Getting fit and staying healthy is a process. The deeper you get into it, the more you realize that you don’t know enough about your body. Knowledge is the key to proper fitness and health, which is why it’s so important that you understand your body’s processes and nutritional needs.
Previously, we talked about ‘Adrenal Fatigue and the Perils of Running On Empty’. Adrenal fatigue can present itself in many different ways, including through chronic inflammation, fatigue, and insomnia.
Today, we’re going to talk about one other symptom of hormonal imbalance: blood sugar level imbalances. We’ll cover the basics of blood sugar levels, why they matter in fitness, and what you can do to help manage them.
Blood Sugar Basics
Blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels, are the concentration of sugar or glucose present in your blood. Our bodies need glucose to be able to function, as it’s our bodies’ main source of energy.
You get glucose when your body processes carbohydrates, which is why you feel more energized after you eat. According to Mayo Clinic, your blood sugar needs to be less than 100 mg/dL at a fasting level for it to be considered a normal range.
Keeping your blood sugar level at a normal range is important for your short-term and long-term health. Healthline notes that high blood sugar levels can lead to problems down the rode such as nerve and organ damage, and in many cases blindness, kidney failure, and heart disease.
Linking Fitness and Blood Sugar
But what does your blood sugar have to do staying and keeping fit? Experts at Cleveland Clinic say that exercise matters for tracking your blood sugar because it helps your body use insulin more efficiently. Using insulin more efficiently means that your blood sugar levels are likely to be lower after a bout of exercise.
While this is good news for people who tend towards hyperglycemia, it’s also a point of concern for those with hypoglycemia, or blood sugar levels lower than normal. Hypoglycemia can be caused by Addison disease, another disease of the pituitary and adrenal glands. With hypoglycemia, you can suffer from dizziness, blurred vision, and in extreme cases seizures and comas.
With all of this in mind, it’s thus incredibly important that you’re aware of your regular blood glucose range before intensive physical activity. While exercise can benefit your body for the most part, if you suffer from hypoglycemia unchecked activity can be dangerous.
How to Manage Your Blood Glucose
One of the biggest concerns for prediabetics and diabetics is how to manage their blood sugar levels to prevent dangerous spikes or dips. Exercise is one way to lower your blood glucose after a meal, but there are other methods available as well.
Diet, for example, plays an obvious role in your blood sugar levels. Brightcore recommends supplementing with ACV gummies, which can help lower your blood glucose levels and improve your digestive health. You can also try eating small but regular meals to ensure that you have a stable and constant supply of energy.
Harvard Health Publishing also recommends low glycemic foods like brown rice, leafy greens, nuts, and fruits. These low glycemic foods have lower levels of carbohydrates, meaning you stay full for longer but without the dangers of blood sugar spikes. These foods also tend to be low calorie, and much healthier overall, which is always a plus.
Understanding the ways our bodies work is the key to safe, healthy, and effective fitness plans. If you want a longer, healthier life, you need to listen to what your body needs, and blood sugar levels are one way to do it.
While you might usually feel fine, it’s always a good idea to check in with your doctor every once in a while to monitor your blood glucose for signs of prediabetes. If you do have prediabetes or are living with diabetes, try to learn more about how exercise and proper nutrition can help you improve your quality of life. When it comes to our health and our bodies, knowledge is always power.
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