How to Lower Fasting Blood Sugar Levels?
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What is Fasting Blood Sugar Level?
If you have fasted before a routine health checkup, you probably had tests for fasting and after-meal (post-prandial) blood sugar levels.
A fasting blood glucose level test measures your blood sugar after an overnight fast of 8-12 hours.
| Fasting blood glucose levels | Interpretation |
| <100 mg/dL | Normal |
| 100- 125 mg/dL | Prediabetes or impaired (deranged) fasting blood glucose |
| More than or equal to 126 mg/dL | Diabetes |
Note: Impaired fasting is a prediabetic condition where the fasting blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. They usually fall within the range of 100-125 mg/dL.
Read on to learn more about how to lower fasting blood sugar levels.
Did you know: Fasting blood glucose reading is a more reliable indicator of diabetes than post-prandial levels
080694 50746Causes or Factors that lead to impaired (IFG) or High Fasting Blood Sugar Levels
Several factors can contribute to high fasting blood sugar levels. These include:
- Family history of type 2 diabetes
- Being overweight or obese
- Carrying extra abdominal fat
- Women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- Unhealthy diet (high-carb diet)
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Lack of physical activity
- Other chronic health conditions like hypertension
- Inadequate sleep and stress
Ways to Control Your Fasting Blood Glucose
In healthy people, impaired fasting blood glucose levels are mostly detected during routine health checkups. However, If you’ve been diagnosed with high fasting blood sugar but have normal post-meal and HbA1c levels, you can lower your diabetes risk.
If you have diabetes, there are natural ways to lower your blood sugar levels. These methods include:
1. Eat a healthy diet
If you are at risk for diabetes, you must eat a balanced diet rich in fibre, minerals, vitamins, etc., to lower fasting blood sugar levels and keep them under control. Eating timely meals is very important.
Always stick to your routine and avoid giving your fasting blood glucose sample if your fasting is over 12 hours since your last meal. Giving your fasting blood glucose sample by 9 am on the day of the test is recommended.
2. Avoid alcohol
People with high fasting blood glucose levels must avoid alcohol consumption completely. Alcohol interferes with liver metabolism and contributes to increased fasting blood sugar levels.
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3. Get a good night’s sleep
Since sleep affects glucose metabolism, inadequate sleep can cause deranged fasting blood sugar levels. So, getting a good night’s sleep every day is important, including the night before your test.
4. Lower your stress
The relationship between stress and deranged blood glucose levels is well-established. To bring your fasting blood glucose levels under control, practice stress-busting techniques.
5. Exercise
Regular exercise is recommended for every individual, more so for people with a risk for diabetes. Get your daily workouts to lower fasting blood sugar levels to normal range.
6. Medication
Follow your doctor’s advice for medications and prescriptions to help lower your fasting blood sugar levels.
How We At Fitterfly Can Help You?
At Fitterfly, we manage diabetes by tailoring lifestyle changes to your needs, including diet and exercise.
We provide Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems to track how foods affect your blood sugar and assess your Personalized Glycemic Response (PGR) score to help you choose the right foods for your diet.
Using this information, we create a customized plan specifically for you. Following a healthy lifestyle and your doctor’s recommendations are essential, particularly if you want to lower fasting blood sugar levels or prevent the progression to diabetes.
If you have been diagnosed with impaired fasting blood glucose or are living with diabetes, sign up for Fitterfly’s Diabetes Prime Program. To know more about the program, speak to us or contact us 08069450746 today!
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This blog provides general information for educational and informational purposes only and shouldn't be seen as professional advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the long-term effects of impaired Fasting Blood Glucose
If you have received impaired fasting blood glucose in two separate readings, you must consult your doctor as soon as possible to correct it. If impaired fasting blood glucose is not corrected in time, it can result in: Progression to diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) Microvascular conditions, including nephropathy, retinopathy Elevated creatinine and protein levels in urine Increased risk of cardiovascular events like stroke that may be fatal
What are the complications of high fasting
High fasting blood sugar levels, typically indicative of uncontrolled diabetes or pre-diabetes, can lead to various complications over time. These complications can affect nearly every part of the body and include the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, nerve damage (especially in the legs), kidney damage, eye damage (like retinopathy), and Foot complications (diabetic foot). Getting yourself checked regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is recommended for better control.
How to monitor fasting blood sugar?
You can monitor your blood sugar levels using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and self-monitoring of blood glucose. A continuous glucose monitoring system is a coin-sized advanced device that helps measure blood glucose levels for 14 days. Most CGMS are designed to have a small sensor to be worn under the belly or am.
Are there any food items that can lower your fasting glucose
Fibre-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, which are abundant in omega-3s, assist in regulating blood sugar. Additionally, cinnamon's ability to improve insulin sensitivity and the potential benefits of methi (fenugreek) seeds on insulin resistance make them valuable additions. Together, these elements work synergistically to aid in better fasting blood sugar control when included as part of a balanced diet.
Timing of dinner affect fasting?
Late dinners may affect fasting blood sugar. No sufficient gap between dinner time and the fasting test. 8 to 12 hours gap and avoid having late dinners.
Why is my blood sugar high in the morning?
In the morning, your body helps wake you up by releasing hormones, these can also cause your blood sugar to rise, even without eating breakfast. The food you ate before bed, the amount of fat in your liver, and your blood sugar level from the night before can all affect this morning increase.
What foods lower fasting blood sugar?
Foods high in fiber like vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds can help. Also, protein-rich foods like eggs and lean meat are good choices.
Does lemon water lower fasting blood sugar?
Fasting blood sugar means checking your blood sugar in “fasting” state, hence, lemon water or any other beverage apart from water can not be taken before checking blood sugar levels.
Why does my fasting blood sugar fluctuate so much?
Many things can affect this, like what you ate the night before, your stress levels, how well you slept, your weight and even how much you exercised.
Will fasting lower your blood sugar?
Yes, fasting (in type 2 diabetes) could lower your blood sugar, but it's important to do it safely, especially if you have diabetes. Always check with your doctor first.
Will Metformin lower my fasting blood sugar?
Metformin is a medication that can helps lower blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes, including fasting blood sugar.
Should I eat if my fasting blood sugar is high?
If your fasting blood sugar is high, it's best to avoid foods high in sugar and carbs. Instead, choose foods that are low in glycemic index, high in fiber and protein & lower in calories, to help stabilize your blood sugar.
How quickly can you lower fasting blood sugar?
With changes like eating a balanced diet, exercising, and taking any prescribed medication correctly, you might start seeing improvements in a few weeks. But it varies from person to person.
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