Glucose Intolerance – Symptoms, Causes, and At-Home Treatments

symptoms of glucose intolerance

Glucose Intolerance – Symptoms, Causes, and At-Home Treatments

Signs of early glucose intolerance include pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or impaired glucose tolerance. This is a transition phase between being diabetic or non-diabetic. It’s almost like your body is warning you about Glucose Sensitivity Symptoms.

That’s a matter of concern and a pre-warning of change in your sugar level!

In general, glucose intolerance is described as a condition in which normal blood sugar is higher than usual.

This is the stage where it is very easy to become diabetic. It’s like a cautious warning and you definitely shouldn’t be ignoring it! 

Have you lost weight all of a sudden, you urinate very frequently, and often feel tired? These can be the early signs and symptoms of Glucose Intolerance.

Look out for these symptoms of glucose intolerance in detail.

 

Symptoms of Glucose Intolerance

Right below are some of the most common signs of glucose intolerance. If you’ve been noticing multiple signs at once, it’s time to get your blood sugar checked.

  • Parched throat
  • Dry mouth 
  • Fatigued state
  • Blurry vision
  • Frequent urination
  • Loss of muscle mass 

You may experience these symptoms along with unnatural weight loss. This occurs as the insulin is insufficient and the glucose level goes down. 

If you’ve been noticing symptoms, immediately go for Treatment of Glucose Intolerance at Home first and foremost.

Otherwise, the body starts using the fat to gain energy. Diabetes tires people easily. Plus, your mental health also suffers. 

So, experiencing these Specific Glucose Intolerance Symptoms in Adults shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Borderline glucose intolerance is also diagnosed as impaired glucose tolerance. 

 

What Does It Mean to Have Impaired Glucose Tolerance?

Impaired Glucose Tolerance is the condition where glucose level is higher than usual but not enough to call it diabetes.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance Symptoms indicate the need for better prevention measures against diabetes. 

Many times, Signs of Impaired Glucose Tolerance can also be like diabetes. You can try some treatments at home, which will be detailed later on in the blog.

After understanding the symptoms of impaired glucose tolerance, follow-up treatment is necessary.

Since the symptoms of glucose intolerance may be confused with other conditions, look for ways to test yourself.

 

How to Test for Glucose Intolerance?

How to Test for Glucose Intolerance

There are ways to take the initiative and go for Glucose Intolerance Test at home. A home blood glucose test kit can actually be a lifesaver.

Steps for testing yourself for Glucose Intolerance at Home are:

  • Wash and dry hands before using a kit.
  • Use a clean finger to place a test strip.
  • Prick your fingertip with the needle in the test kit.
  • Place the drop of blood on the test strip.
  • Note and record the blood sugar level with each reading.

Irrespective of the above steps, always follow the instructions as mentioned in the package.

Now that you’ve got a fair idea of Glucose Intolerance Tests, you must also get informed about What Causes Glucose Intolerance.

 

Causes of Glucose Intolerance

Most commonly, the causes of glucose intolerance depend on lifestyle. Yet, the exact cause is not known. 

Some people could eat anything and not have any symptoms whereas others would be affected. If anything, it depends on your metabolism.

Having said that, here are some of the probable causes of glucose intolerance:

#1. Genetic Defects: A major contributing factor is the role of genetics. Thus, it can be passed on within the family.

#2. Hormonal Issues: The imbalance of hormones can lead to glucose intolerance. 

#3. Exocrine Pancreas Difficulties: The pancreatic juice is responsible for insulin secretion. Associated difficulties with it can lead to glucose intolerance.

#4. Immunity Disorders: Immunity plays quite a determining role in affecting the causation of glucose intolerance symptoms.

#5. Obesity: Obesity is linked with metabolism. The low metabolic activity gives rise to high glucose intolerance.

The Causes of Glucose Intolerance depend on several factors. The bottom line of this article is to provide proper treatment for glucose intolerance at home and prevention too. 

 

Treatment of Glucose Intolerance at Home

Treatment starts at home. In fact, you can easily treat the symptoms of glucose intolerance at home.

Not to mention, it’s often the first and most effective step to keep your glucose levels in check.

The simple things which can make more impact are the everyday changes at home, including:

  • Dietary changes, 
  • Exercises, 
  • Yoga, and 
  • Other healthy lifestyle changes in terms of Stress Management and proper sleep.

These are natural and tried and tested plans. None of them have any side effects as well. 

Instead, much of it is suggested to everyone to be healthy anyways.

Without any more delay, let’s start with what kind of changes you can make in your diet. 

The diet factor is paramount in keeping glucose levels in check.

 

Diet Plan for Glucose Intolerance

The majority of focus to cure glucose intolerance should be shifted to your diet.

The below-mentioned recommendations fall under the scope of a Glucose Intolerance Diet.

With that said, let’s find out how to cure glucose intolerance.

What to Eat for Glucose Intolerance?

What to Eat for Glucose Intolerance

Include these in your diet to manage blood sugar levels:

  • Add non-starchy delicacies veggies: Well, know no one likes to have their meals always filled with veggies. But a good twist to broccoli, greens, and tomatoes can bring you so much difference along with taste. 
  • Vitamin C: The antioxidant properties in Vitamin C acts as a booster to immunity and metabolism. Controlling weight is an important factor for this. The dual combination of Vitamin C and E is extremely important to control glucose.
  • High fiber foods: The proper glucose intolerance diet is incomplete without high fiber foods. Fiber is available in fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils. Add a good amount to your diet for proper glucose control.
  • Whole grains: Whole grains are easy to digest, have more nutritional value, and reduce glucose levels. Hence, it’s an important addition to the diet.

 

Breakfast for Glucose Intolerance

We all are aware of how breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Making a breakfast plan every morning is difficult. Though, it becomes crucial to cope with the symptoms of glucose intolerance. 

The hassle of what to eat every day is all sorted with the guidelines offered right below!

Not only that, including these food items in your diet ensures properly regulated insulin.

So, without further ado, here are the top choices in the category of Breakfast for Glucose Intolerance:

#1. Oatmeal Diet

Oatmeal is a fiber-enriched food. It offers an early morning punch of nutrients to fuel your energy levels. 

Add a garnish of your favorite fruit in your bowl of simmering oatmeal and enjoy! Or mix a bowl of oatmeal with milk or water as a preference and enlighten your day. 

#2. Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese

The classic low-fat and healthy addition to your diet!

Yogurt is an excellent antioxidant and offers probiotics. Cottage cheese is healthy fat food and can help manage blood sugar. 

#3. Smoothie Diet

Not a fan of early morning sumptuous breakfast? Well, with smoothies, you never go wrong. 

Smoothies are low-fat, home-made delicious liquid love. Add the carb requirement according to your preference. Use fruits or savory as per taste.

#4. Eggs

Take the hard-boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, or omelet as per your preference. As long as your insulin requirement is met, they are a really healthy choice. 

Though, limit the intake to two eggs per day as they are high in cholesterol.

#5. Wholesome Breakfast

Well, not all of us are fans of sweets, so savory delight at your plight. 

Use wheat toast, egg, or bacon as your main meal. Add scrambled eggs and fruits as a bonus!

The main reason for glucose intolerance might be your diet. So, the treatment available at home primarily includes dietary changes.

Well, now you know the foods you should eat. So, let’s move on to Glucose Intolerance Foods to Avoid.

 

What Not to Eat with Glucose Intolerance?

What Not to Eat with Glucose Intolerance

Cut back on consumption or eliminate these dietary items entirely from your diet:

#1. Sweeteners

Sweeteners have artificial sweetening properties. They mess up with the body’s responses to glucose and insulin.

The intake lowers insulin and the blood sugar level shoots up.  

#2. Alcohol

In simple words, alcohol leads to insulin secretion, which leads to spikes in blood sugar.

It causes fatigue and light-headedness. Further, it also damages the liver and hampers insulin levels. 

#3. Starchy Vegetables

Starchy vegetables increase blood sugar levels very rapidly. It’s not recommended for patients with symptoms of glucose intolerance.

Instead, switch to fiber-based veggies.

#4. Processed Food

Processed food with high trans-fat is bad for glucose levels. In fact, they are bad for health in general. They increase the blood sugar level and slow down metabolism.  

These foods are a strict no-no and should be avoided at all times.

 

Exercises for Glucose Intolerance 

For people with Symptoms of Glucose Intolerance, exercising is quite important.

The lack, thereof, would exaggerate the symptoms of impaired glucose tolerance and prediabetes. 

What are the Best Glucose Intolerance Exercises?

Make steady changes in your routine to be able to exercise each day.

Incorporate any of the below-mentioned Glucose Intolerance Exercise for rapid improvements:

#1. Walking: Walking for 30-45 minutes every day helps to lower blood sugar levels. It helps in better use of energy and boosts metabolism. Initially, the results may not be seen. But it is a good exercise for the long run.

#2. Running/Jogging: Mild running and jogging everyday increase insulin sensitivity. It’s useful in the initial stages and with time becomes a habit. The results are quickly visible. You can walk for 30 mins and jog for another 15.

#3. Swimming: This is by far the best cardio exercise to lower blood sugar levels. Plus, it boosts immunity and metabolism. 

#4. Cycling: In recent studies, it has been found that cycling for an hour halves blood sugar levels in people. It is a tiring but effective exercise. Cycling is often suggested for overweight people with high blood sugar.  

#5. Resistance Exercise: It builds strength, mobility, and maintains insulin. Moreover, resistance exercises improve the blood sugar level significantly. Add it to your everyday exercise to see improvements.

#6. Yoga: Yoga, as an age-old practice, is a natural booster for controlling blood sugar levels. Try asanas like Surya Namaskar, Tadasana, Dhanurasana to lower down your blood sugar. Besides, yoga offers flexibility and has no physical side effects when done right.

 

Lifestyle Changes for Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Lifestyle Changes for Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Other than your diet and exercise, make these changes to better the results and manage glucose intolerance symptoms:

#1. Avoid alcohol and cigarettes: Cigarettes and alcohol are poison for the body. Alcohol lowers insulin levels and cigarettes cause mouth cancer. These are harmful to blood sugar levels as well as overall health.

#2. Proper 8 hours sleep: An eight-hour sleep is crucial for the proper regulation of blood sugar level. In fact, even if you miss sleep one day, you put insulin levels in danger.  

#3. Avoid stress and anxiety: Stress and anxiety spike the release of bad hormones in the brain. They are not only bad for blood sugar levels but also have adverse effects on health in general. The keyword to being healthy is being happy.

#4. Regular checkups: If you get diagnosed with glucose intolerance, do regular check-ups. It is important to keep a note of sugar levels. Failure to do so may result in diabetes. 

#5. A healthy diet: A healthy diet is key to maintain good health. If you eat a healthy and balanced diet, you can even Reverse Glucose Intolerance.

Now that you’ve learned all about Glucose Intolerance Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments, let’s look at some popular searches regarding it.

 

Glucose Intolerance – Your Questions Answered

In this blog, till now you’ve read about the common concerns regarding symptoms of glucose intolerance and its treatment. 

However, there are many more questions you may have. These are some popular searches and accurate replies by a team of experts.

#1. What does it mean to be glucose intolerant?
In simple terms, if you start showing signs of glucose intolerance, it means your blood sugar is higher than normal. 
#2. Can you have diabetes with normal blood sugar?
Well, it’s a tricky situation. If you have normal blood sugar, but after eating something, the levels shoot up, you are diabetic. The sugar level depends on how glucose gets processed in the body. Sadly, yours is not well processed. So, start with the treatment from today!
#3. What are the 3 most common symptoms of undiagnosed diabetes?
Among the symptoms of glucose intolerance, parched throat, frequent urination, and frequent thirst are common.  However, frequent urination is also among one of the Symptoms of UTI. So, pay attention and also take note of other additional signs you might be noticing.
#4. Can lack of sleep raise blood sugar?
Indeed, yes! Insulin level depends on sleep. Lack of sleep for even one night increases insulin levels, which raises blood sugar. So, it is important to have a proper sleep schedule.
#5. Can you reverse glucose intolerance?
Yes, absolutely! Glucose intolerance is not a lifelong condition. It’s usually a lifestyle issue and can be reversed with some changes. The change in sleep schedule, good diet, and exercising regularly can reverse it. So, good luck making these changes!

 

Wrapping Up

Glucose intolerance is an alarming issue if you have the symptoms. It can be blamed on your lifestyle. But, with some changes in diet, prevention is possible. 

It’s imperative to look for symptoms of glucose intolerance in time. Then, take steps towards proper self-care measures, medications, and necessary treatments.

Remember, stress doesn’t help. If you follow the treatment well, results are a guarantee!

The underlined fact of glucose intolerance is negligence. So, you need to reconnect with your body.

The best way out is early diagnosis and a much-needed lifestyle change for treatment.

Remember, glucose intolerance is reversible and curable. The only change you need to make is in your habits. It is nothing to be afraid of, just follow the treatments for amazing results!

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Marcus Elburn
marcus@horizonclinics.org

Dr. Marcus Elburn is an MSc graduate in Therapeutics, Drug Development, and Human Toxicology. Apart from internal medicine and geriatrics, his areas of research interests include integrative medicine, cardiometabolic risk management, endocrinology and metabolism, and pharmacology of sexual function and dysfunction. Read More... About Me

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