Post-Meal Glucose Control

Postprandial glucose excursions contribute disproportionately to HbA1c and to vascular damage, and large swings drive the energy crashes people notice. Repeated fasting glucose above 5.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL) or HbA1c above 5.7% signals prediabetes and warrants clinical follow-up. Continuous glucose monitors make spikes visible, but chasing perfectly flat curves in a metabolically healthy person is not a validated goal.

1) Walk for 10-15 minutes after meals — this is the single most effective and best-evidenced lever, cutting peaks substantially. 2) Eat protein, fat and fibre before the carbohydrate portion; meal order alone measurably lowers excursions. 3) Choose intact over refined carbohydrates and pair them with protein. 4) Build muscle: resistance training expands glucose disposal capacity. 5) Sleep matters — one night of short sleep worsens next-day glucose handling. 6) Supplements with data: berberine 500mg 2-3x/day (do not combine with metformin unsupervised), vinegar 1-2 tbsp before carbohydrate meals, cinnamon and chromium with smaller effects. 7) If HbA1c is above 5.7%, get clinical review rather than self-managing.

• •Post-meal walking
• •Meal sequencing
• •Fibre and protein first
• •Resistance training
• •Sleep sufficiency
• •Reducing refined carbohydrate portions