5. Lose a Little Weight
Carrying around extra weight is one of the main causes of insulin resistance, keeping the blood sugar-lowering hormone from working properly, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Your weight-loss goals don’t have to be enormous either. Some of Weisenberger’s patients have seen improvements in blood glucose readings with only a five-pound loss, she says. Makes sense: A study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found modest weight loss — losing 5 to 10 percent of body weight — resulted in improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. “Small steps in the right direction can yield big results in improvement or prevention,” Crandall Snyder says.
6. Drink More Water
Staying hydrated is an easy way to stay in control of your blood sugar levels. A previous study found the more water study participants drank, the less likely they were to develop high blood sugar. More specifically, the study found people who drank less than ½ liter of water per day were at increased risk of developing blood sugar issues.
The idea is that water helps flush glucose out of the body. “Having a glass of water can be really helpful in essentially diluting your blood sugar and lowering your blood sugar in a healthy way,” Crandall Snyder says.
