Food timing
Save your dinner roll for dessert: Eating protein, vegetables, and fat before carbs resulted in significantly lower postmeal blood sugar readings in a recent study. And make lunch your biggest meal, since research finds that blood sugar control is worse in the evening than earlier in the day.
Sleep well
Studies find that people who regularly get 5 or fewer hours of sleep are more than twice as likely to have diabetes. Shorting your z’s throws off body rhythms that help control blood sugar and boosts stress hormones that make it harder for the body to use insulin.
Medications
The go-to drug, metformin (Glucophage, Riomet), effectively lowers glucose and promotes weight loss. Plenty of other meds stock the arsenal, too, including GLP-1 receptor agonists (Byetta, Trulicity), which enhance the body’s ability to release insulin, and the newer SGLT2 inhibitors (Farxiga, Jardiance), which help the kidneys excrete blood sugar in urine.
Insulin
Lately doctors have started suggesting synthetic insulin (Lantus, Humalog U-200, Toujeo) a bit earlier in treatment because it’s a reliable and easily adjustable way to keep blood sugar levels stable 24/7. It’s available in short-and long-acting forms and now can be dispensed in handy pen injectors.
Weight-loss surgery
About 70% of people with diabetes who have surgery see the disease go into remission. The weight loss causes hormonal changes that keep blood sugar even. Consider it if your BMI is over 35 and drugs and habit changes haven’t done the trick.
Written by RICHARD LALIBERTE on Prevention