This Secret Health Hack Can Keep Your Blood Sugar Level All Day
Having balanced blood sugar levels is important for your overall health and well-being. According to Verywell Health, when blood sugar levels are too high, otherwise known as hyperglycemia, this can cause nausea, dehydration, headaches, and shortness of breath. When you have low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, this can cause sweating, shaking, fatigue, or dizziness.
Because our blood sugar levels fluctuate based on the food we eat, one way we can keep them in check is by monitoring what and how often we're eating (via Healthline). Eating every three to five hours and having a good mix of protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrates in your diet can help keep your glucose levels balanced.
Exercise is another excellent way to manage glucose levels as the energy needed for physical activity requires your body to utilize the sugar in your blood, per Healthline. Regular physical activity also promotes the production of insulin, a blood sugar-balancing hormone that helps your cells absorb glucose to make energy. Now if you're looking for a new method of keeping your glucose levels balanced, this surprising chilly hack may do the trick.
Using cold therapy to balance blood sugar
According to MindBodyGreen, cold therapy is one of the best ways to manage your glucose levels, thanks to the fact that our bodies produce brown fat when we are exposed to cold temperatures. Our bodies are always trying to maintain a state of homeostasis, and this is especially true when it comes to regulating our internal temperature. When we are exposed to the cold, our bodies react by absorbing fat and sugar in our blood to produce brown fat in order to warm up back up, per the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Fortunately, you don't have to go outside and roll in the snow for hours or spend your evening in a bathtub full of ice to reap the rewards of cold therapy. According to MindBodyGreen, cold exposure from 30 seconds up to a maximum of 10 minutes should suffice in lowering your blood sugar levels. This gives you some flexibility in deciding how to utilize this practice. You can splash your face with cold water for a minute, switch to cold water for the last 30 seconds of your shower, or even take a walk outside if the weather is brisk enough (via MindBodyGreen).