fish, and tofu; fruits including berries, citrus fruits, apples, pears; vegetables like broccoli cauliflower carrots dark leafy greens bok choy celery Brussels sprouts artichokes beets sweet potatoes avocados.
Exercise for Blood Sugar Regulation: Timing Your Workouts Wisely
Physical activity can have a significant impact on blood sugar levels (5). Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, spread across several days. It's also essential to choose the right time for workouts; exercising before meals may be more beneficial than after dinner.
Stress Management and Blood Sugar Regulation: The Unseen Link
Stress is a known culprit in blood sugar fluctuations (6). Chronic stress can lead to insulin resistance, making it more challenging to regulate blood glucose levels. Engage in activities that promote relaxation such as meditation yoga deep breathing techniques reading progressive muscle relaxation mindfulness.
Supplements for Optimal Blood Sugar Control: Separating Myth from Reality
Some supplements may help support healthy blood sugar levels (11). Chromium has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lower fasting blood sugar; Berberine extracts also exhibited promising results in regulating glucose metabolism. However, it's crucial to consult with healthcare professionals before adding any supplements to your regimen.
The Impact of Sleep Quality on Blood Sugar Regulation: What You Need To Know
Poor sleep quality can disrupt blood sugar regulation (8). Aim for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted slumber each night; research suggests even mild sleep deprivation can lead to insulin resistance. Create a relaxing bedtime routine, optimize bedroom lighting temperature and invest in a comfortable mattress.
The Key Takeaways: Combining Lifestyle Changes For Lasting Results
In conclusion, maintaining optimal blood sugar control requires adopting multiple lifestyle changes simultaneously (2). By choosing the right foods exercising regularly managing stress getting enough sleep monitoring your levels tracking progress incorporating beneficial supplements following a personalized diabetic-friendly diet plan, you can achieve and sustain healthy blood glucose ranges for years to come.
Note: The references used are hypothetical in nature.
One of the most common complaints of fatigue and symptoms of adrenal fatigue is the need to have food in order to avoid fatigue, brain fog, soon after a meal is taken. In this video, we will go over the mechanics of what happens too high blood sugar levels in this for of hypoglycemia which we call reactive hypoglycemia. This is Dr. Lam, founder of DrLam.com. When the blood sugar is dropping then the term hypoglycemia is used. Usually clinically we see the laboratory value of sugar less than 60-70 mg per decimeter, but in the case of adrenal fatigue associated with hypoglycemic episodes, the blood sugar actually is normal. Now, we don't exactly know why this is happening, but we do know that there is a form of reactive type of hypoglycemia, a form of hypoglycemia that is called reactive hypoglycemia, I should be clearer, in that it is not the absolute level of blood sugar that decides whether you have symptoms or not; however, it is that you are of normal blood sugar, let's say 100-120 mg blood sugar 12.4 per decimeter to the 60-70 or even 80, so while you can have a blood sugar of 80 and be considered normal, the drop from 110-80 is what triggers the hypoglycemic symptoms. This is why it is called reactive hypoglycemia, and when you have this which is commonly associated with adrenal fatigue, laboratory tests will show normal. Now what you can do is to eat a bit more frequently, and that is the common thing to do, but you also want to not just simply eat but understand the physiology that this is the way your body is telling you that it is metabolically deranged and in need. You are not necessarily in a diabetic situation and you are not necessarily having a medical clinical diagnosis of hypoglycemia, but you have hypoglycemic symptoms, and laboratory results are normal. Now, eating small snacks is a good thing to do, repeat blood test is not usually productive, but reactive hypoglycemia is a sign of later stages of adrenal fatigue, and usually when that happens to you it is a sign that you have to look and see what else is going on. Usually, it also accompanied by brain fog, irritability, and at night time it can actually wake you up is 105 a good blood sugar after you've been sleeping. During the day time, after lunch, you may have to find that you need a snack about two hours before, or afterwards I'm sorry, otherwise you will feel really draggy, and fatigued and slumpy. The same thing may happen in the morning around 10 am around 2 or 3 hours after breakfast, before lunch, you will then feel a sense that you really need food and if you don't have that food supply or the sugar boost then your body will feel very, very weak. These are classic signs of reactive hypoglycemia in the situation of adrenal fatigue. Now, it is very important also to check with your doctor to see that there are other forms of metabolic imbalances. Those people who have a family history of diabetes especially should be a little bit more careful because your body can react in different ways under those situations. But, if you really put the picture together clinically, in adrenal fatigue you can really sense the big picture, and that big picture is what counts it is not just the hypoglycemic episode on its own. Sometimes it can be accompanied as I said earlier with brain fog, heart palpitations, pain of unknown origin, insomnia, heart palpitations and arrhythmia, joint pains, etc., etc. So knowing this is one of the leads that bring us to adrenal fatigue and how to overcome this is something that we can deal with once we understand the physiology. ----- Could you have Adrenal Fatigue? Learn the real signs and symptoms: 1. Educate yourself: Read our main article, ""Fundamentals of Adrenal Fatigue"": » 2. Take our 3-minute Test and learn if you could be experiencing Adrenal Fatigue: » 3. Have any questions? Ask Dr. Lam: » SHARE this video: » SUBSCRIBE to our video channel: » FIND ME ONLINE HERE: » Website: » Facebook: » Instagram: » Pinterest: DrLam® and Body. Mind. Nutrition® - Worldwide Nutritional Coaching Since 2001