How to Manage High Blood Sugar Successfully

Everyday Steps to Control Prediabetes and Diabetes

 Practical advice for adults living with high blood sugar

High blood sugar, also called hyperglycemia, happens when there is too much glucose in your blood. This often comes with prediabetes or diabetes, which are very common in Latin American and urban communities. High blood sugar can slowly damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels, often without obvious symptoms at first. Managing blood sugar is about more than avoiding sweets. Your meals, activity level, stress, sleep, and medications all influence your numbers. The goal is not perfection—it is steady habits that fit your real life and help prevent long‑term complications.

Tips for daily blood sugar success

● Learn your target blood sugar range and A1C goal; write them down or save them on your phone.

● Use a simple plate method: half vegetables, one quarter lean protein (fish, chicken, beans), one quarter starch (rice, pasta, plantains, tortillas, yuca).

● Take a short walk (10–20 minutes) after meals to help lower blood sugar naturally.

● Take diabetes medications or insulin exactly as prescribed; do not change doses without speaking to your doctor.

● Track your blood sugar and what you eat to spot patterns (certain foods, times, or stress that raise your numbers).

● Work on better sleep and stress management, since both can push blood sugar higher. ● Ask your clinic about diabetes education classes or nutrition support in your preferred language.

When to call your doctor or seek urgent care

● You have several blood sugar readings outside the range your doctor gave you.

● You feel very thirsty, urinate often, feel very tired, or notice fruity‑smelling breath.

● You have repeated low blood sugars (shakiness, confusion, sweating), especially if you use insulin or certain pills.

● You notice numbness or burning in your feet, slow‑healing sores, or changes in your vision.