Balancing Blood Sugar: A Sweeter Approach

Rising blood sugars have become a common problem nowadays with the lifestyle and eating habits people have been following. Blood sugars rising over a limit can lead to a condition called diabetes. Besides diabetes, there’s also a term called “pre-diabetes” in which the blood sugars are elevated but do not fall under the range of diabetes.  On the other hand, there’s also a condition when blood sugars tend to fall below the normal range, this could be a result of lesser consumption of sugar or carbohydrates. To manage this blood sugar imbalance, you must understand it first.

• Understanding Blood Sugar Imbalance
• The Role of Nutrition in Blood Sugar Management
• Lifestyle Tips for Balanced Blood Sugar
• FAQs on Balancing Blood Sugar Levels

Understanding Blood Sugar Imbalance

Your body and brain require a specific amount of sugar in order to function properly. Supplying with less or more amounts of sugar will lead to an imbalance and hamper its functions. Speaking about normal blood sugar levels; the normal range of blood sugar falls between 70 mg/dl and 140 mg/dl.

When an individual consumes sugar more than required it can lead to:

• Fatigue
• Frequent urination
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Cravings
• Increased hunger
• Headaches
• Abdominal pain
• Polydipsia – feeling thirsty very frequently
• Changes in weight
• Difficulty in losing weight

Whereas, when individuals consume sugar less than what’s required. They tend to experience:

• Anxiety
• Difficulty in focusing
• Sugar cravings
• Dizziness
• Pale skin
• Sweating
• Headaches
• Confusion

We all know that “Insulin” is an important hormone that helps regulate blood sugar. The body’s ability to regulate blood sugar with the help of insulin can be hampered by factors besides genetics, which include:

Obesity - the function of the insulin hormone gets affected by the visceral fat in the body which in the long run can lead to insulin resistance.

Unhealthy eating habits and vitamin deficiency – a diet that’s loaded with sugar or is less in sugar can lead to an imbalance in blood sugar levels. Also, a deficiency of certain vitamins and essential nutrients can lead to an imbalance in blood sugar.

Prolonged stress – Long-term stress can lead to an elevation in blood sugar levels that is influenced by the stress-managing hormones released by the body.

Sedentary lifestyle – Being physically active is important when it comes to blood sugar regulation. Individuals with a sedentary lifestyle have a higher chance of experiencing blood sugar imbalance.

Bad sleep hygiene – Not sleeping enough or having irregular good patterns can also lead to blood sugar imbalance and lead to excess consumption of sugar.

The Role of Nutrition in Blood Sugar Management

Diet and blood sugar control do go hand in hand. Your diet plays an important role in managing your blood sugar. Consuming the right kind of food and the right quantity can not only prevent you from the unwanted spike in blood sugar but also keep away other health problems like excess weight gain.

Sugary foods are not solely responsible for rise in blood sugar levels. blood sugars also tend to rise when you consume excess carbohydrates, fats, and foods with hidden sugars. To manage this

• Understand what your body needs.
• Stay away from sugary foods.
• Limit or avoid excessively starchy and oily foods.
• Limit or avoid the consumption of packed and processed foods.
• Consume a high-protein diet.
• Include lots of fiber-rich foods in your diet.
• Prefer non-fat dairy products.
• Count your calories.

A few foods that are a good choice when trying to maintain healthy blood sugar levels are low-sugar fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free yogurt, and lean meat. Additionally, adapt to newer and natural approaches to blood sugar balance like Diabetic shakes.

Introducing Saffola FITTIFY Diabetic Care Shakes

The Saffola Fittify Hi Protein Diabetes Advansed Nutrition is an easy and nutritious way to manage blood sugar. It comes in 3 different flavours: Chocolate, Classic Vanilla & Rabri. This diabetic shake has no added sugar and is rich in protein (meets 11% of your daily protein requirement) and fiber (meets 22% of your daily fiber) requirement. Additionally, it’s loaded with vitamins (vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, B3, E, A, C, D, K, and so on) and minerals (zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, etc.). and is free of trans fat. Incorporating this diabetic care shake into your routine can help:

• Manage your blood sugar levels.
• Reduce cholesterol.
• Improve your bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
• Promote muscle mass building.
• Reduce fatigue or tiredness.
• Keep you going by providing you with energy.
• Keep you away from unwanted cravings.
• Keep you fuller for a longer period of time.
• Improve your overall performance.
• Manage your weight.

These shakes can be incorporated into your diet correctly by consulting an expert or a nutritionist that can understand your sugar imbalances and suggest to you the right time and right quantity of this diabetic shake to incorporate into your diet to benefit the most from it.

The Saffola Fittify Hi Protein Diabetes Advansed Nutrition can be prepared by mixing 30 g (1 Scoop) in 150 ml Skimmed Milk or Water and consumed immediately or it can also be added to the diabetic shake recipe of your choice. 

Lifestyle Tips for Balanced Blood Sugar

With healthy nutrition, you also need a healthy lifestyle and a regular check on your blood sugar levels to ensure healthy blood sugar management. Here are a few lifestyle changes and tips for managing blood sugar.

• Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly or as per your doctor’s recommendation.
• Stay active and exercise regularly.
• Practice yoga, music therapy, or any other suitable relaxation technique to reduce stress.
• Manage your weight.
• Do not compromise on your sleep. Maintain healthy sleep hygiene.
• Keep yourself hydrated.
• Keep a habit to count your calories and control your portion size.
• Take your required vitamins and supplements.
• Do consult your expert/ doctor and nutritionist/ dietician on a timely basis to understand the dietary changes needed for better blood sugar management.

Conclusion

Blood sugar imbalance cannot be managed by avoiding sugar consumption alone. It required other lifestyle and dietary changes too.

An alternative sweet approach like diabetic shakes can help better diabetes management if incorporated in the correct way.

The overall idea is to find a balance in your way of living that can in turn help you manage your blood sugar levels as well as other health problems.

FAQs on Balancing Blood Sugar Levels

What are some potential health risks associated with unbalanced blood sugar levels?

• Unbalanced blood sugar levels can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, skin problems like acne, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, cellular aging, eye problems like blurry vision, and mental health issues like depression, mood swings, and difficulty in focusing.

Is Saffola FITTIFY Diabetic Shake suitable for individuals with diabetes?

• The Saffola FITTIFY Diabetic Shake is specially designed for individuals with diabetes that struggle with blood sugar management. It has no added sugar and no trans-fat. It’s rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients that work well when trying to maintain a balanced diet to manage blood sugar.

What are the common causes of blood sugar imbalance?

• Blood sugar imbalance could result from genetic factors (when the body is not able to produce enough insulin or the efficiency of insulin hormone is low), obesity or overweight, unhealthy sleep cycle, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, or having a sedentary lifestyle, over-consumption of packed and processed foods, and prolonged stress.

What are the symptoms of high and low blood sugar levels?

• High blood sugar levels show symptoms like fatigue, frequent urination, difficulty in concentrating, cravings, increased hunger, headaches, weight gain, etc. whereas low blood sugar levels show symptoms like anxiety, difficulty in focusing, sugar cravings, dizziness, sweating, headaches, etc.

How does regular physical activity impact blood sugar control?

• Individuals who are physically active are more sensitive to insulin hence helping the body to regulate blood sugars better. It is seen that exercise or any kind of physical activity can help regulate your blood sugar levels for up to 24 hours.