A slightly high figure on a blood test can change everything. When blood sugar exceeds 1.10 g/l but remains below 1.26 g/l, we enter the prediabetes area. If the news can upset you, at this stage, nothing is irreversible.
“”It is not because we reach this stage that we will become diabetic“Recalls the dietician Anaïs Soize. But it is an alert signal, a decisive moment when it becomes urgent to adapt her lifestyle.
The right reflex is not to remove all sugars at once. It is to understand what brings blood sugar levels and to act intelligently to stabilize it.
Glycemic index, a tool to know which foods consume
Limit sugar, yes, but not just how. According to Anaïs Soize, “It is not only the amount of sugar that counts, it is the speed at which it increases blood sugar“. This is where the glycemic index (IG) becomes a precious ally. It classifies foods according to their ability to raise the level of blood sugar, comparing them to glucose syrup, the most extreme reference.
And surprise: certain current foods increase blood sugar more than sugar itself. This is the case with white rice, cooked carrots, watermelon, or semolina. Conversely, foods rich in fiber, more complete or less processed, will have a softer impact.
Favor fibers and proteins to better regulate sugar
To smooth glycemic peaks, the secret is to intelligently mix food. “You have to think in glycemic loads, not in isolated foods” explains the dietician. Associate a starchy with a vegetable rich in fiber, add a protein source, avoid ultra-transformed dishes: each detail counts.
The fibers slow down the absorption of sugar. Proteins satisfy and stabilize energy. Together, they reduce the mud of blood sugar that tire the pancreas. And the more we avoid these peaks, the less the body develops resistance to insulin.
Reduce long cooking and “premmed” foods
Another trap to avoid, according to our expert: foods that are too cooked, too small, or too transformed. “When we reduce the size of a food, you make it easier to digest, so faster assimilated … and more sweet” she underlines. Between a paste, bulgur and semolina, the semolina is the one that most raises blood sugar.
The advice? Favor short cooking, firm textures, whole or semi-complete cereals. Anything that requires a little more effort to be digested slows down the passage from sugar in the blood. And that’s exactly what we are looking for.
Move at the right time, especially after meals
Walking within 30 minutes after the meal must also become a reflex, as far as possible. “”This is when the sugar level begins to climb, so it’s also the best time to burn it“Affirms soze. A gentle activity is enough to solicit the muscles, which will draw this sugar to work.
And the more physical activity is regular, the more insulin sensitivity promotes sensitivity. This avoids that sugar will accumulate … and turn into fat. Because abdominal fat, often linked to insulin resistance, is the first to be targeted by this type of effort.
A good sleep to calm cravings and hormones
Finally, take care of your sleep. “”Poor sleep increases insulin resistance and promotes sugar desires to compensate for the lack of energy“Explains Anaïs Soize. The result: a more unstable blood sugar, an appetite more difficult to control, and a weight gain that sets up.”The brain then sends bad signals: we think we need to eat, when in reality, we just need to sleep. Rebalancing your sleep is therefore as strategic as rebalancing your plate“She concludes.