So, you’re Type 2 Diabetic, and you have just tested your blood sugar.  The reading is in the double digits… 10.0 mmol or higher.  Now what?

Most importantly, remember that every person’s body is different.  But for most, if not all diabetics, the symptoms of high blood sugar include, lethargy, a dry mouth, very thirsty, frequent urinating, irritability (that’s me!!), sometimes nausea, shortness of breath, a “fruity” smelling breath, and tummy pains.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, please check your blood sugar, so that you know how to act.  And remember, only insulin can bring down blood sugar.  Metformin’s role in the body is to reduce the amount of glucagon that the liver produces (not to reduce blood sugar), so you can’t simply take a tablet.

Some of the most effective ways I have learned to reduce high blood sugar: –

1. Relax!  Don’t panic.  The stress hormone (cortisol) will only make your blood sugar higher.  meditate
2. Drink tepid water with a dash of lemon or apple cider vinegar.
3. Take a walk. (But not if your blood sugar is higher than 12.0 mmol)
4. Take a hot bath.
5.  Don’t eat anything until your blood sugar comes down to single digits between 5.0 mmol and 8.0 mmol.

1. Meditation helps the body to relax.  Taking deep breaths in (count to 5) and out (count to five) will help reduce your heart rate.  Sit quietly, and breathe.  Remember, you can live without food for 40 days, and without water for potentially 2 weeks, but you can’t live without oxygen for more than 45 seconds!
2. Drinking tepid (lukewarm) water (rather than cold), is absorbed far quicker into the blood, than cold water.  Lukewarm speeds up digestion. It can quickly break down food particles and aids in better absorption of nutrients. When you drink plenty of warm water, it will ensure that you do not get dehydrated, and quickly flush out the excess glucose from the blood.  So, drink a glass of lukewarm water every 30 minutes.
3. Exercise is key to help with blood sugar management in Type 2 diabetics.  When you do moderate exercise, like walking, that makes your heart beat a little faster and breathe a little harder. Your muscles use more glucose, i.e., the sugar in your bloodstream, and over time, this can lower your blood sugar levels. It also makes the insulin in your body work better.  So take a slow walk for about 30 minutes to help reduce high blood sugar.  BUT… and a very big BUT … Don’t do any exercise if your blood sugar is more than 12.0 mmol.  And the reason for this is that your brain thinks you need glucose for energy, and so sends a message to your liver to dump more glucose into the body.  This also applies to working out with an anaerobic heart rate.  Rather keep your heart rate in an aerobic state, so your body can use the existing glucose for energy.
4. Taking a hot bath also helps to reduce high blood sugar.  It has been reported that lying in a warm-to-hot bath helps to expand our cells, thereby using the excess sugar in the blood.  So, add a cup of Epsom Salts to the water and relax with a book for an hour.  The Epsom Salts will also help drain any stress from the muscles.  The relaxation also reduces stress.
5. Don’t eat anything until your blood sugar comes down to single digits between 5,0 mmol and 8.0 mmol.  You don’t want to add more glucose to your blood!  Remember, literally everything we eat, including protein, converts to glucose once it hits the stomach.

Hyperglycemia is not to be taken lightly.  It’s extremely dangerous and can land you in a coma if you’re not careful with your health.    Depending on YOUR body, and how you’re feeling, if your blood sugar goes higher than 18 mmol, please consult your doctor, or get yourself to an emergency room, where you will be placed on a saline drip for about 2 hours.

Reducing high blood sugar in T2 diabetics can take a long time.  And, remember that when our blood sugar reaches double digits, 10.0 mmol and higher, that’s when the overload of glucose gets stored in our organs and can cause irreparable damage.

Respect and love your body enough to be responsive with your food and blood sugar management.