When I first found out my fasting blood sugar was 350 mg/dL, I honestly felt shocked and a bit scared. I knew something was wrong with my body because I had been feeling very thirsty all the time, often going to the bathroom, feeling tired even without doing much, and sometimes my vision felt blurry.
I went to check my condition, and the doctor told me that I had diabetes. He suggested that I start medication immediately. At that moment, I realized this was serious and I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
But instead of immediately relying only on medication, I made a personal decision. I wanted to first try to improve my condition by changing my lifestyle, especially my eating habits. Of course, I still monitored my blood sugar regularly, because I knew this was not something to play with.
Changing the Way I Eat Was the First Big Step
The first thing I really had to change was my food.
Before this, I ate quite a lot of rice, sometimes sweet drinks, and snacks without thinking too much about it. I didn’t realize how much it affected my blood sugar.
So I slowly started reducing carbohydrates. I didn’t stop rice completely, but I reduced the portion. Instead, I started eating more vegetables, eggs, tofu, tempeh, and fish.
At first, it felt a bit difficult because my body was used to eating more carbs. But after a while, I started feeling lighter and more stable. I didn’t feel those sudden energy crashes anymore.
I Started Eating More Vegetables Every Day
One thing I really changed was adding more vegetables to my meals.
Spinach, cucumber, kale, and other green vegetables became something I ate almost every day. I noticed that when I ate more vegetables, I didn’t feel hungry as quickly, and my cravings for sweet food started to decrease.
I also learned that vegetables have fiber, and fiber helps slow down how fast sugar enters the blood. That made a lot of sense to me when I started paying attention to my body.
Walking Became My Simple Daily Habit
I didn’t go to the gym or do anything extreme. I just started walking more, especially after eating.
Sometimes I would walk for 10–20 minutes after meals. It sounds simple, but I started noticing that my body felt better when I did it regularly.
It wasn’t about intense exercise. It was just about staying active instead of sitting all the time.
I Also Tried Cinnamon as a Natural Support
Around this time, I also started using cinnamon (kayu manis). I usually mixed it with warm water and drank it occasionally.
I read that cinnamon has been studied for its possible effect on blood sugar, especially in helping the body respond better to insulin. I didn’t expect anything magical from it, but I used it as part of my daily routine along with my diet changes.
For me, it was more like a small support, not the main solution.
Slowly, My Blood Sugar Started to Improve
The changes didn’t happen overnight. It was a slow process.
But over time, I started seeing improvement when I checked my blood sugar. My energy felt more stable, I wasn’t as tired as before, and my cravings became easier to control.
From that initial 350 mg/dL fasting level, my readings gradually went down as I stayed consistent with my habits.
After months of discipline, my fasting blood sugar eventually reached a stable range below 100 mg/dL in my routine checks.
That moment felt like a big relief for me, but I also realized it wasn’t something that happened suddenly. It was the result of small habits repeated every day.
What I Learned from This Experience
Looking back, I think the biggest lesson for me is that health is really about daily habits.
It’s not about doing something extreme for a short time. It’s about what you do consistently every day.
Eating better, moving your body, reducing sugar, and paying attention to your condition made a huge difference for me.
I also learned that natural approaches can support the body, but they need patience. Nothing works instantly.
Important Note
This is just my personal experience. I’m not saying this will work the same for everyone. Diabetes is a serious condition, and everyone’s body is different. It’s always important to talk to a doctor and monitor your condition properly.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I want to share from my experience, it’s this: change is possible.
Even when your blood sugar feels very high and out of control, small consistent steps can slowly make a difference. It won’t happen in a day or a week, but with time, you might start seeing changes like I did.
For me, going from 350 mg/dL to below 100 mg/dL fasting wasn’t a miracle. It was a process of learning, adjusting, and staying consistent.