Post Time: 2025-07-18
Understanding Your Body's Ideal Blood Sugar Range
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range is crucial for diabetic patients, especially those with multiple health conditions. The ideal blood sugar range varies depending on factors such as age, sex, and physical activity level. For adults without diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends the following fasting plasma glucose levels: less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L), one to two hours after a meal of less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L). However, for diabetic patients, target ranges may be more stringent and individualized.
Effective Monitoring Techniques for Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Monitoring blood sugar levels is essential for managing diabetes effectively. This can be done at home using a glucometer or continuous glucose monitor (CGM) devices. Glucometers measure blood glucose levels in real-time, while CGMs provide 24/7 data on trends and patterns of blood sugar fluctuations. Regular monitoring allows individuals to adjust their treatment plans accordingly and make informed decisions about diet, exercise, and medication.
Dietary Strategies for Stabilizing Blood Sugar Fluctuations
The food we eat plays a significant role in regulating our blood sugar levels. A balanced meal plan with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help stabilize blood glucose fluctuations. Conversely, foods high on the glycemic index (GI) like white bread, sugary snacks, and refined pasta cause rapid spikes in blood sugar. In contrast to these "bad" choices are nutrient-dense options that promote weight management and stable energy levels.
The Impact of Physical Activity on Blood Sugar Regulation
Regular exercise is a vital aspect of managing diabetes effectively. Exercise not only helps regulate appetite and metabolism but also increases insulin sensitivity, allowing glucose to enter the cells more efficiently. Activities like brisk walking, swimming, cycling, or any form that elevates heart rate for 30-60 minutes can be beneficial in maintaining blood sugar control.
Mitigating Stress's Effect on Blood Sugar Fluctuations
Stress is a well-known trigger for rising blood pressure and has significant effects on our internal balance. When we are stressed or anxious, the body releases stress hormones like cortisol into circulation. Elevated cortisol levels impair glucose regulation by promoting insulin resistance – thus raising risk of high blood sugar fluctuations. Maintaining healthy sleep patterns, taking regular breaks to practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, yoga, or meditation can aid in mitigating these adverse effects.
The Role of Fiber and Supplements in Regulating Blood Sugar
Incorporating a well-balanced fiber-rich diet into one's lifestyle is critical for controlling blood sugar levels. Soluble fibers help slow down carbohydrate absorption by the body, thereby maintaining glucose spikes at manageable thresholds. Certain vitamins like chromium and magnesium can also have beneficial effects on regulating metabolic functions involved in keeping our bodies' energy demands met efficiently without leading to complications of overactive production that results from inadequate supply – often observed during periods requiring substantial increase beyond usual range
In this episode, I discuss ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder): what it is, the common myths, and the biology and psychology of ADHD. I discuss both behavioral and pharmacologic treatments for ADHD, and brain-machine interface tools. I also discuss behavioral training protocols that can improve focus in how often should you test blood sugar people with ADHD and those without ADHD, and for people of different ages. I discuss the role of dopamine in coordinating 'default-mode' and 'task-related' neural networks, attentional "blinks" (lapses of attention) and how to overcome them, and the role of actual blinks in time perception and attention. Finally, I review some of the prescription and over-the-counter compounds for increasing focus such as Adderall, Ritalin, Modafinil and Armodafinil, the racetams, Alpha-GPC does sugar alcohol increase blood sugar and phosphatidylserine and the role of diet for managing ADHD (and the controversies of diet for ADHD). The role of cell phones/technology in ADHD and ADHD-like challenges with focus are also discussed. Throughout, both basic science and clinical scenarios, as well as applicable tools and resources are covered. #HubermanLab Thank you to our sponsors: ROKA - Helix Sleep - Supplements from Thorne: Support Research in the Huberman Lab at Stanford: Social & Website Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: TikTok: LinkedIn: Website: Newsletter: Links: Review of Compounds for ADHD, Smart Drugs & Focus - Review of Atypical Compounds for ADHD - Study of Focus Protocol In ADHD & blood sugar on keto Non-ADHD Children - Timestamps: 00:00:00 Introduction & Note About Diagnosis 00:03:27 Sponsors 00:07:56 ADHD vs. ADD: Genetics, IQ, Rates in Kids & Adults 00:13:00 Attention & Focus, Impulse Control 00:14:57 Hyper-focus 00:16:45 Time Perception 00:18:25 The Pile System 00:20:00 Working Memory 00:24:10 Hyper-Focus & Dopamine 00:26:40 Neural Circuits In ADHD: Default Mode Network & Task-Related Networks 00:32:57 Low Dopamine in ADHD & Stimulant Use & Abuse 00:37:10 Sugar, Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil & Armodafinil 00:47:00 Non-Prescribed Adderall, Caffeine, Nicotine 00:49:18 How Stimulants “Teach” the Brains of ADHD Children to Focus 00:52:00 When To Medicate: A Highly Informed (Anecdotal) Case Study 00:56:35 Elimination Diets & Allergies In ADHD 01:04:46 Omega-3 Fatty Acids: EPAs & DHAs 01:07:00 Modulation vs Mediation of Biological Processes 01:10:50 Attentional Blinks 01:16:56 Open Monitoring & 17 minute Focus Enhancement 01:22:50 Blinking, Dopamine & Time Perception; & Focus Training 01:30:10 Reverberatory Neural & Physical Activity 01:33:40 Adderall, Ritalin & Blink Frequency 01:35:00 Cannabis 01:37:30 Interoceptive Awareness 01:41:15 Ritalin, Adderall, Modafinil, Armodafinil; Smart Drugs & Caffeine: Dangers 01:48:05 DHA Fatty Acids, Phosphatidylserine 01:50:54 Ginko Biloba 01:51:45 Modafinil & Armodafanil: Dopamine Action & Orexin 01:56:19 Acetylcholine: Circuits Underlying Focus; Alpha-GPC 01:59:04 L-Tyrosine, (PEA) Phenylethylamine 02:01:23 Racetams, Noopept 02:05:15 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Combining Technology & Pharmacology 02:09:14 Smart Phones & ADHD & Sub-Clinical Focus Issues In Adults & Kids 02:14:30 Synthesis/Summary 02:16:10 Support for Podcast & Research, Supplement Resources The Huberman Lab Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac -