A mixed diet and eating foods in combination helps the digestive system properly breakdown and absorb nutrients. In turn, this is one method to help manage blood sugar spikes after eating. Avoiding foods in isolation, especially carb-rich foods, is one recommendation I give clients. Similar to this, it is important to avoid large periods of fasting where the body is relying on stores to raise blood sugar levels. This might also increase craving urges and dysregulate appetite from hunger. Consistent, combined eating at regular intervals is the strategy the client and I work in solidarity towards.
Managing blood sugar levels through diet is possible and effective. There are many ways to do this. Balancing grams of carbohydrates one consumes at a sitting and throughout the day. Another successful tool is eating carbohydrate-rich foods with healthy fat like avocado and protein such as fish to slow the absorption thereby lowering the glycemic index. It is best to eat complex carbohydrates such as vegetables and include in-tact whole grains like quinoa (as opposed to refined carbohydrates like bagels and sweets). In addition, one can add tea such as cinnamon and hibiscus and herbs such as sage and oregano. These naturally help regulate and/or lower blood sugar levels.
I recently worked with a client with diabetes who, over the course of our time together, brought his blood sugars down into the normal (non-diabetes) range. We first spent a lot of time working on his relationship to food, which can be damaged by weight cycling and messages about how one is "supposed to" manage diabetes. Once we were able to neutralize food for him, he was able to make sustainable changes to his eating that improved his blood sugar management. Changes made include eating vegetables more regularly, managing stress without food, menu planning, and respecting fullness.
One instance that stands out was a middle-aged gentleman with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. He was very determined not to start medication and wanted to try lifestyle modification first. I worked with him on adopting a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in whole grains, lean protein, fruits, and abundance of vegetables. Over the span of 6 months, he not only lost a substantial amount of weight but significantly brought his HbA1c levels down from 7.8% to 6.2%, allowing him to manage his condition without medication.