High Blood Sugar? Stay Hydrated!

Depending on how old you are and what your gender is, at least 50% of your body mass is water. Why is that? Because chemical reactions in our body take place in an aqueous solution. When we're dehydrated, those processes are somewhat compromised.

We lose water every day. We lose it when we exercise because we're sweating and breathing out a lot of fluid. Even if we're not exercising, we're still sweating and breathing. We're losing water all the time and it needs to be replenished.

With blood sugar issues, it’s important that you're hydrated, because if you're not, dehydration concentrates the blood, which increases your blood sugar more than it already might be. High blood sugar causes problems in a body that doesn't handle blood sugar very well.

We don't want any more insulin resistance than is already present and want to avoid any complications down the line. We want to make sure we stay as hydrated as possible.

So how do you deal with dehydration? Drink water!

Many people don't care for the taste of water, but that's the thing we need to rehydrate. Things like coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks are all fluids, but they're not the best to rehydrate our body.

Anything with caffeine in it is going to act like a diuretic (a substance that makes you urinate more fluid out of your body). Energy drinks have ingredients that are not necessarily the best for your health. Sodas have a lot of sugar so anyone with blood sugar issues will want to avoid them.

If you don't like plain water, you can add something to it like lemon or cucumber slices, or you might put something like mint to make it a little more refreshing. You can also think about drinking sparkling water. The carbonation can actually make you feel a little bit full.

Just a word about diet sodas. They contain artificial sweeteners that can have a negative effect on your brain function, so just be cautious about that.

How much water do we need to drink? Take your weight in pounds, divide it by two and that's the number of ounces you should get a day. Use that as a starting point because in some cases you may need more – if you live in the desert, if you work outside in the heat, if you exercise regularly, then you may need to drink more. Talk to your doc about your situation for best guidance.

Stay hydrated. You'll feel much better.

Elaine Stewart, CHC

This document is for educational and informational purposes only and solely as a self-help tool for your own use. I am not providing medical, psychological, or nutrition therapy advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. Always seek the advice of your own medical practitioner and/or mental health provider about your specific health situation. For my full Disclaimer, please click Here.

This episode was produced and marketed by the Get Known Service