Glucose is introduced to our blood stream either through some form of intake, or through our liver converting what’s available to glucose.

Several factors can increase glucose levels during the day. These include consumption of food, especially those high in carbohydrates, lack of physical activity, stress, illness, and certain medications. Also, the dawn phenomenon, a natural rise in blood sugar levels in the early morning hours, can lead to increased glucose levels.

These factors can be summed up into 3 main categories. Consumption, Stress, and Bio-Rhythm

Consumption

In its simplest form, glucose level reflects what you ate. Most food will increase your glucose level. How much of an increase and for how long may be different depending on what you ate, how much you ate and how you ate them.

What you eat

While most food will increase glucose level, some foods will increase the level more and faster than others.

Sugar

Purer forms of glucose and fructose are main culprits in increasing our glucose level high and fast. Sugar is the prominent ingredient in our diet that falls into this category. Lowering or removing the intake of sugar will help in controlling the level of glucose.

Carb

Carbohydrate is sugar molecule that is broken down by our body into glucose. It is found in most food types and are prominent in grains, fruit, beans and milk.

Processed

When food is processed in factories, important nutrients are often taken out during the manufacturing process. These missing nutrients are mostly replaced with added sugar, carb, and other chemical additives. Staying away from processed food is a good guideline for controlling glucose level.

Prepared

Impact on one’s glucose may be high depending on how the food is prepared. Even healthy fruit and vegetables may be an issue when they are juiced, reducing the healthy effects of fiber. Food based on ground grains such as bread, noodle, and cake are also prone to increasing glucose levels.

Produced

If it is sweet, it will increase your glucose. However, in general, eating food that are naturally produced with minimal change in its form is a good guidance for controlling your glucose level.

How much you eat

If you are consuming more than your body needs, it will increase your glucose level. Amount you eat should depend on how active you need to be after your meal and what your glucose level is prior to the meal.

How you eat

Recent studies have found glucose levels post meal is influenced by how the food is consumed.

Speed

Consuming large amount of carbohydrates over a short duration will undoubtedly increase your glucose level. Taking your time while consuming food will allow you to eat less and for your glucose level to not spike.

Order

If carbohydrate is consumed first during a meal, it will be digested in full and glucose level will spike. Starting with fibrous followed by protein and finishing with carbohydrate will help reduce glucose spike.

When you eat

As long as you are having a balanced diet whenever you eat, there is no reason you should be eating at set times during the day, especially when your glucose level is already high. When you don’t have plans for any activity that requires more energy, there is no need to consume more energy. Challenge with modern day lifestyle is that we do not spend enough energy while we keep on consuming more energy before the energy from pervious consumption has not been spent, causing glucose level to stack on top of each consumption. If you can’t be active for an hour or two after the meal, glucose level may increase.

Stress

One of our body’s survival instinct is to make sure enough energy is available when it is in danger. Any stress will stop glucose from being ingested and start creating more glucose.

Emotional

Watching sports games or intense movie may increase your blood glucose level. Try to enjoy a more peaceful form of entertainment if your glucose level is already high.

Intellectual

Straining your brain to get some work done may affect your glucose level.

Physical

Normally, exercises will help in decreasing your glucose level. However, high intensity exercise will actually increase your glucose level as your body creates more glucose to support your activity.

Physiological

Whether it is puberty or pregnancy, changes in your body may affect your glucose level.

Dehydration

Your body is largely made up of water. Lack of water will mean measurement of your glucose in terms of mg/dL may be higher due to reduced amount of water in your blood. Apart from the measurement itself, lack of water is a stress to our body that may result in higher glucose level.

Lack of sleep

Many studies have found lack of sleep in terms of duration and quality may result in higher glucose level.

Bio-Rhythm

Everyone’s bio-rhythm is a little different. Circadian rhythm is largely divided into 3 phases of activity, consumption, and sleep. Body will get ready for you to be active by increasing its glucose level. This is especially so if you are exercising at the same time of day. Dawn phenomenon also may increase your glucose level.