Diabetes mellitus is a devastating metabolic disease and a major source of mortality, morbidity and economic expenses in the world. The disease is characterized by the presence of chronically elevated blood glucose (blood sugar concentration), abnormal protein, glucose, and lipid metabolism due to either resistance or insulin deficiency. Diabetic patients can prevent or delay complications associated with the disease by keeping blood sugar levels close to normal. Numerous researches have shown that the most effective way of avoiding long term complications of diabetes mellitus is by maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Blood sugar control can delay the onset as well as retard the progression of microvascular macrovascular disease in those patients with type 2 diabetes.

Various techniques and treatments are known for blood sugar control. Treatment with diet control, sulfonylurea, insulin, or metformin is reported to improve glycemia in people with type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle modifications are used to improve insulin sensitivity. These modifications include weight loss, dietary change and exercise. For some people, insulin is used along with oral antidiabetic drugs to normalize glycemia. This blood sugar control therapy is often effective for those who show some responsiveness to oral antidiabetic drugs, but where those drugs are not effective by themselves. Other therapies include the use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion, and intraperitoneal systems, inhalation and buccal insulin preparations.

There are several alternative therapies that help stabilize blood sugar levels and normalize insulin function, both of which are very important for shedding unwanted pounds. The first factor is diet, which is the best way to control blood sugar fluctuations, but other therapies can also prove to be helpful, including herbs, nutrients and exercise.

Let us look at how a good diet helps with sugar control. Eating a sensible diet is crucial for regaining blood sugar balance. There are thousands of diet programs that preach on how to cut down calories; but by now it is understood that simply cutting down on calories will not be of any use and has the potential to cause more harm to the mechanism.

If you are on a low-calorie diet, your system gets adjusted to that and it becomes sensitive to any change in diet. If you suddenly feel tempted to eat a piece of chocolate, the system overreacts and releases excessive amounts of insulin and converts the extra calories into fat. This is called “rebound weight gain,” the yo-yo effect. This will leave the person fatter than when they began diet.

Rather than being overly concerned about calories, it is good to eat foods that are low on the glycemic index. Let us take a look at some basic diet requirements to ensure good blood sugar health.

• Eat fresh, whole and unprocessed foods as much as possible.
• Avoid simple carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and other sugar products, and replace them with complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, beans, whole grains.  Complex carbohydrates are easier on the pancreas and ensure insulin balance.
• Eat at least three regular meals per day or even five to six smaller meals throughout the day, as this helps with stabilizing the release of blood sugar.
• Eat plenty of protein from chicken, meat, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, nuts and dairy products at every meal. This is because proteins take longer to breakdown in the body and thus the blood sugar levels remain stable.
• Avoid foods made with hydrogenated oils and be sure to include health fats, such as sesame, olive or flaxseed oils. Healthy fats increase the release time for sugar into the bloodstream.
• Reduce the intake of fruit juices and dried fruits and drink vegetable juices and herbal teas instead. Fruit sugars increase the blood sugar levels rapidly.
• Reduce the intake of caffeinated beverages, which stimulate blood sugar and insulin, as well as alcohol.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners and any products that contain them.

There are several nutritional supplements that help control appetite and strengthen the glucose-regulating mechanism in the body. Some of them are chromium, manganese, zinc, B-complex vitamins, Inositol and Vitamin C.  You can check out the list of dietary sources that contain these nutrients.

The herbs that can be used to enhance insulin activity in the body are Gymema sylvestre, which is an ayurvedic herb that is used to treat diabetes; Stevia rebaudiana, which is a south American herbal sweetener that stabilizes blood sugar; Green Tea is said to enhance the way sugars are absorbed by the body and processed.

Finally, exercise not only burns off fat, it is also said to have the power to stabilize blood sugar. Regular exercise is said to reduce the body’s tendency to overreact to the intake of sugar.

Following these steps would surely strengthen the body’s natural glucose-regulating mechanism and keep the insulin levels stable.

Related information

• The conversion of sugar to fat
• Reverse weight gain with insulin control
• Obesity related diseases
• Diabetic diet plan
• Benefits of a healthy weight
• Low cholesterol diet
• Weight loss improves longevity
• The risks factors of obesity
• Lower blood pressure with DASH diet
• Beneficial effects of leptin on weight control in obese people