How to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally: 8 Strategies That Work for Seniors

In this article: 

• Seniors with prediabetes are at higher risk for developing diabetes within the next few years. 
• The Diabetes Prevention Program has been shown to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes through healthy lifestyle changes, and studies found greater benefits for seniors who participated in lifestyle changes programs compared to younger adults.
• Lifestyle changes don't have to be dramatic to be effective. Smaller, more doable changes can be more sustainable and have a major impact.
• Moderate weight loss, increases in physical activity, and supporting behaviors like getting enough sleep and managing stress can support blood sugar control. 
• Eligible seniors who are in Medicare Part B or Part C (Advantage) can participate in a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), which supports lifestyle changes.
• Lark offers a virtual MDPP that you can participate in with your smartphone. It’s available 24/7 for coaching, support, encouragement, and information. 

When you have prediabetes, your body is sending you a message. It’s telling you that your blood sugar is high - but that you can still take charge of your health. Having prediabetes means that you’re at higher risk for being diagnosed with diabetes, but it also means that there’s a lot you can do to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. 

There’s good news if you’re looking for how to lower blood sugar for seniors. The American Diabetes Association suggests lifestyle changes to lower blood sugar naturally - and these strategies work for seniors, too. In addition, you can get support for them when you join a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP), which is a covered benefit offered at no cost in 2026 for eligible Medicare enrollees - no co-pay, deductibles, or hidden fees. 

Lowering blood sugar naturally doesn’t take expensive supplements or overwhelming life overhauls. Choices like losing weight, eating healthier, and being active can lead to significant reductions in blood sugar and risk for diabetes. Here are 8 strategies that work for seniors to lower blood sugar naturally. 

1. Modest Weight Loss of 5-7%

If you're overweight or obese, losing a few pounds can significantly lower your risk for developing diabetes. In a landmark lifestyle change study described in Diabetes Care, participants with goals of losing 5-7% of body weight lowered their risk of having a diagnosis of diabetes within the next few years by over 50%. That number was even larger for older adults - participants over 65 in the study lowered their risk for diabetes by over 70%!

A weight loss of 5-7% is closer within reach than goals in many weight loss programs. A loss of 5-7% is: 

• 8-11 lb. for someone whose body weight is 160 lb.
• 10-14 lb. for someone whose body weight is 200 lb.
• 12-17 lb. for someone whose body weight is 240 lb.

The evidence supporting the benefits of modest weight loss is so strong that losing weight is a main goal in the MDPP. Participants work towards the goal in the year-long program.

Losing weight can be challenging. Many adults find that there can be additional challenges as they get older. But focusing on one small change at a time can help. In addition, the MDPP is a year-long program, giving you plenty of time to see results as you establish long-term healthy habits that you can keep up for life. 

The trick is to shift your calorie balance so that you’re taking in fewer calories than you’re burning. Here are some ways to help reduce calories to achieve a negative calorie balance that can help you lose weight without giving up favorite foods or feeling hungry.

The estimated number of pounds lost if you make those changes consistently are approximations based on needing a deficit of 3,500 calories to burn a pound of fat. 

2. 150 Minutes Per Week of Moderate-Intensity Aerobic Activity

Physical activity is another heavy hitter for natural ways to lower blood sugar for seniors. One of the fastest ways to lower blood sugar is to get active. In fact, physical activity is so effective for lowering blood sugar that it's a second major goal of the MDPP, along with weight loss. Your muscles use the biggest amount of glucose in your body. When you’re active, your muscles pull in more glucose from the bloodstream, leading to lower blood sugar levels. 

The MDPP supports the general goal of getting at least 150 minutes per week of physical activity that’s at least moderate to vigorous intensity. That’s about 30 minutes, 5 times a week. 

Here are examples of moderate intensity and vigorous intensity activities, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 

If you’re not there yet, just work up to it gradually, being sure to talk to your healthcare provider before starting an exercise program. As little as a few minutes of physical activity makes a major difference. If you’re already achieving guidelines of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity, there can be additional benefits of increasing your intensity and duration - as long as your healthcare provider agrees. 

The blood sugar-lowering effects of physical activity last for 24-48 hours, so it’s best not to go for more than a day without getting in some exercise. 

3. Muscle-Strengthening and Resistance Exercises

Speaking of muscles and their ability to lower blood sugar: did you know that muscle mass decreases as you get older? A smart strategy for lowering blood sugar in seniors is to support your muscle mass - and it’s all in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans! The guidelines recommend that healthy adults of all ages - including seniors - engage in muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice per week. 

You don’t have to hit the gym to do your resistance training, though a gym has potential benefits like a variety of equipment, knowledgeable staff, and the possibility of group exercise classes that can help you with proper form. You can work your muscles at home with bodyweight exercises, light dumbbells, resistance bands, or household objects. Check with your doctor to see if you have any restrictions, and make sure you get help from a qualified expert so your form is proper. 

4. Nutritious Foods and a Balanced Plate

Reducing calories is a large part of the equation for weight loss and blood sugar control, but it goes together with balanced, nutrition eating. Here are potential benefits of balanced meals with nutritious foods.

• Reduced blood sugar and insulin spikes
• More stable energy levels
• Increased fullness to help you eat less naturally

A balanced meal includes some carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and healthy fat. Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, and protein, fiber, and healthy fat help slow digestion to keep things stable. The Plate Method is a visual guide to filling your plate.

• Half your plate can be non-starchy vegetables like salad greens, turnips, carrots, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, broccoli, eggplant, cauliflower, or green beans.
• One-quarter of your plate should include lean protein like fish, skinless chicken, egg whites, beans, low-fat cottage cheese, or tofu.
• One-quarter of your plate can have a high-fiber carbohydrate like sweet potato, acorn squash, peas, corn, or a whole grain like whole-grain bread or pasta, brown rice, quinoa, or oatmeal.

But wait…there’s more! Add more nutritious foods to your meals. Here are some foods that can appear regularly on your plate (or in your bowl). 

• Small portions of healthy fats, like olive oil, peanut butter, nuts, vinaigrette salad dressing, canola oil and avocado
• Fresh or unsweetened frozen fruit, like berries, apples, pears, pineapple, melon, grapes, bananas, oranges, mangos, and clementines

And it can be a good idea for most people to include water with the meal.

5. Break up Sedentary (Sitting) Time

Along with being physically active and strengthening your muscles, it’s good to stand up regularly. That’s because sitting for long periods can cause your blood sugar to rise. You don’t need to do a heavy workout. Just a 2 to 5-minute break to stand up or walk around every half hour can lower your blood sugar after meals by up to 34%.

Here are examples. 

• TV Breaks: Stand up and walk in place during commercial breaks.
• Kitchen Moments: Do gentle heel raises while waiting for your coffee or tea to brew
• Pacing while on the phone

Lark MDPP can remind you to stand up when you’ve been inactive for a while. 

6. Get 7 to 8 Hours of Good Sleep

Quality sleep is crucial for optimal health - including for lowering blood sugar naturally in seniors. To get the most benefits, you need to get enough high-quality sleep on a consistent basis. That’s because after just a few nights of being short on sleep, your body responds. 

Here are some effects of poor sleep that directly affect blood sugar and weight.

• More hunger: When you don’t sleep enough, you have higher levels of hunger hormones. That makes you feel hungrier than usual, even though you don’t need more food. 
• Higher blood sugar: With as little as one night of sleep deprivation, insulin resistance increases, leading to higher blood sugar. 
• Stronger cravings: Poor sleep increases cravings for sugary and salty foods - such as highly processed snack foods and fast foods. 

Being low on sleep also has effects like interfering with ability to concentrate, raising the risk for falls and accidents, and increasing blood pressure. 

Here are some ways to support healthy sleep. 

• Sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet environment.
• Follow a consistent bedtime routine.
• Go to bed and wake up at a consistent time as much as possible.
• Track sleep, such as with your Lark coach, to check how much you're getting on a nightly basis.
• Be physically active during the day.
• Eat a light dinner, without heavy foods too late at night.

7. Drink Water Throughout the Day

Water is the most crucial nutrient; within hours, it’s possible to get dehydrated. A further challenge is that thirst signals get weaker with aging, so it’s harder to know when you need to drink water. Even with mild dehydration there’s less water in your blood, so blood sugar is more concentrated. The result is higher blood sugar. 

Support hydration and healthier blood sugar levels by drinking water throughout the day. Other low-calorie, hydrating fluids to consider are decaffeinated coffee and tea, herbal tea, and low-sodium broth. Most adults need about 8 to 11 cups of fluids per day, with more needed when you’re ill, when weather is hot, or when you sweat a lot. 

8. Manage Stress on a Daily Basis

Stress is normal, but too much stress for too long can become chronic stress - and that’s unhealthy. Chronic stress can raise levels of hormones like cortisol, which raise blood sugar. Managing stress in healthy ways can help keep stress levels down and prevent negative effects on blood sugar and diabetes risk. 

Here are some common ways to manage stress. 

• Be physically active
• Practice deep breathing
• Meditate
• Do yoga
• Spend time with family, friends, or other people who make you feel good

Lark’s MDPP can help with stress management by offering ideas and providing an always-available coach to get you through tough moments. Plus, the MDPP curriculum includes education on stress to help you become an expert. 

See If You Qualify at No Cost to You

Lark's Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program offers personal health coaching delivered right to your phone - built around the same CDC-recognized program that showed a 71% risk reduction in adults over 60. There is no cost to eligible Medicare members. 

Lark can help you stay on track with your weight and health goals as you log, track, and chat. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark MDPP or another Lark program today!

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