Ever seen a high blood sugar number and felt a wave of panic? Don’t worry, you’re not alone—and, more importantly, you’re not helpless. There’s no magic button to instantly drop your blood sugar, but there are proven strategies you can use right now (and every day) for better control. Let’s dive into the five most effective steps you can take to get your blood sugar headed in the right direction. (Based on the insights of Dr. Cyrus Khambatta)
Key Takeaways:
- Movement clears glucose—even if insulin isn’t working well.
- Hydration sets the stage for effective blood sugar control.
- Eating the right meal calms your liver and supports insulin sensitivity.
- Stress management isn’t optional—it directly impacts your glucose.
- Consistent tracking turns numbers into progress, not stress.
1. Move Your Body for 15 Minutes: Turn Muscles into Glucose Vacuums
If there were an “emergency brake” for high blood sugar, it’s movement—especially walking. The magic? When your muscles contract, they can pull glucose out of your bloodstream and into the cells without needing insulin at all. This is true for everyone, but it’s extra powerful if your cells aren’t responding well to insulin (hello, insulin resistance!).
Think of insulin as a key and your cell a rusty lock: movement opens a side door. Even a gentle walk after meals dropped blood sugar and improved daily glucose control in studies. No gym membership needed, just simple movement. Bonus: the effect can last for hours, keeping blood sugar lower way after your walk ends.
Can’t walk? You’re not out of luck! One of your most glucose-gobbling muscles—the deep calf muscle called the soleus—can be activated while sitting. Just move your heels up and down while keeping the balls of your feet on the floor for 10–15 minutes. Even these seated “soleus push-ups” boost glucose uptake. Remember, you may not see an instant drop, but you are opening a drain—not just flipping a switch. The glucose will keep flowing out of the bloodstream for hours.
2. Drink Water Consistently: Dehydration Will Sabotage You
This seems almost too simple, but hydration is a blood sugar powerhouse. When your blood sugar rises, your kidneys dump water in an effort to lower glucose. The higher your sugar goes, the more water you lose—which makes the glucose in your blood more concentrated and the numbers look even worse.
Imagine dissolving a spoonful of sugar in a full glass of water versus a half-empty one: the less water there is, the sweeter (read: higher blood sugar) it gets. Plus, being dehydrated boosts stress hormones in your body, which can worsen glucose control further. Studies consistently connect good hydration with healthier blood sugar.
But don’t make the classic mistake of trying to “flush” sugar out. Water won’t force sugar out of your blood directly—it just helps your kidneys, improves blood volume, and keeps the rest of your glucose-lowering tools working efficiently. So, if your blood sugar is high, grab a glass, drink it slowly, and keep sipping throughout the next hour. Hydration doesn’t win the fight for you—but nothing else works well without it.
3. Don’t Skip Your Next Meal: Use Food Strategically
Spot a high blood sugar reading and immediately swear off your next meal? Not so fast—literally! If you have insulin resistance, skipping meals often backfires. When you don’t eat, your body freaks out a little, jacks up stress hormones, and tells your liver to release even more glucose. That’s why people sometimes see a new spike hours later, even without eating.
The solution? Use your next meal to send a “safe” signal to your liver and muscles. How? Choose a meal that’s high fiber, low saturated fat, and full of intact plant foods (think: lots of colorful veggies, legumes, potatoes, or whole grains—without added oils).
Why does this work? Insulin resistance often starts with fat clogging up your liver and muscles. Fiber-rich, low-fat foods slowly clear that congestion, restoring healthy insulin signaling. Yes, you might spike from chickpeas or rice now—but over time, this way of eating helps your body become far more tolerant of carbs. It’s not an instant fix, but it targets the root problem, not just the numbers.
4. Calm Your Nervous System: Stress Pushes Sugar Up Fast
Blood sugar drama isn’t just about carbs—it’s also about hormones. When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol and adrenaline, which tell your liver to dump glucose for a fight-or-flight response. Even without food, stress alone can send your blood sugar soaring.
Research proves that stress management is a metabolic tool, not just mental hygiene. Techniques like slow breathing, mindfulness, or gentle yoga literally send “all clear” signals from your brain to your liver, which pulls the brakes on extra glucose release. Even a two-minute breathing practice (inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds—repeat) can help activate your body’s relaxation system, lowering liver glucose output.
Think of it as turning down the faucet while you’re trying to open the drain and clear the clog. All three actions matter: movement, nutrition, and relaxation.
5. Track Fasting Glucose: Know What’s Working
Finally, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Fasting blood glucose (your sugar level first thing in the morning) is an excellent indicator of liver insulin sensitivity. If your trend is heading down over weeks, you know your underlying biology is improving—not just your day-to-day numbers.
Track your fasting glucose along with meal timing, saturated fat intake, stress, sleep, and fiber. Over time, patterns will jump out at you: maybe late dinners or stress are pushing your numbers up. Tracking isn’t about judging yourself, it’s about knowing what steps are actually working for you.
Conclusion: Stop Chasing Numbers, Start Changing Your Biology
High blood sugar isn’t just about what you eat. It’s a traffic problem—glucose isn’t getting where it needs to go, and your liver keeps adding more. The steps above each target a different part of that jam: movement opens muscle doors, hydration sets the stage, the right food clears the internal clutter, relaxation turns down the faucet, and tracking ensures you’re flying in the right direction.
This isn’t a one-and-done fix or a hack. It’s about making your body work the way it was designed, so high blood sugar stops feeling scary and you get back in control—confidently.
Remember: that high number is feedback, not a verdict. Now you have the tools to respond calmly and effectively.
Source: Dr. Cyrus Khambatta