Let’s talk about the one trick that can help everyone with diabetes – stabilising spikes in blood glucose levels after meals. Achieving stable glucose levels is the key to diabetes remission.

First up, why do these spikes occur?

Most of our food has some or the other type of starches and sugars. These, on digestion, break down to their simplest form, i.e. Glucose. This glucose then enters the bloodstream to be circulated to every cell in the body. Cells will use this glucose to manufacture energy for the body’s various functions. In other words, glucose is the fuel and your cells are part of the machine.

So the post-prandial glucose spike is not just normal but essential.

In type 2 diabetes and other sugar-related disorders like PCOS, obesity etc. we see ineffective use of this blood glucose for producing energy by the cells. This means blood glucose levels end up being higher for longer periods and hence all the damage.

The most logical way of managing these spikes is by eating balanced meals. As you can see in the diagram above,

carbohydrates cause the highest and quickest spike
protein is next
and fats are the lowest and slowest.

Thus the easiest way of managing your spikes is by adding small amounts of the foods that cause a spike and combine them with other foods that don’t.

I know I am making it sound easy but it is not! Even our typical dal chawal sabji will cause a spike when not planned well. Let alone, weekends when we could be eating anything from sushi to pizzas. They will all cause spikes.

Here are 3 hacks to slow down that spike

Add Methi Seeds to Your Meal

If you have a carbohydrate-rich element in your meal roti, rice, potato etc. always include methi seeds or fenugreek seeds in that meal. These tiny seeds are packed with soluble fibre that has been shown to slow down spikes. Regular consumption of fenugreek seeds is also associated with improved HbA1c, lower triglycerides (1), improved digestion and hormonal imbalance in women with PCOS.

You can consume around 10g or 2 tsp throughout the day, ideally with meals:

1. Add powdered seeds to your roti dough
2. Have methi seeds chutney along with your meal (you can find the recipe in my free recipe book)
3. Have soaked methi seeds in water around meals

ACV to your rescue!

Did you just give in to temptation and now your worried about that spike in glucose levels?

This recipe will save the day.

Take about 100 ml of warm water, add 2 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon Powder.

Gulp this down like a shot. This will prevent or slow down the spike.

PS: this is a cheat code to be used a little here and there and not a replacement for bad food choices!

Both of these have shown excellent results in reducing a glucose spike and this drink will start lowering your levels within 30 minutes.

I like to move it move it!

Your muscles are your best friend when it comes to post-prandial spikes. When active, muscles will take up huge amounts of glucose and covert them to energy,

By simply going for a 15-minute walk (2), doing 20-25 squats or climbing up 4-5 flights of stairs, you will get your levels down by 30-35 points within minutes.

So these are 3 hacks or cheat codes that will ensure your blood glucose levels stay stable. They will be of great help especially when you are out at parties, weddings, etc. While these are hacks that will give you short-term gain, this is not the best way for you regularly. If your glucose levels are unstable, you must get onto a nutrition plan to fix that from the root cause. Have a look at our Diabetes Reversal Program to start.