According to the Institute of Medicine, the daily fiber for men is 30 to 38 grams and 21 to 25 grams for women. Good sources of fiber are whole grain products, fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. To increase the fiber in your diet, start your day off with having a high fiber breakfast cereal with at least five grams of fiber and at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables. Meals later in the day can include beans and legumes.
Drink More Water
Drinking water can help control blood glucose levels. When blood sugars are elevated, the kidneys try to remove the excess glucose in the urine. Drinking water helps the glucose to be flushed out of the blood and rehydrates the body. It’s recommended that women have eight, 200 ml glasses per day and men around 10, 200 ml glasses per day. Avoid flavored waters or sweetened sparkling water as some of these contain high amounts of sugar. Plain water is best.
Reduce Stress Levels
Have you ever noticed that your blood sugars spike when you’re upset? This is because stress can raise your blood glucose levels. Stressful situations such as infections, serious illness or significant emotional stress causes the release of hormones such as epinephrine, cortisol and glucagon which makes your liver release more glucose and your body tissues to be less sensitive to insulin. Exercise and relaxation techniques such as yoga or mindfulness meditation can lower blood sugars and improve insulin secretion in chronic diabetes.