I have elevated blood sugar (A1C at 7.0) and am working to get it down without medication. My highest blood sugar levels are in the morning even if no carbs were eaten at night. Should I still eat breakfast or should I wait until the number goes down to eat? Also, is it better to exercise in the morning, or will that tell my body to release even more glucose early in the morning, as it anticipates exercise (once I am in a consistent regimen)? And finally, is it helpful to eat a snack at night to combat the dawn syndrome?
Q: I have elevated blood sugar (A1C at 7.0) and am working to get it down without medication. My highest blood sugar levels are in the morning even if no carbs were eaten at night. Should I still eat breakfast or should I wait until the number goes down to eat? Also, is it better to exercise in the morning, or will that tell my body to release even more glucose early in the morning, as it anticipates exercise (once I am in a consistent regimen)? And finally, is it helpful to eat a snack at night to combat the dawn syndrome?
If your blood sugar is elevated in the morning, eating a small, high-protein breakfast (like eggs and vegetables) may actually help bring it down. It is a good idea to eat breakfast in the morning if you are hungry. If you are not hungry, wait to eat breakfast or a mid-morning snack when you get hungry.
You should exercise at a time that is convenient for you. Exercising in the morning should not cause your liver to release more glucose. However, eating one to two hours after eating can help lower your blood sugar by making your cells more sensitive to the insulin produced by your pancreas.
Eating a protein snack at night has been shown to help some people with dawn phenomenon, whereas others experience no difference or even slightly higher blood sugar levels the morning after a bedtime snack. It's important to test your blood sugar in the morning to see how it responds to eating vs. skipping an evening snack.
Answered By dLife Expert: Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
Certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian living in Southern California.
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