How To Improve Blood Sugar Control With Exercise | Dr Javier Gonzalez And Dr Sarah Berry [845c46]
Post Time: 2025-07-29
Maintaining a healthy blood sugar range is crucial for optimal health, and understanding what it entails can be overwhelming. However, by breaking down the process into manageable chunks, you can take control of your health and make informed decisions about your lifestyle.
The Science Behind Normal Blood Sugar Range Explained A normal blood sugar range is between 70-130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals for adults. However, this can vary depending on factors such as age, weight, and overall health. For instance, pregnant women require a slightly different target range to ensure the well-being of both mother and child.
When it comes to blood sugar regulation, insulin plays a crucial role in managing glucose levels. Insulin sensitivity is essential for effective glucose uptake by cells, which can be impacted by factors such as genetics, diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle choices. For instance, research has shown that regular physical activity improves insulin sensitivity in both healthy individuals and those with type 2 diabetes.
The Link Between Stress and Blood Sugar Range Fluctuations Stress is a common cause of blood sugar fluctuations, often leading to elevated levels due to the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Elevated cortisol triggers an increase in glucose production by the liver, resulting in higher blood sugar levels. Exercise can help alleviate this issue; it helps reduce overall inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity.
While managing daily life can be stressful enough, combining work or family pressures with other responsibilities may lead you to rely more heavily on processed foods high in added sugars. However, there are healthy options available that support stable energy levels without the negative consequences associated with refined carbohydrates like white bread and sugary snacks.
Diet's Impact on Your Blood Sugar Range: Separating Fact from Fiction Foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins have an essential role in stabilizing blood sugar. Consuming foods rich in fiber is especially beneficial; soluble fiber found primarily in plant-based sources of food can help slow glucose absorption and reduce postprandial spikes.
It's not uncommon to see a recommendation for "low-carb" diets or the removal of all sugars, but it may be more productive to look at your diet as an opportunity to build nutrient-dense meals that combine foods high in fiber content with other protein-rich sources. Foods such as beans and nuts can help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day.
The Role of Supplements in Supporting Healthy Blood Sugar Levels When selecting supplements, consider options containing chromium picolinate or alpha-lipoic acid; both have been associated with reduced glucose levels during clinical trials. These natural substances work by enhancing insulin action at a cellular level and are relatively safe to use alongside medication as needed.
For individuals seeking further assistance in managing their blood sugar range, there's research supporting the beneficial effects of dietary polyphenols on metabolic health – they may even help counteract the negative impact associated with stress-related cortisol surges.
Blood sugar. It's one of the rare areas in nutrition where everyone agrees: we should big avoid peaks and dips and aim for a steady curve. Spikes cause inflammation, accelerate aging and lead to type 2 diabetes. Crashes make us feel moody and tired and crave food we don’t need. We can control our blood sugar through what and how we eat. But there’s something else affecting our blood sugar — physical activity. Exercise has a profound effect on our blood sugar response, and in conjunction with your food choices, it will help you maintain a more even blood sugar level for a healthier life. Jonathan speaks to Javier Gonzalez blood sugar 101 website and Sarah Berry to find out how exercise affects our blood sugar response, how much exercise we need to benefit, and the effect exercising may have on our blood sugar, even while fasting: Javier Gonzalez is an associate professor of Human Physiology at the University of Bath whose research focuses on understanding the interaction between diet and exercise. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition, who has personally run over 20 randomized clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats. If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinZOE.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction 00:51 - Quickfire questions 02:09 - Is a 30-minute walk as good as 30-minute cardio? 02:54 - blood sugar 2.8 What is blood sugar and why should we care about it? 04:28 - Blood sugar control throughout the day 07:11 - Why is it important to know about blood sugar? 08:31 - Blood sugar control 12:03 - How exercise affects blood sugar 14:03 - The power of fidgeting 16:04 - Effects of blood sugar keeps dropping not diabetic higher intensity exercise 16:55 - Lower intensity exercise vs higher intensity exercise 18:41 - Intermittent fasting and blood sugar 24:57 - Personalization 26:51 - What types of exercises can you do to control blood sugar? 29:36 - Cardio vs resistance training 34:59 - Blood fats & exercise 43:11 - 3 tips on leveraging exercise to control blood sugar and blood fats 44:13 - Summary 45:25 - Goodbyes 45:36 - Outro Episode transcripts are available here: Follow Javier on Twitter: Follow Sarah on Instagram: Follow ZOE on Instagram: Have an idea for a podcast? Contact Fascinate Productions to bring it to life: