What foods can help lower and control blood sugar? Discover 7 powerful foods that can effectively manage diabetes and keep your blood sugar in check.

Mastering Blood Sugar Control: 7 Superfoods to the Rescue

When you have type 2 diabetes, your diet plays a crucial role in managing your blood sugar levels. Certain foods can help you control blood sugar spikes, stave off hunger, and keep you feeling full for longer. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore 7 powerful foods that can effectively lower and regulate your blood sugar, helping you achieve better overall health and well-being.

1. Raw, Cooked, or Roasted Vegetables

Vegetables are a powerhouse when it comes to blood sugar control. They add vibrant color, delicious flavors, and satisfying textures to your meals. Focus on low-carb options like mushrooms, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and zucchini. You can enjoy them raw, cooked, or roasted with a variety of seasonings like rosemary, cayenne pepper, or garlic. Pair them with healthy dips such as low-fat dressings, hummus, guacamole, or salsa for an extra nutritional boost.

2. Leafy Greens

Go beyond the regular salad and incorporate nutrient-dense greens like kale, spinach, and chard into your diet. These low-carb powerhouses are not only delicious but also packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Roast kale leaves in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil for a crispy, crunchy snack. You can also mix greens with roasted vegetables to add texture and flavor, or serve them with a lean protein source like salmon.

3. Flavorful, Low-Calorie Drinks

Staying hydrated is crucial for blood sugar management, and you can make your drinks more interesting without adding extra carbs. Plain water is always a great choice, but you can also infuse it with fresh fruits and vegetables, such as lemon or cucumber. Unsweetened herbal teas, either hot or chilled, are another excellent low-calorie option that can help you feel full and satisfied.

4. Melons and Berries

Contrary to popular belief, certain fruits can actually be part of a diabetes-friendly diet. Melons and berries, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and blueberries, are relatively low in carbs, while providing a sweet and refreshing treat. Enjoy them on their own or mix them with plain, unsweetened yogurt for a delightful and nutrient-dense snack.

5. Whole-Grain, High-Fiber Foods

Incorporating whole-grain, high-fiber foods into your diet can help you feel full for longer and prevent overeating or making poor food choices. Examples include legumes like dried beans, peas, and lentils, as well as whole-grain breads, cereals, and pastas. These foods still contain carbs, but the fiber helps slow the absorption of glucose, leading to more stable blood sugar levels.

6. Healthy Fats

Good fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish like salmon, can actually help regulate blood sugar levels. When paired with a bed of leafy greens, the healthy fats from the fish can serve as a natural dressing, providing a satisfying and nutrient-dense meal.

7. Protein-Rich Foods

Incorporating lean proteins like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and lean meats into your meals can help you feel fuller for longer, reducing the likelihood of blood sugar spikes. Peanut butter on a celery stick or a low-fat cheese stick can also make for a satisfying and blood sugar-friendly snack. Just be mindful of the sodium content in some processed protein-rich foods.

Remember, your eating plan should be tailored to your individual needs and preferences. The key is to find a balance of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins that work for you, while focusing on nutrient-dense, low-carb options that can help you manage your blood sugar effectively.

Incorporating Whole Grains for Better Blood Sugar Control

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to completely eliminate grains from your diet when managing diabetes. Whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa, can actually be a valuable part of a diabetes-friendly eating plan.

Whole grains are packed with fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of heart disease, and slow the absorption of carbohydrates, preventing rapid blood sugar spikes. Additionally, the fiber in whole grains can help you feel fuller for longer, supporting weight management efforts.

4 Ways to Eat More Whole Grains

Incorporating more whole grains into your diet is easier than you might think. Here are four simple tips to get you started:

1. Swap out white bread and rice for whole wheat bread and brown rice.
2. Add grains like barley and bulgur wheat to your soups, stews, salads, and casseroles to add texture and fiber.
3. When baking, use a blend of whole wheat flour and other whole-grain flours, such as oat, amaranth, or buckwheat flour, in your breads, muffins, pancakes, and waffles.
4. Instead of reaching for crackers, opt for a whole-grain snack like popcorn (without the butter and salt) or unsweetened whole-grain cereal.

Remember, it’s important to increase your fiber intake slowly to prevent any gastrointestinal discomfort, and be sure to drink plenty of water to support the digestive process.

By incorporating these 7 powerful foods and making simple whole-grain swaps, you can take control of your blood sugar and enjoy a healthier, more satisfying diet. Prioritize nutrient-dense, low-carb options, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new flavors and textures. Your taste buds and your body will thank you!

7 Foods That Help Lower & Control Blood Sugar

When you have type 2 diabetes, what you eat can help you control your blood sugar, stave off hunger, and feel full longer.

“Diabetes is when your blood sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal. It’s carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, rice, pasta, fruits, milk, and desserts that can cause this rise,” says Maggie Powers, PhD, president-elect of Health Care & Education at the American Diabetes Association. Learn more about managing blood sugar spikes after meals.

Your eating plan should focus on the amount and type of carbs you put on your plate throughout the day, Powers says.

But it’s also important to have foods you enjoy. You want to eat enough so you feel satisfied and avoid overeating and poor choices. Here are seven foods that Powers says can help keep your blood sugar in check and make you happy and healthy to boot.

1. Raw, Cooked, or Roasted Vegetables

These add color, flavor, and texture to a meal. Choose tasty, low-carb veggies, like mushrooms, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and low-carb squashes, like zucchini.

Try them with dips such as low-fat dressings, hummus, guacamole, and salsa, or roasted with different seasonings such as rosemary, cayenne pepper, or garlic.

2. Greens

Go beyond your regular salad and try kale, spinach, and chard. They’re healthy, delicious, and low-carb, Powers says.

Roast kale leaves in the oven with olive oil for quick, crunchy chips. You can also mix greens in with roasted veggies to add texture and a different flavor, or serve them with a little protein, like salmon.

3. Flavorful, Low-calorie Drinks

Plain water is always good, but water infused with fruits and vegetables is more interesting. Cut up a lemon or cucumber and put it in your water, or make ice cubes with some flavoring in them.

If you’re not a hot tea drinker, try cold tea with lemon or a cinnamon stick.

“Not only are these beverages low-carb, they can also help fill you up so you don’t crave other foods,” Powers says.

4. Melon or Berries

Did you know that 1 cup of either of these has just 15 grams of carbs?

“It’s a little more expensive, but it’s a healthy treat packed with nutrients and fiber, and it’s a little bit sweet,” Powers says.

For a different twist, mix the melon or berries with plain yogurt, or put them in ice cubes.

5. Whole-grain, Higher-fiber Foods

Fill up on these to keep from overeating or choosing the wrong foods.

Try legumes like dried beans, peas, and lentils. You can even enjoy a black bean and corn salsa with your raw vegetables.

“These foods still have carbs, but they have interesting flavors [that help keep you satisfied],” Powers says.

6. A Little Fat

Good fat choices include olive oil, avocado, and fatty fishes — think salmon served on of a bed of lettuce, for example.

Bonus: The fat from the fish serves as a dressing for the salad, Powers says.

7. Protein

Powers recommends Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and lean meats. And don’t forget treats.

“Peanut butter on a celery stick is a good fat and protein mix for a healthy, satisfying snack,” she says.

You can also snack on a lower-fat cheese stick or a beef jerky stick — but keep an eye on how much sodium is in them, she says.

Overall, your eating plan “shouldn’t be boring,” Powers says. “It should include the foods you love with a balance of carbohydrates.”

How to Add Whole Grains to Your Diet

Having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to give up every piece of bread or dish of pasta. You can still enjoy foods made with grains, as long as you make them whole grains.

Whole grains are packed with fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol and reduce your heart disease risk. Fiber slows digestion and the absorption of carbohydrates and may not raise your blood sugar as quickly as refined grains. And because whole grains help you feel fuller for longer, they can help you manage your weight.

Although  it’s best to get fiber from food sources such as whole grains, fiber supplements can also help you increase your fiber intake. Examples include psyllium and methylcellulose.

Be sure to increase your fiber intake slowly to help prevent gas and cramping. It’s also important to also increase the amount of liquids that you drink.

4 Ways to Eat More Whole Grains

The easiest way to eat more whole grains is to make a few switches in your diet, such as swapping out white bread and rice for whole wheat bread and brown rice. Also, try these tips:

1. Add grains like barley and bulgur wheat to soups, stews, salads, and casseroles to add texture.
2. When you bake breads or muffins, instead of white flour use half whole wheat flour and half oat, amaranth, or buckwheat flour. You can also use these whole-grain flours in pancakes and waffles.
3. Instead of having crackers for a snack, eat popcorn, which is a whole grain. Just skip the butter and salt. Unsweetened whole-grain cereal makes another good snack option.
4. Make quinoa your side dish instead of rice. You can also use quinoa as a coating for shrimp and chicken instead of flour or breadcrumbs.

Read Labels Carefully

Finding whole-grain foods in your supermarket can be tricky. Some foods that appear to contain whole grains really don’t. You need to look carefully at food labels. Don’t be fooled by:

• Terms like “enriched.” Enriched wheat contains only part of the grain.
• Foods labeled “containing whole grain,” “made from whole grain,” or “multigrain.” They may not be 100% whole grains. Look for “whole grain” as the first ingredient listed.
• The food’s color. For example, bread may be brown only because it contains added ingredients, like molasses.

How Much Is Too Much?

Even though whole grains are healthy, you don’t want to eat unlimited amounts. How much of these grains you can eat depends on how well you’re managing your blood sugar.

A good guide is to eat about three servings of whole grains each day.

Examples of one whole-grain food serving:

• 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal
• 1 slice of whole-grain bread
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat pasta

Ask your doctor or a dietitian about how to fit whole grains into your diet. Together you can design a plan that fits your tastes, and helps you gain better control over your blood sugar.

Why Whole Grains?

The reason whole wheat bread and brown rice are better for you than white bread and white rice is in the way the grains are processed.

Grains are made up of three parts:

• Bran is the outer layer. It contains the fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals.
• Endosperm is the middle, starchy layer. It contains mostly carbohydrates, but also small amounts of protein, B vitamins, and minerals.
• Germ is the inner part, which is rich in vitamins and minerals, along with healthy fats.

Whole-grain foods are made with all three parts of the grain, so they’ve got vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Refined grains have only the starchy endosperm layer, so they have less fiber and fewer nutrients.

Examples of whole grains include:

• Amaranth
• Brown rice
• Bulgur
• Buckwheat
• Millet
• Oatmeal
• Popcorn
• Sorghum
• Quinoa
• Whole farro
• Whole oats
• Whole rye
• Whole wheat

9 Dos and Don’ts to Lose Weight

Slimming down can help get your blood sugar levels back into the normal range. It might even cut down on or get rid of your need for medication. Easier said than done? Boost your odds of long-term success by following these expert tips.

1. DO mentally prep yourself.

“Losing weight is more like a marathon than a sprint; you can’t go as hard as you can for a short period and then stop,” says Michael Dansinger, MD, director of lifestyle coaching for diabetes weight loss at Tufts Medical Center and nutrition doctor for NBC’s The Biggest Loser . “If you’re not ready, any changes you make aren’t going to be sustainable.”

To get the push you need to keep going and going, Dansinger suggests comparing where your current habits are taking you to where you’d rather be in 5 years. Will you have diabetes-related complications? Or will you be healthier than you are today? The decisions you make now can shape your future.

2. DON’T go overboard.

You’re more likely to stick with it if you start small, says Carolyn Brown, RD, a nutritionist at Foodtrainers in New York.

“Your first step might be aiming for an extra 15 minutes of exercise, or skipping the after-dinner treats,” she says. “Commit to two new things per week, and build on them.”

3. DO some detective work.

Tracking everything you eat and drink for at least a week is the best way to spot patterns.

“You might find that you graze a lot more throughout the day than you realized, or that you often forget to eat breakfast,” Brown says. You can use an app or pen and paper, whichever you prefer.

4. DON’T blow off breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner!

It backfires. “When you skip meals, you’re setting yourself up for a poor eating pattern for the day, as you’ll probably be hungrier later on,” says Jaclyn London, RD, senior clinical dietitian at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

She explains why meal skipping is risky for people with diabetes. First, it makes you more likely to have low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Also, not eating regularly can prevent diabetes medications from working like they should.

Eat breakfast. If you don’t, “you’re essentially asking your body to run on no fuel,” London says.

She recommends starting the day with a high-protein ingredient, like an egg or Greek yogurt, so you stay full longer.

5. DO work with your emotions.

Many people overeat when they’re worried or depressed. “Stress is a huge factor. It actually raises your blood sugar levels,” Brown says. She often tells her clients to meet with a therapist to learn other ways to handle stress.

6. DON’T keep your goal a secret.

Having a strong support system can make all the difference. That can include friends, family, co-workers, or people who are working toward the same goal.

You can also team up with experts. “I’m a big believer in working with a lifestyle coach, whether it’s in person, over the telephone, or via the Internet,” Dansinger says. You’ll get the advice, structure, and people to hold you accountable. That can make you five times more likely to lose 10% of your body weight.

Recent guidelines (issued jointly by the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and The Obesity Society) urge doctors to refer overweight and obese people to a comprehensive lifestyle program that lasts at least 6 months.

7. DO more than diet.

Watching what you eat is a good start. Exercise also matters a lot. Besides cardio, you should also do strength training. Lifting weights or working with resistance bands will help you build muscle and, in turn, curb insulin resistance — when your body doesn’t respond to the insulin it makes.

“Your muscles play a large role in using and storing sugar, so keeping them strong is really important for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels,” says Wayne Westcott, PhD, an instructor of exercise science at Quincy College. Aim to do some strength training at least twice a week.

Be active as much as possible throughout the day.

Research links long periods of sitting to a bigger chance of getting certain diseases, including diabetes. Brown suggests small bursts of activity every hour. Get up and refill your water bottle, walk to the farthest bathroom, or go chat with someone in person instead of sending an email or a text.

8. DO keep eating carbs.

You can, and should, keep carbs in your diet. “Our brains run on carbs!” Brown says.

The key is to watch portion sizes. A serving is about the size of your fist.

You should also aim to cut back on the refined stuff (like white bread and pasta) in favor of healthier, less processed options. Whole-grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes are good choices.

9. DON’T let a setback sabotage you.

“Everyone falls off the wagon at some point by having a bad day, week, or even month,” Dansinger says. “The difference between those who turn their health around and those who don’t is persistence and perseverance.”

5 Simple Ways to Lower Your A1c This Week

While it is important to develop a long-term diabetes management plan with your physician, there are several steps you can take right away to help reduce your A1C. Small changes add up, so consider trying some of these strategies to lower your A1C this week.

1. Try Short Sessions of High Intensity Exercise

According to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2015, type 2 diabetes patients who did 10 minutes of exercise three times a day, five days a week at 85 percent of their target heart rate had a twofold improvement in A1C levels compared to patients who exercised for 30 minutes a day at 65 percent of their target heart rate. Be sure to check with your doctor before trying high intensity exercise, and wear a heart rate monitor so you don’t overdo it.

2. Shrink Your Dinner Plate

Instead of a large dinner plate for your meals, use a smaller salad plate. This simple swap can trick your eyes and brain into thinking you’re eating more than you really are, and you’ll feel satisfied with less food. It’s especially helpful with starchy food: A one-cup serving of pasta doesn’t look like much on a plate, but it will fill up a small bowl.

3. Eat Whole Foods

Choose whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, instead of juices to help keep your blood sugar from spiking. When you eat an apple or an orange, for example, you’re consuming fiber, which helps to slow down how quickly your body absorbs the sugar. Fruit juice, on the other hand, removes all of the fiber, so the sugar goes straight to your bloodstream. Plus, the fiber in whole foods helps you feel full longer, so you tend to eat less.

4. Get Enough Sleep — But Not Too Much

A 2013 study found that short or long periods of sleep were associated with higher A1C levels regardless of physical activity, diet, obesity, or depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that people who get either more or less than 6.5 to 7.4 hours of sleep per night may be at increased risk for high blood glucose levels. (But researchers did not study the quality of sleep.)

5. Get It in Writing

Keep a journal of your home blood testing results and jot down a few notes about what you’ve eaten, the types of exercise or activities you’ve done, how you feel, and so on. All of this information can help you and your doctor determine how your blood sugar levels are affected by your diet and lifestyle, and can be used to improve your management plan.

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans successfully manage their condition every day, leading vibrant, healthy lives. To get started, sign up for Everyday Health’s Diabetes Step-By-Step program to get the tools you need to succeed.

5 of the Best Foods to Lower Blood Sugar and Manage Diabetes

• The best foods to eat to lower blood sugar include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, nuts, and garlic.
• If you have diabetes or may be at risk, it’s important to regulate your blood-sugar levels with a healthy diet and be aware of the glycemic index of the foods you eat.
• This article was medically reviewed by Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, nutrition and wellness expert with a private practice based in New York City.
• This story is part of Insider’s guide to Diabetes. 

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If you have

diabetes
, it’s important to eat the right foods to maintain healthy blood-sugar levels.

For example, eating healthy carbohydrates, foods high in fiber, and healthy fats can help prevent blood-sugar spikes. But eating high-carbohydrate foods that contain lots of sugar can make it more difficult to control your diabetes, says Dr. Deena Adimoolam, an assistant professor of medicine, endocrinology, diabetes, and bone disease at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Here’s which foods are best to eat if you want to lower blood sugar and keep it under control.

What is the glycemic index?

Knowing the glycemic index of foods can help you make better dietary choices and help you manage diabetes. That’s because the glycemic index rates carbohydrates by how quickly and how much they raise blood sugar, on a scale of 1 to 100.

Low-glycemic foods have higher amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Because of their high fiber content, these foods are digested slowly and have a more gradual impact on blood sugar. People with diabetes should try to eat more low-glycemic foods to avoid blood-sugar spikes.

Yuqing Liu/Insider

If you have diabetes, it’s also important to keep track of the carbs you’re eating each day and each meal, as having too many carbs with a high glycemic content can spike blood-sugar levels. And even if you don’t have diabetes, eating high-glycemic foods can increase your risk for

Type 2 diabetes
,

heart disease
, and obesity.

Here are some examples of low-glycemic foods you can eat to lower blood sugar and prevent spikes.

1. Whole grains

Eating whole grains, like brown rice, will have a less extreme impact on your blood-sugar levels because they aren’t digested as quickly, Adimoolam says. That’s because whole grains have more fiber.

A 2007 study in Hormone and Metabolic Research suggested that eating a fiber-rich diet (more than 30 grams of fiber a day), in particular through whole-grain products, could lower one’s risk for Type 2 diabetes.

Examples of whole grains include:

• Barley (GI = 22)
• Bulgur (G1 = 46)
• Buckwheat (GI = 49)

2. Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are examples of healthy carbohydrates that are rich in fiber. For people with diabetes, doctors recommend eating five portions of fruits (two portions) and vegetables (three portions) a day to maintain healthy blood-sugar levels — though you should talk to your doctor to come up with a meal plan that best suits your needs.

Ripe fruits tend to have a higher glycemic index than less ripe fruits. Eating fruits with the skin can be more beneficial, Adimoolam says, since the skin contains more fiber and can help regulate your blood sugar.

Though all fruits supply nutrients, dried fruit and fruit juice have more concentrated sources of natural sugars. When possible, choose whole forms of fruit, such as fresh or frozen.

Adimoolam says most vegetables are healthy for people with diabetes, though starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and plantains have a higher sugar content and should be eaten in moderation.

Some examples of low glycemic fruits and vegetables include:

• Apples (GI = 40)
• Oranges (GI = 40)
• Broccoli (GI = 10)

For more information, read about the best types of fruits for diabetes.

3. Oatmeal

Oats are another good choice for people with diabetes because of their low glycemic index value and high fiber content.

A 2015 review published in the journal Nutrients found eating whole oats with at least 3 grams of soluble fiber daily can help Type 2 diabetes patients control blood glucose levels by increasing insulin sensitivity.

You should make sure to opt for steel-cut or rolled oats, as these varieties of oatmeal are less processed, which means they absorb into the bloodstream more slowly. Try to avoid instant oatmeal with added sugar, and if you’re mixing in fruit or other ingredients into your oatmeal, be mindful of their added sugar and total carbohydrate content.

4. Nuts

Nuts are low-glycemic, high in fiber, and a healthy source of fat. They also contain beneficial nutrients and vitamins, like

vitamin E
, omega-3 fatty acids, and

magnesium
, which improve heart health and contribute to a balanced diet.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that consuming more than a quarter ounce of nuts a day decreased Type 2 diabetes risk factors, like body mass index and waist circumference.

The healthiest nuts for people with diabetes are:

• Almonds (GI = 20)
• Cashews (GI = 20)
• Peanuts (GI = 14)

5. Garlic

There is evidence to suggest that garlic can help control blood sugar by raising insulin levels in the body. That’s because some compounds in garlic — including allici, allyl propyl disulfide, and S-allyl cysteine sulfoxide — can help increase insulin sensitivity.

For example, a 2017 study published in Food and Nutrition Research found that consuming between 0.05 to 1.5 grams of garlic (from supplements) a day was associated with reduced blood-glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes patients.

Try spicing your foods with garlic powder or adding some crushed-up garlic cloves when you’re cooking. You should consult your doctor, however, if you plan to consume lots of garlic, since it can also contribute to gas, nausea, and heartburn (plus, bad breath). Garlic may also be dangerous for people on blood thinners.

The bottom line

Foods that contain fiber, protein, and healthy fats are better for lowering blood sugar and managing diabetes when compared with foods high in fast-acting carbohydrates, such as those high in added sugars and refined grains. The glycemic index can be a helpful measurement to determine which foods to eat, but it’s important to remember that everyone reacts to foods differently.

“Some foods considered as low glycemic index foods could potentially cause a spike in one’s blood sugar quicker than it would another person,” Adimoolam says. Blood-sugar levels can also depend on other factors, including what medications a person is taking and what else the person is pairing with the specific food.

If you have diabetes or may be at risk, you should consult your doctor to determine what the right diet is for you. For more information, you can read about the best diets for diabetes, and the best snacks for diabetics.

What to Eat and Drink to Lower Blood Sugar

If you have been told by your doctor that you have diabetes or prediabetes, or even if you are just concerned about developing diabetes in the future, you should think about your diet as a key element in keeping your blood sugar level. (The complications from diabetes are serious and numerous; you can learn more about that here). Unfortunately, there are no foods that actually lower your blood sugar, but there are foods that do not spike your blood sugar quickly. Think about high fiber foods, carbohydrates that do not come from refined sugars, and carbohydrates that are slowly digested by your body, like those that come from vegetables and whole grains.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index is a number given to foods to indicate how fast they will affect the glucose level in your blood (on a scale from 1 to 100). Dr. David Jenkins developed the glycemic index at the University of Toronto in 1981.⁵ Dr. Jenkins was conducting research on how people with Type 1 diabetes can control blood sugar, and that led him to understanding more about the role of carbohydrates in blood glucose levels. When you eat, your body converts the food to energy for the body, and one of those conversions is to provide sugar to the body. Foods that convert to sugar more slowly provide a more continuous source of energy, without the spikes in blood sugar that can lead to a “crash”, causing low energy and lethargy. The list below is incomplete, but it can help you start thinking about foods that that provide slow and steady energy to the body. Harvard has a longer list of foods and their glycemic index at this link².

Foods that do not spike your blood sugar:

1. Avocados
2. Fish
3. Whole Grains
4. Garlic
5. Apples and other high fiber fruits
6. Oatmeal
7. Sweet Potatoes
8. Leafy Green Vegetables
9. Nuts
10. Eggs
11. Berries
12. Legumes, lentils and other beans
13. Carrots and other high fiber vegetables
14. Green Tea and Coffee
15. Cinnamon
16. Flaxseed and Chia seeds
17. Yogurt and Skim milk

Foods Without a Glycemic Index Number

Foods that have few or no carbohydrates do not have a glycemic index value. The glycemic index refers only to foods with carbohydrates, so meat, chicken, pork, and eggs are examples of foods that do not have a glycemic index.

About Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is growing significantly in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) stating that 9.4% of the country’s population (30 million people) has diabetes. Another 84 million have prediabetes, which can lead to full blown diabetes within 5 years if not treated.³

Diabetes can be silent, developing without any symptoms or indications that it is damaging the body’s organs. The complications from diabetes are numerous. Having diabetes puts one at significantly higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness. Circulation problems in the legs can develop because of diabetes, and in the worst instances, can lead to tissue death requiring amputation. Diabetes can also damage the nerves (called neuropathy), causing tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the hands and feet. Diabetes also damages the filtering system in the kidneys, leading to kidney disease that could require dialysis or a kidney transplant. Symptoms of depression are more common in people with diabetes, which can affect diabetes management.

Treatment for diabetes may include insulin, medications to stimulate insulin production in the pancreas, weight loss, and increased activity. People with diabetes are required to monitor their blood glucose levels several times a day.⁴ Recent research also shows that patient education about diabetes, what causes it, and how to manage it, results in better outcomes.⁴ This could include seeking the help of a nutritionist or physical trainer. The new research also recommends that doctors manage the risk for heart disease caused by diabetes, especially if glucose targets are not being met consistently. Patients with a BMI of 40+ may also be referred for weight loss surgery, as this has shown to be effective in controlling and sometimes even eradicating diabetes.

How Can I Lower My A1c Quickly?

Many diabetic patients or people at risk of developing diabetes are advised to undergo a hemoglobin A1C test. Our blood has hemoglobin in it, and it is a protein that carries oxygen to the rest of the body. Sometimes the sugar(glucose) attaches itself to this hemoglobin, forming hemoglobin A1C.

The A1C test is used to measure and analyze blood sugar concentration. The higher the blood sugar concentration, the higher your A1C level will be, and if your blood concentration level is low, your A1C result will be low as well.

Hemoglobin A1C is used and prescribed by doctors to see how people have managed their blood sugar levels for 3 months.

The A1C test is more accurate than the usual finger-prick sugar test as the former shows the level of glycosylated hemoglobin in your blood over several months. In contrast, the latter measures the sugar level in your blood at the moment the test was taken out gives the estimate of blood sugar level at a particular time. Still, we know our blood sugar concentration changes throughout the day.

High A1C Level:

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), an A1C level 0f 6.5% or higher is considered a high level of A1C. This means your blood sugar concentration is higher than normal. Such patients are at risk of Heart disease, kidney failure, obesity, and other disorders.

Many healthcare practitioners set an A1C Level goal for their patients. According to ADA, an A1C level of 7% or below is a good target.

To see information regarding your A1C level goal the CDC lists the levels here.

How to lower A1C level:

As mentioned before, your A1C level test measures your blood sugar level concentrations over three months; therefore, lowering your A1C is not going to happen overnight it may take the same amount (up to 4 months) to see any results. However, it is attainable if you work on some factors.

Following are some factors that help lower your A1C levels:

Diet:

A good diet is an essential factor in lowering higher A1C levels. Carbohydrates(sugar) increase the sugar in our blood so we need other carbs, proteins, fiber, and vitamins to function correctly and keep diabetes or other diseases at bay. Doctors always recommend a good diet to their diabetic or pre-diabetic patients. Have a good concentration of:

• Meat
• Eggs
• Fish
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole grains

Avoid foods such as:

Consult your dietician or doctors for an accurate meal plan/diet plan to lower your A1C level.

Exercise:

In 2015 the American Heart Association documented that type 2 diabetic patients who completed 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week with a target heart rate of 85 b% saw a twofold decrease in their A1C levels! Also, exercise is a great way to kickstart your body’s natural insulin, which is a substance that moves sugar from the blood to the body’s cells; however, it can not work if there is too much sugar in the blood.

ADA recommends a high-intensity workout only after consulting your doctor.

Weight loss.

Not every type 2 diabetic patient is overweight, but if you are, you need to consult your doctor and have a weight loss plan. In that case, your doctor will most probably recommend you reduce 5% to 7% weight. You can achieve this weight loss through a good diet plan and enough exercise.

Customize your plate:

According to nutrients and dietician, your plate concentration should be as followed:

• Half of your plate should be filled with vegetables.
• One-quarter of the plate should accommodate protein (chicken, fish)
• The remaining one-quarter should accommodate whole grains.

Stress management:

Apart from these suggestions, ADA also recommends type 2 or pre-diabetic patients to manage their day-to-day life stress. Stress and tension harm our physical and mental health and release cortisol, which increases the sugar in the blood. Do mediation and exercises to boost your mental and physical health.

After reading this, do you feel you need a HEMOGLOBIN (HB) A1C BLOOD TEST? Ordering the test is easy. Just pick your test, order online, then go to your local lab to get tested. 

90,000 Seven most useful products for lowering pressure

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Seven most useful products for lowering pressure

Seven most useful products for lowering pressure – RIA Novosti Sport, 04/02/2021

The seven most useful foods for lowering blood pressure

Over the past 40 years, the number of people suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure) has exceeded one billion. Doctors attribute this to a sedentary way… RIA Novosti Sport, 02.04.2021

2021-02-03T17: 35

2021-02-03T17: 35

2021-04-02T20: 36

health

food

health

fruit

blood pressure

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MOSCOW, Feb 3 – RIA Novosti.Over the past 40 years, the number of people with hypertension (high blood pressure) has exceeded one billion. Doctors attribute this to a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. They also argue that the diet must necessarily contain foods rich in magnesium and potassium. According to the experts at the authoritative healthy lifestyle portal Health Line, twelve of the most useful of them. Pumpkin seeds are one of the best sources of nutrients that are important for controlling blood pressure.They contain magnesium, potassium, and arginine, an amino acid essential for the production of nitric oxide (which relaxes blood vessels and lowers high blood pressure). Citrus fruits, including grapefruits, oranges and lemons, also lower blood pressure. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that keep your heart healthy. Salmon and other fatty fish are excellent sources of polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the heart. They lower blood pressure by reducing inflammation in the blood vessels.Beans and lentils contain fiber, magnesium, and potassium. Numerous studies have shown that eating beans can help normalize blood pressure. Berries are a rich source of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, which increase blood nitric oxide levels and reduce the production of blood vessel limiting molecules, which can help lower blood pressure levels. and nutritious carrots are rich in phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic, para-coumaric and caffeic acids, which help relax blood vessels and reduce inflammation.Celery contains phthalides. They also relax blood vessels and help lower blood pressure. They also included tomatoes (lycopene has a beneficial effect on heart health and blood pressure), broccoli (rich in flavonoids important for the body), Greek yogurt (contains potassium and calcium), herbs and spices, beets and spinach (they are high in nitrates, which relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure).

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nutrition, health, fruit, blood pressure

MOSCOW, February 3 – RIA Novosti. Over the past 40 years, the number of people with hypertension (high blood pressure) has exceeded one billion. Doctors attribute this to a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. They also argue that the diet must necessarily contain foods rich in magnesium and potassium. The experts of the authoritative healthy lifestyle portal Health Line told about the twelve most useful of them. Pumpkin seeds are one of the best sources of nutrients that are important for blood pressure control.They contain magnesium, potassium, and arginine, an amino acid essential for the production of nitric oxide (it relaxes blood vessels and lowers high blood pressure).

Citrus fruits , including grapefruits, oranges and lemons, also lower blood pressure. They are rich in vitamins, minerals and plant compounds that keep your heart healthy.

February 3, 15:25 Zinc: what is useful, in what products is it contained? Nutritionist answers

Salmon and other fatty fish are an excellent source of polyunsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the heart.They lower blood pressure by reducing inflammation in the blood vessels.

Beans and lentils contain fiber, magnesium and potassium. Numerous studies have shown that eating beans can help normalize blood pressure.

Berries are a rich source of antioxidants, including anthocyanins: they increase blood nitric oxide levels and decrease the production of blood vessel limiting molecules, which can help lower blood pressure.

February 2, 5:00 pm Nutritionists talked about the dangers and benefits of dried fruit

Crispy, sweet and nutritious Carrots are rich in phenolic compounds such as chlorogenic, para-coumaric and caffeic acids, which help relax blood vessels and reduce inflammation.

Celery contains phthalides. They also relax the blood vessels and help lower blood pressure.

Experts also included tomatoes (lycopene has a beneficial effect on heart health and normalizes blood pressure), broccoli (rich in flavonoids important for the body), Greek yogurt (contains potassium and calcium), herbs and spices, beets and spinach (they contain a lot nitrates, which relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure).

February 2, 07:00 EDWWhat happens to the body if you give up salt? The doctor answers 90,000 10 products that help with hypertension – Rossiyskaya Gazeta

Pressure jumps? Tortured by hypertension? Do not limit treatment to pills.

Proper nutrition also helps to stabilize blood pressure.

Drug treatment and diet complement each other well in the fight against hypertension, which, if insufficient attention is paid to it, will lead to heart attack or stroke.Medicines should be selected by a doctor, and you can provide yourself with suitable nutrition.

Do not gas

For high blood pressure, a diet low in fat and cholesterol, rich in grains, fruits and vegetables, is recommended.

Replace animal fats with vegetable fats. Avoid butter, sour cream, pork, beef, sodas, and caffeinated drinks. It is better to exclude spicy foods, seasonings, pickles, canned foods, flour and confectionery products.

Of the methods of cooking, it is better to give preference to boiling, steaming, baking. Focus on vegetables, fish, dairy products. Moreover, it is important to make the principle of healthy eating the norm: if today you replace a sandwich with sausage with a vegetable salad, and tomorrow you will again reach for uncooked smoked, such a “diet” will not help stabilize the pressure.

This is elementary

If you are hypertensive, eat more potassium-rich foods.Potassium helps to reduce the negative effect on blood pressure of another mineral element – sodium.

Remember that natural foods are the best source of potassium, not drugs. For example, plain rice is an excellent product in this regard. Have a rice fasting day 1-2 times a week. Take a glass of dry rice, rinse it several times, fill it with water, leave it overnight, and in the morning cook without salt. Divide the rice into 8 pieces and eat all day. The potassium in rice will displace sodium, the amount of water in your body will decrease, and your blood pressure will drop without any medication.

Potassium is also rich in many fruits (bananas, oranges, tangerines), dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots), vegetables (especially potatoes, beans), seaweed, squid, fish (cod, hake), oat and wheat groats, milk, yogurt.

Another important element that is useful for stabilizing blood pressure is magnesium, its presence in the body helps to expand blood vessels and strengthen their walls. In addition, the lack of magnesium “pulls” the leaching of potassium and an increase in the content of sodium inside the cells, which also leads to an increase in pressure.

Legumes contain magnesium in sufficient quantity – beans, peas, lentils. Plus, they’re high in fiber, which keeps you full and prevents you from gaining excess fat.

What is the salt

Vitamins C (cauliflower, black currant, rosehip), A (carrot, liver, egg yolk), group B (bran, cabbage, yeast) are important for hypertension.

But the consumption of salt should be limited to 2.5 g (a teaspoon without top) per day.Try not to add salt to food, use spices. As a last resort, use low sodium salt. It also contains the ions of potassium, magnesium, iodine necessary for health. Processed foods contain significantly more salt than natural ones, for example, sausage and cheese contain 15 times more salt than natural meat and milk.

Be careful with alcohol!

In very small amounts, alcohol helps to dilate the arteries of the heart and lower blood pressure.But with higher doses of alcohol, blood pressure can rise significantly. In addition, alcohol reduces the effectiveness of drugs that the patient takes to treat hypertension.

By the way

What you need to know about hypertension?

Normal blood pressure at any age is 120/80 mm Hg. Art.

The main harm from hypertension is that it sharply accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias.

Hypertension is one of the main causes of heart attacks and strokes at a young working age.

Tips

10 products, especially useful for hypertensive patients

1 Cottage cheese is a source of calcium, potassium and magnesium. Potassium strengthens heart health, magnesium promotes vasodilation. It is advisable to consume at least 3-5 tablespoons of cottage cheese per day.

2 Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of zinc.According to the WHO, zinc deficiency in the body increases the risk of heart attack. Eat 20 grams of pumpkin seeds a day.

3 Red bell pepper – champion in vitamin C. People who consume a lot of foods with vitamin C develop less hypertension. Eat 2 fresh peppers a day, you can add them to your salad.

4 Cocoa is rich in flavonoids that improve vascular health and lower blood pressure. You can not drink it every day, just 1-2 glasses of cocoa per week.

5 Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. This substance, among other useful properties, helps to reduce pressure. We recommend eating salmon 3 times a week for 150-200 g.

6 Oats are a source of selenium. Some studies have shown that adding oatmeal to your diet helps regulate both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Oats contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. Often people with hypertension also suffer from diabetes.A cup of oatmeal with skim milk helps not only control blood pressure, but also prevents blood sugar from rising.

7 Almonds lower cholesterol levels. Contains mono fat (good cholesterol), which is not harmful to health, has the property of lowering the level of “bad” cholesterol. These nuts are high in protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium and vitamin E. These nuts are also good for those looking to lose weight.

8 Green tea breaks cholesterol plugs.He, like no other, is useful for the body. In addition, it contains powerful doses of antioxidants that prevent the aging process.

9 Dark chocolate contains antioxidants that contribute to heart health. As it turned out in the course of the study, dark chocolate is able to lower the pressure by 5 mm.

10 Skim milk is rich in potassium, calcium and vitamins. Scientists recommend that everyone drink three glasses of skim milk a day.

Raidix and AIC confirm platform compatibility

Software RAIDIX 5.0.1.3 has demonstrated full performance on the AICSB203-UR platform and JBOD shelf J4078-01. Joint certification allows partners of companies to build systems with proven performance characteristics and high quality of service, saving time and resources required for testing and integrating solutions on the side of the integrator and the client.

Building high-density storage requires a high-performance platform. In addition, when dealing with high workloads, you must strive for the best balance of performance, storage density and cost.Raidix engineers conducted testing, during which they verified the compatibility of RAIDIX and AIC products, compliance with the expected performance and the possibility of using joint solutions for business needs.

Preparation and testing process

Before starting testing, Raidix engineers performed a standard preparatory procedure, which included installing RAIDIX 5.0.1.3 on the system under test and switching the system under test and the disk shelf via SAS.After that, the immediate testing procedure was launched. It included 17 stages – from booting the system with the presence of HBA data to checking the operation of S.M.A.R.T.

Test results and final conclusions

Compatibility has been successfully verified at 4 key levels:

• SAS HBA,
• processors,
• motherboard,
• discs.

Also during testing, two key features of the storage software solution were confirmed:

• Protection of data in the event of a technical failure by means of redundancy of the main server components;
• Achieve consistently high throughput.

Thanks to this, the work of customer services can be continued even in case of breakdowns, emergency situations, power outages. Demonstrated resiliency is a key benefit for running websites, CRM systems, online services, and more.

From the test results, we can conclude that such a solution based on RAIDIX significantly reduces TCO compared to the costs of using ready-made storage systems in the areas of video surveillance (including large-scale projects such as urban systems) and media production.In addition to reducing TCO, the solution can improve copy and restore rates, which has a beneficial effect on RPO / RTO rates.

Thus, according to the test results, the AICSB203-UR platform and the AICJBODJ4078-01 disk shelf can be officially certified, added to the RAIDIX compatibility list and recommended for use.

Original specification of the stand JBODJ4078-01

JBOD shelf J4078-01 (AIC part number: XJ1-40781-02) 4U (176 mm) high, 19 ” (434 mm) wide, 810 mm long, supports 78 3.5 ” hard drives …The chassis contains two 1600-watt power modules providing 1 + 1 redundancy and two 12 GB / s SAS expanders.

Three plastic-framed top covers provide tool-free access to the disc trays. The power button is conveniently located on the front of the JBOD enclosure next to the status LEDs for each drive.

In addition, 6 TOSHIBA MG07SCA12TE enterprise-class disks, MG07 series, with a SAS interface, with a recording format of 512 bytes per sector, were used.

Initial specification of the server platform AIC SB203-UR

AIC SB203-UR supporting Intel® Xeon® ScalableProcessors (CascadeLakeRefresh / CascadeLake / Skylake) memory up to 3TB 3DS ECC RDIMM / LRDIMM, Intel Optane support, on-board 2x10GbE network card with 26 SFP D66 / 264 RAM / 24 slots 2400 (1DPC / 2DPC) MHz; 8 hotswap disks 3.5 ”; 2 hotswap drives 2.5 ”, 6 x8 PCIeslots (4 LP, 2 FHHL).

About companies

AIC is a leading provider of OEM / ODM and COTS (off the shelf) solutions, as well as servers and storage systems.With expert in-house design, manufacturing and validation capabilities, AIC products are flexible and adaptable to any standard or custom form factor. AIC has been leading the industry since 1996 with expertise in mechanical engineering, electronics, systems design, and a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction. AIC is headquartered in Taiwan with offices and operations in the US, Asia and Europe.

Toshiba is a global leader and innovator in the development and implementation of high technologies, a diversified manufacturer and participant in the market of advanced electronic and electrical products from information and communication systems, digital consumer products, electronic devices, components and power systems to industrial and social infrastructure systems and household appliances. Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH, Storage Products Division in Düsseldorf, Germany, is promoting hard drives to the market and interacting with consumers and retailers in Europe.For over 50 years, Toshiba has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions that are used by most of the world’s largest brands in information technology and consumer electronics.

How to lower blood pressure without pills?

Pavel Alekseevich Barov, the chief freelance cardiologist of the Ulyanovsk region, talks about first aid when the blood pressure jumped.

If you are prone to hypertension, you should always have your doctor’s prescribed medication with you.If they are not with you for any reason, or pressure mobility is not typical for you and the rise occurred suddenly – first of all, you need to measure your blood pressure. Below is a table with the average values ​​of normal blood pressure, but each person should know their individual working pressure.

If the pressure surge exceeds 40 units, you should immediately call a local doctor or emergency medical care, lie down with your head raised on a pillow and put cold on your legs and warmth on your forehead.This will help reduce headaches, as well as avoid pre-infarction and pre-stroke conditions. If the jump exceeds 80 units, you should call an ambulance and lie down with warmth on your head and cold on your legs.

If the pressure did not rise too much, but it feels like an indisposition, you can lower it on your own and without medication.

Basic techniques:

1. Heat + cold. This is the main and most effective technique described above. You need to lie down, taking off the embarrassing clothes, put a warm compress on your forehead, and a heating pad with ice on your legs.

2. Massage. Rubbing movements need to massage the collar zone (neck, shoulders, base of the head), then the chest and abdomen. After the massage, you need to lie down.

3. Contrast foot baths. The feet are dipped alternately in cold and hot water for 2-3 minutes. The procedure ends in 20 minutes with cold water.

4. Hot bath for hands. The brushes should be immersed in moderately hot water for 10-15 minutes.

5. Walk. If the weather is not hot, and the rise in pressure is small, you can go out into the fresh air, sit on a bench.In any case, an influx of fresh air is needed – remove embarrassing clothing, open a window, etc.

6. Holding the breath. This technique is used for sharp, but small surges in blood pressure. The breath is delayed for 8-10 counts, for 2-3 minutes. The procedure should be discontinued if dizziness begins. After that, you need to lie down and stay at rest for 10-15 minutes.

7. Slight flow of hot water. The method is also used with a slight pressure surge.With a strong rise in blood pressure, bend over in no case. A slight stream of hot water is directed to the back of the head for 5-7 minutes.

8. Compress with apple cider vinegar. Gauze or other natural fabric is moistened with apple cider vinegar and applied to the feet for 10-15 minutes.

9. Diuretic. Of non-medicinal products, linden and lingonberry tea, tea made from rosehip berries and bearberry leaves, and parsley broth have a good diuretic effect.

10. Drink with lemon and honey.200-250 ml of mineral water is mixed with 1/2 lemon and a spoonful of honey.

.