Blood sugar is raised by glucose, which is the sugar we get from eating many different types of foods that contain carbohydrates. Although we usually think of normal blood sugar as being strictly reliant upon how many carbohydrates and added sugar someone eats, other factors also play a role. For example, stress can elevate cortisol levels, which interferes with how insulin is used, and the timing of meals can also affect how the body manages blood sugar.
What can you do to help avoid dangerous blood sugar swings and lower diabetes symptoms? As you’ll learn, normal blood sugar levels are sustained through a combination of eating a balanced, low-processed diet, getting regular exercise, and managing the body’s most important hormones in other ways (such as getting enough sleep and reducing stress).
The power is within your hands since many of the disorders triggered by poorly managed blood sugar are avoidable and can be managed naturally and successfully through practicing certain healthy habits.
What Is Normal Blood Sugar?
What doctors consider to be “normal” blood sugar depends on your medical history (such as if you have or ever had diabetes) and when the last times you ate something and exercised were. Blood sugar is measured in terms of milligrams of sugar per deciliter (dL) of blood, and measurements are most often taken in the morning after you’ve been fasting through the night.
The following blood sugar measurements are considered healthy and normal according to health authorities, including the American Diabetes Association:
- If you’re generally healthy (you don’t have diabetes) and you haven’t eaten anything in the past eight hours (you’ve been “fasting”), it’s normal for blood sugar to be anything between 70–99 mg/dL (less than 100 mg/dL).
- If you’re healthy and you’ve eaten within the past two hours, it’s normal for blood sugar to be anything less than 140 mg/dL.
- If you do have a history of diabetes, fasting glucose should ideally also be below 100 mg/dL, which might need to be managed through the use of insulin. It’s also considered healthy to have levels between 70–130 mg/dL prior to eating.
- If you have diabetes and you’ve eaten in the past two hours, the goal is to have blood sugar below 180 mg/dL.
- If you have diabetes, you want to keep blood sugar between 100–140 mg/dL prior to bedtime and at least 100 mg/dL prior to exercising.
Signs of High/Low Blood Sugar
Even without measuring your blood sugar levels, there are certain clues that things might not be “normal.” How do you know if you’re not successfully managing your blood sugar levels throughout the day?
Common signs and symptoms not to ignore that can signify diabetes and fluctuating blood sugar levels include:
- Fatigue or chronic fatigue syndrome, low energy levels
- Sugar/carb cravings
- Excessive thirst
- Weight fluctuations/weight loss
- Increased urination
- Mood swings, nervousness or “jitteriness”
- Blurred, worsening vision
- Slow healing of skin wounds, dryness, cuts and bruises
- Frequent infections
- Heavy breathing and trouble exercising
- Tension headaches
Causes of Abnormal Blood Sugar Levels
People who tend to experience fluctuating, “abnormal” blood sugar levels include:
- Anyone with prediabetes or diabetes
- Those eating a poor diet, high in sugar, refined grains, artificial ingredients, and packaged foods
- People who skip meals, don’t eat enough, or who fad diet
- Anyone who doesn’t eat around the time of exercising, before or after workouts, to help refuel
- People who don’t get enough sleep and live with high amounts of chronic stress
- Pregnant women (who can be at risk for gestational diabetes)
- People with a history of insulin resistance/diabetes in their families
Your diet is the single most influential factor when it comes to your blood sugar levels. The foods that we eat fall into one of three categories: carbohydrates (sugars and starches), proteins, and fats.
Fats don’t affect blood sugar, while carbohydrates — and to a small extent proteins — do. Carbohydrates in our diets along with a portion of the protein we eat are turned into glucose, which is what gives cells most of their energy and helps fuel the majority of the body’s many functions.
Glucose requires insulin in order to be brought into cells, which is the hormone secreted by the pancreas that’s most important for blood sugar control. When we eat carbohydrates or proteins, blood sugar rises, which alerts the body to produce more insulin in order to bring levels back to normal by ushering sugar to cells. Insulin levels rise and fall in accordance with our diets and are also impacted by levels of other hormones, such as cortisol.
In people who have diabetes (whether type 1 or type 2), cells stop responding to insulin the way they should and the process described above starts to break down. Either not enough insulin is being produced by the pancreas or cells are no longer responding to normal amounts of insulin (called “insulin resistance). This is when a lifestyle and diet to manage diabetes become especially important.
Problems maintaining normal blood sugar can arise when:
- Insulin-releasing mechanisms no longer work as they should — specifically, beta cells within the pancreas stop reacting to changes in blood sugar normally and too little insulin is produced, leaving blood sugar elevated.
- When blood sugar levels aren’t managed, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia can then occur as levels rise and fall drastically. This comes with many side effects that are indicative of prediabetes or diabetes, including fatigue, sugar cravings, changes in blood pressure, weight loss or gain, nerve damage, and nervousness.
- Cells stop receiving enough energy since insulin is no longer doing its job of bringing them enough glucose (sugar). At the same time, blood glucose levels can remain elevated, which damages the kidneys, heart, arteries, and nerves — which in turn affects the whole body negatively.
How to Maintain Normal Blood Sugar
Most of the habits that help us maintain healthy, normal blood sugar levels are fairly obvious and simple to carry out. However, some might also surprise you, especially if you think it will be tough to start managing your blood sugar better.
Small changes in your diet, exercise routine, and sleep schedule can wind up making a big difference when it comes to blood sugar management. Let’s look at some of the best ways to help get you on the right track to reaching and maintaining normal blood sugar levels for life.
Eat a Low-Processed, Anti-Inflammatory Diet
A healthy diet is key to blood sugar management and preventing or treating diabetes. It’s not that you must avoid consuming any carbohydrates or sugar when trying to maintain normal blood sugar — just that you need to balance them out with protein/fats and focus on getting them from real, whole foods.
Eating a source of protein, fiber, and healthy fat with all of your meals can help stabilize blood sugar, especially when you consume carbs/sugar (such as starchy veggies like potatoes, fruit, or whole grains). These slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, help manage your appetite, and are also important for your metabolism and digestion.
- Some of the best protein foods for managing blood sugar include wild fish such as salmon, free-range eggs, grass-fed beef or lamb, raw dairy products (including yogurt, kefir, or raw cheeses), and pasture-raised poultry.
- Healthy fats include virgin coconut oil, MCT oil, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds (like almonds, chia, hemp, and flax), and avocado. Coconut oil, ghee, and grass-fed butter are all some of my favorite fat-burning foods for managing blood glucose levels while also improving the taste and filling quality of your meals.
- High-fiber foods include fresh veggies, whole pieces of fruit (not juice), sprouted beans or peas, and ancient grains. Some of my favorite foods especially high in fiber are artichokes, green leafy vegetables, chia seeds, flaxseeds, apples, pumpkin seeds, almonds, avocado, and sweet potatoes.
- Consider the supplement berberine to control blood sugar and lipid metabolism as effectively as metformin, with researchers describing it as a “potent oral hypoglycemic agent.” A study published in the World Journal of Cardiology demonstrated that red yeast rice extract may also help with healthy maintenance of normal blood sugar levels. This study specifically looked at the effects of a supplement containing berberine, red yeast rice, and policosanol.
- Other foods that help control blood sugar include cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, green tea, herbal tea, fresh herbs, and spices (like turmeric, garlic, and ginger), dark chocolate, and cocoa.
Switch Up Your Carbs and Sweeteners
The quality of the carbohydrates and sugar you consume is crucial for normal blood sugar levels. Compared to processed and refined carbs/sugars like those made with white flour or white sugar, unprocessed and unrefined “complex carbs” do not spike blood sugar levels as quickly and supply more nutrients.
- Focus on getting your carbs from 100% whole grain sources, such as ancient grains like quinoa, barley, buckwheat, whole oats, and brown rice.
- Legumes/beans, starchy veggies like potatoes or squash, and whole fruits are other good choices.
- Look for 100% whole grain flours when baking, and consume bread or pasta made from things like whole quinoa or amaranth flour.
- Ditch sugary beverages and drink more water, seltzer, herbal tea, or black coffee instead.
- Replace white sugar, cane sugar, and corn syrup with natural sweeteners like raw honey, stevia, dates, or pure maple syrup.
Get Regular Exercise
Being physically active is one of the best ways to help manage blood sugar levels, especially if you’re also trying to lose weight or manage other risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Exercise not only helps you maintain a healthy weight but also makes your cells more sensitive to insulin while preventing insulin resistance. When you’re active, your muscles also use up more glucose and help it get absorbed into cells, which can lower blood sugar levels.
It’s recommended to get about 30–60 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week. This can include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or dancing.
Strength training is also beneficial for blood sugar management because it helps build muscle mass, which in turn helps with glucose utilization. This can be done with bodyweight exercises, weight lifting, or resistance band exercises.
Manage Stress
Chronic stress can lead to elevated levels of cortisol, which can interfere with insulin and blood sugar regulation. Therefore, finding ways to manage stress is crucial for maintaining normal blood sugar levels.
- Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or tai chi.
- Engage in activities that you enjoy and that help you relax, such as reading, listening to music, or spending time in nature.
- Ensure that you have a good support system and reach out to friends, family, or a counselor when needed.
Get Enough Rest
Getting adequate sleep is essential for blood sugar regulation. Poor sleep can affect insulin sensitivity and increase blood sugar levels.
- Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep per night.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine to help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.
Final Thoughts
Maintaining normal blood sugar levels is essential for overall health and can prevent or manage diabetes. By following a balanced, low-processed diet, getting regular exercise, managing stress, and ensuring adequate sleep, you can achieve and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
FAQs
What foods help lower blood sugar levels?
Foods that help lower blood sugar levels include high-fiber vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and natural sweeteners like raw honey or stevia.
Can exercise help lower blood sugar levels?
Yes, regular exercise helps lower blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity and helping muscles absorb glucose.
How does stress affect blood sugar levels?
Chronic stress can elevate cortisol levels, which can interfere with insulin and blood sugar regulation, leading to higher blood sugar levels.
What is the recommended blood sugar level range for healthy individuals?
For healthy individuals, a normal fasting blood sugar level is between 70–99 mg/dL, and after eating, it should be less than 140 mg/dL.
How does sleep impact blood sugar levels?
Poor sleep can affect insulin sensitivity and increase blood sugar levels, making adequate rest essential for blood sugar regulation.