EP269: Rava Idli & My Blood Sugar | South Indian Food Series [ac8b22]

Understanding Your Blood Sugar Range: A Crucial Step in Diabetes Management

Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range is essential for individuals living with diabetes, but it's equally important for those who are at risk of developing the condition. The ideal blood sugar range varies from person to person and can be influenced by factors such as age, weight, physical activity level, and overall health.

The Science Behind Blood Sugar Regulation

When you eat or drink anything containing carbohydrates, your body breaks down these carbs into glucose (sugar) for energy. Insulin is the hormone responsible for facilitating this process by allowing sugar to enter cells. However, if there's an imbalance in insulin production or its inability to effectively how to regulate blood sugar use available insulin results in high blood sugar levels.

What Causes Fluctuations in Your Blood Sugar Range?

Several factors can contribute to fluctuations in your blood sugar range, including diet and exercise habits. Consuming foods with a high glycemic index (GI) causes a significant spike in blood glucose levels due to its rapid digestion. Foods such as white bread, sugary snacks, or sweetened beverages should be minimized.

Why Maintaining a Stable Blood Sugar Range Is Crucial

Maintaining stable blood sugar ranges is crucial because fluctuations can have far-reaching consequences on various aspects of health. Unstable blood sugar levels increase the risk of diabetes-related complications like cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, and vision loss. Regular exercise, particularly aerobic activities like walking or jogging for at least 150 minutes per week helps improve insulin sensitivity.

The Role of Diet in Maintaining a Healthy Blood Sugar Range

A well-planned diet plays an essential role is 174 high blood sugar in maintaining blood sugar stability. Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and whole-wheat bread are good alternatives to refined carbohydrates as they have less impact on blood glucose 337 blood sugar level levels due to their lower GI value.

How Sleep Affects Your Blood Sugar Range and What You Can Do

Lack of quality sleep affects the body's ability to regulate blood sugar by impairing insulin sensitivity. Aim for 7-8 hours of restful, uninterrupted sleep each night as inadequate or fragmented sleep is linked with reduced glucose uptake in cells.

Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range through awareness of the underlying factors that influence it can help prevent diabetes-related complications and improve overall health outcomes. By understanding what contributes to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and taking proactive steps like regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, stress reduction strategies (like yoga), you're empowered with tools for optimal well-being management.

We all love South Indian food and have it regularly and the purpose is to see which one of these classic dishes give the highest & lowest sugar spikes so I know what to order. After this series, I will do a meal improvement series as well for South Indian food! . South Indian Food Series Schedule: 1. Rice Idli: +31mg 2. Rava Idli: **TODAY** 3. Medu Vada 4. Plain Vada 5. Masala Dosa 6. Rava Masala Dosa 7. Uttapam (Tomato Onion) Note: Readings will be different recipe to recipe. I’m hoping for a general trend to emerge so I know before ordering! . The Sugar Spike Show is a micro series on reels & shorts, where I show the impact of popular foods & drinks on my blood sugar and find ways to reduce the spike. Disclaimer: I’m not a diabetic. Results are different for each person, especially for diabetics & can change from recipe to recipe. My own results vary a little day to day. Ideally, each person should tests on themselves. Glycemic load, calories, quality & quantity of food, all of these matter. Finally, I am not a doctor & this is not medical advice. . How to see my results: Best is to get an idea of which foods spike more and which ones spike less, and develop an intuition based on ingredients. Don’t focus on absolute numbers. . Why I’m doing this if I’m not a diabetic: I’ve noticed that having steady glucose levels makes me feel good & I get lesser food cravings. Plus, prevention is the best medicine. Research today shows that high blood sugar variability over time can lead to diabetes, heart disease & obesity. Please see the work of Dr. Rob Lustig, Dr. Casey Means, Dr. Michael Snyder & Jessie Inchauspé. . My personal aim: 1. Blood sugar increase after eating = 30-40mg/dl or lower 2. Return to baseline = Within 3 hours 3. Range = Be within 70-120mg/dl for 80% of the day