Five practical strategies to support improved glucose levels

Supporting people to manage glucose levels often involves reinforcing simple, achievable behaviours that complement their individual care plan. Credentialled Diabetes Educator and Registered Nurse, Carolien Koreneff, shares five evidence‑informed strategies that can help clients reduce glucose levels safely and consistently.

1. Encourage light post‑meal activity

One of the easiest ways to lower glucose levels is to move your body shortly after eating. Movement helps the muscles use glucose for energy, which lowers the amount in the bloodstream.

This doesn’t have to be a full workout. Your client does not need to invest in specialised gym clothes, equipment, or a long block of free time. A short walk after eating can help bring glucose levels down.

Even just 10–15 minutes of light movement can make a noticeable difference. It does not need to be a long workout—light and regular activity is enough.

Examples of gentle movement that help lower glucose levels:

• A walk around the block
• Stretching in the living room
• Light chores such as folding laundry or sweeping
• Slow cycling on a stationary bike
• Walking the dog
• Marching on the spot while watching TV

These small movements help the muscles “open the door” to glucose and use it. Many people notice that their glucose levels come down more quickly and don’t spike as high after meals.

Get your clients to try this: Pick one meal each day — maybe lunch or dinner — and go for a 10‑minute walk afterward. Keep it relaxed. Notice how you feel and what your glucose readings look like that evening or the next morning.

2. Promote a higher‑fibre eating pattern

Fibre is one of the most helpful nutrients for people with diabetes. Fibre helps to feel full for longer, which can support healthy eating patterns and reduce cravings. It also slows down how quickly the body digests food and how fast glucose enters the bloodstream. This means a gentler rise in glucose instead of a sharp spike. There are two main types of fibre, soluble and insoluble, and both support glucose management.

High‑fibre foods to include more often:

• Vegetables: broccoli, carrots, leafy greens, zucchini, cauliflower
• Whole grains: oats, quinoa, barley, brown rice
• Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans
• Fruit with skin: apples, pears, berries
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed

Get your clients to try this: Try adding one high‑fibre food to each meal. Over time, this makes a big difference. Small changes, added day by day, are more effective — and easier — than trying to change everything at once.

Top tip: When you increase fibre, make sure you also increase your water intake. Fibre works best when it has enough fluid to move through your digestive system.

Practical ideas:

• Add a handful of spinach or frozen peas to pasta or curry
• Choose oats instead of sugary breakfast cereals
• Add a spoonful of chia seeds to yogurt
• Swap white rice for brown rice once or twice a week
• Add beans or lentils to soups, salads, or wraps

3. Support balanced meal planning and portion awareness

Portion size plays a big role in glucose levels. Eating too much at once can cause glucose to rise quickly, even if the food itself is healthy. The goal is not to avoid any particular foods, but to enjoy them in balanced amounts and pair them with foods that help stabilise glucose.

A simple way to do this is with the “balanced plate” method:

• Half the plate: non‑starchy vegetables (salad, broccoli, cucumber, carrots, beans)
• One quarter: lean protein (chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, legumes)
• One quarter: carbohydrates (whole grains, pasta, potatoes, fruit, or bread)

This method helps keep meals satisfying, nutritious, and steady in their effect on glucose.

Get your clients to try this: try slowing down while eating. Eating too quickly makes it easy to overeat or miss early signs of fullness. Putting your fork down between bites, sipping water during meals, or eating with fewer distractions can help you tune into your body’s signals.

Helpful portion strategies:

• Use a smaller plate to naturally reduce serving sizes
• Pour snacks into a bowl instead of eating from the bag
• Add extra vegetables to bulk up meals without spiking glucose
• Start meals with veggies or protein to help slow digestion

Balanced eating isn’t about restriction — it’s about making meals work for your body, not against it.

Remember: everything in moderation! Some things (such as processed foods, soft drinks, alcohol, cakes, pastries, lollies and ice cream) need more moderating than others (such as fresh fruit and vegetables, lean meats).

4. Reinforce hydration habits

Water helps the kidneys flush excess glucose out of the bloodstream. When a person is dehydrated, glucose becomes more concentrated in the blood, which can increase readings even if their food intake has not changed.

Many people do not realise if they are slightly dehydrated, especially during busy days, warm weather, or after exercise.

Tips to stay well‑hydrated:

• Keep a water bottle to hand and have a few sips every hour
• Drink a glass of water with each meal
• Add a slice of lemon, cucumber, or berries to water, if you prefer a light flavour
• If you drink coffee or tea, add an extra cup of water to balance them out

Signs more water is needed include headaches, dry mouth, darker‑coloured urine, or feeling more tired than usual.

Hydration won’t replace medication or food choices, but it can support steady glucose levels and help people feel more alert.

5. Address stress as a contributor to glucose variability

Stress has a real impact on glucose levels. When we feel stressed, our body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones raise glucose levels by telling our body to release stored glucose from the liver for energy. While this response is helpful in emergencies, it can lead to high glucose levels in day‑to‑day life.

Clients may notice higher readings during busy workdays, difficult conversations, or times of worry, even if their meals are the same as usual.

Managing stress does not mean eliminating it altogether.

Get your clients to try this: focus on small habits that help calm the body and mind. Even five minutes can make a difference.

Stress‑relief ideas that fit into everyday life:

• Slow, deep breathing for one minute
• Listening to music
• A short walk outside
• Stretching shoulders, neck, and back
• Talking to someone
• Writing down thoughts
• Mindfulness or gentle meditation
• A warm shower
• A relaxing hobby, like knitting, drawing, gardening, or reading

Different things help different people.

Putting it all together

Lowering glucose levels often comes from a combination of small actions. Your clients do not need to follow every tip at once. Get them to choose one or two changes that feel realistic. As they become part of their routine, they can add more.

Some people like to track their glucose before and after trying a new habit. This can show what makes the biggest difference in their body. For example, they may notice that walking after dinner helps more than walking after breakfast, or that adding more fibre keeps them full longer and reduces snacking.

Remember, every day is different, and glucose levels can be influenced by things we can’t always control, such as hormonal changes, stress, illness, sleep, the weather, or medications. What matters is building supportive habits and checking in with a diabetes educator or the health care team when needed.

A final note

Everyone with diabetes is different. What works well for one person may not work the same for another. These tips are meant to give clients confidence and practical ways to support their health. However, if their glucose readings stay high, or if you are unsure what changes are right for them, check in with a diabetes educator or the health care team. They can help tailor a plan that fits your client’s needs and lifestyle.