People who suffer from high blood sugar need to control their condition through exercise, diet, and medication. Many diabetics aren’t aware of their blood sugar fluctuations. There are simple methods to tell whether one’s blood sugar is too high. If these symptoms appear after meals and they occur frequently, the person’s blood sugar may be too high and they will need to pay closer attention to their condition.
4 symptoms of high blood sugar
1. Obvious drowsiness after meals
After eating, most of the blood is concentrated in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, at this time, the blood supply to the brain is reduced, which makes you feel drowsy after a meal. If the drowsiness is very obvious and occurs frequently after meals, it may be a sign of high blood sugar.
2. Hungry after eating
If you feel very hungry just after eating, it may be related to having high blood sugar. When there is not enough insulin to break down the glucose in foods and send it to the brain and cells, the brain will send out a hunger signal. If more food is eaten at that time, the blood sugar will get even higher. It is important to monitor blood sugar over time.
3. Excessive thirst after a meal
Diabetic patients have symptoms such as extreme thirst and excessive urination. When the blood sugar is high, the kidneys will make more urine to pass the extra sugar out of the body. This uses up the water in your body, and thus makes you thirsty. If you are always thirsty and the thirst continues even if you drink water non-stop, it may be caused by high blood sugar.
4. Feeling tired after meals
If you often feel tired and lack energy after meals or resting, it’s important to pay attention to your blood sugar levels. When there’s insufficient insulin secretion, the glucose in your body can’t be fully utilized, and your body won’t receive the proper supply of glucose it needs for energy.
3 things to help avoid high blood sugar after meals
1. Adjust your diet
Staple foods should not contain a lot of carbohydrates, as they can easily increase blood sugar after meals. That being said, you can’t completely stop eating them. It is better to increase the intake of whole grains such as oats, brown rice, and quinoa. Whole grains have a lower glycemic index, which means they don’t raise blood sugar as strongly.
2. Adjust the order of meals
When eating a meal, pay attention to the order in which you eat the foods, as research has shown that this can have an impact on blood sugar levels. Start with vegetables and meat, followed by the staple food. Vegetables contain dietary fiber, and the speed of blood sugar rise is relatively slow. Eating them first increases satiety and reduces the amount of staple food desired. When your blood sugar is stable, you can eat fruits with a lower glycemic index, such as cherries and grapefruit. It is recommended to eat some fruit between meals.
3. Exercise after eating
Half an hour of moderate exercise after a meal can increase energy consumption and further control blood sugar after a meal, however, do not exercise too vigorously. Walking is a great way to do low-key exercise after eating.
Translated by Patty Zhang
