How High Blood Sugar Shortens Your Life: Part 5: How to keep your blood sugar in the ideal range for longevity 07/20/12

In the previous articles on this subject I discussed how high blood sugar increases risk for:

Diabetes and its complications

Heart disease

Kidney disease (chronic renal failure)

Macular degeneration and other retinopathies that cause vision loss

Cancer

Alzheimer’s disease (type 3 diabetes)

There is no question that long-term blood sugar control is a key factor in longevity and remaining disease-free. The blood sugar level that is associated with the best longevity is a fasting glucose level  that is at or below 5.0 mmol/L  (90 mg/dL). The question is how do you ensure that you get your blood sugar into this range?  Here are the proven and realistic strategies to help  make this happen:

• Keep refined sugars to a minimum unless you are marathon athlete training 3 hours per day
• Don’t over indulge in starchy carbs, like potatoes, pasta, and bread. Rice is a better choice, but don’t overdo it. Of course, whole grain rice is best.
• Perform at least 30-45 mins of aerobic exercise, five or more times per week.
• Use low glycemic carbs that don’t raise blood sugar abruptly. Good examples are beans, peas, oats, non-sweet vegetables (spinach , bok choy, snap peas, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc)
• Have vegetable, bean or lentil soup as a side dish instead of rice, pasta or potatoes
• Consume foods that help slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, such as oats, apples, oat fiber, other fiber supplements (e.g. psyllium, PGX, ground flaxseeds)
• Use low fat popcorn as a late night snack in place of other choices
• Take a supplement containing chromium, hydroxycitric acid and catechins  (from decaffeinated green tea)
• Keep your body fat in the ideal range
• Keep your waist circumference at or below 36 inches if you are a man and at or below 33 inches if you are a woman.
• If you are under stress, take a supplement to suppress cortisol release (cortisol elevates blood sugar levels), which includes ashwaghanda, schisandra and rodiola. Also try to incorporate yoga, meditation or progressive relaxation exercises into your schedule.
• Supplementation with bitter melon may also help to reduce blood sugar.

Summary

High blood sugar (glucose) is due to faulty dietary and lifestyle practices in most cases. I suggest you follow the tips mentioned above to get your blood sugar in the ideal range. To gain a greater appreciation for these and other health-promotion/anti-aging/disease prevention strategies download a free copy of my book from www.meschinohealth.com (see downloads on home page for Optimal Living Program Book free download).

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