Raised blood sugar levels could be linked to a greater risk of heart diseases, a new study suggests. Research from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that men and women with raised blood sugar levels have a 30-50% increased chance of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) even when these levels are below the threshold for diabetes. Highlighting the importance of diet and lifestyle factors, the study also found that for blood sugar levels within the normal range, those with the lowest levels had a 10% lower risk of developing any form of CVD, which includes heart attacks and strokes. What are blood sugar levels? “Blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels, are a measurement that shows how much glucose you have in your blood,” says Dr Gill Jenkins, GP, and advisor to the Tea Advisory Panel. “Glucose is a sugar that you get either directly from food and drink, through digestion of carbohydrate-containing foods, or through other metabolic processes in the body.” Blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day, she explains: “Increasing with eating and drinking (including alcohol), falling if you haven’t eaten or drunk for some time.” The energy spike and subsequent slump you get from a fizzy drink or sweet snack is explained by the rise and fall of blood sugar. “Blood glucose levels can also change with exercise, state of hydration, and with physical or mental stress, and certain medications,” Jenkins says. “Even in people without diabetes, major illnesses, hormonal disorders, or certain medications such as steroids and some antidepressants, can cause blood sugar fluctuations.” How can you tell if your blood sugar is raised? Getting a sudden energy boost from a sugary food or drink isn’t actually a symptom of high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycaemia. “Symptoms of very high blood sugar usually come on gradually and include feeling very thirsty, peeing a lot, blurred vision, feeling weak or tired and unintentionally losing weight,” Jenkins says. “However, you may have no symptoms – or may not notice them – running constantly raised sugar levels.” How to lower your blood sugar levels Diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors can all impact your blood sugar levels. “In general, avoid eating too much sugary or starchy food – and that includes sugary drinks, as well as alcohol,” says Jenkins. “Focus as much as possible on unprocessed grains, such as oats, mixing in a few seeds or nuts.” Getting your five-a-day fruit and vegetables also helps: “Especially green leafy varieties such as kale, broccoli, spinach, cavolo nero.” Fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are excellent, but be careful with ripe tropical varieties: “Limit fruit which may, depending on the individual, produce a higher glycaemic response, such as mango, banana, pineapple, melon.” Stay hydrated with water or other low-sugar beverages, such as tea, which has been shown to normalise blood sugar levels following a meal. “The reason for these findings are related to the polyphenol content of black tea, which help to regulate blood glucose and insulin,” says Jenkins. Aim for the NHS-recommended 150-minutes of exercise a week, combining moderate movement – such as walking – with intense activity, if your fitness allows. “Walking alone reduces weight – if you also pay attention to diet – and improves insulin sensitivity, which helps to control blood glucose,” Jenkins says. “Even if you don’t ‘exercise’, being more active will help – take the stairs rather than the escalator, park your car a little further from work, get off the bus one stop early and then walk.” A study last year found that even standing up as much as possible throughout the day can significantly reduce your blood sugar levels. Lastly, check with your GP if you have other illnesses, advises Jenkins. “If you have diabetes, take your diabetes medication exactly as prescribed and follow any recommendations your diabetes nurse, doctor or health care team gives you.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Remove VAT from period pants, government urged ‘Long Covid has taken away my ability to eat food or urinate in three years’ 11 ways to max up your monochrome scheme

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A bride has shared her bizarre experience in the run up to the wedding, where a friend of hers insisted that she brought her dog to the ceremony. A woman voiced her frustration in a viral Reddit thread, explaining that her friend demanded an invite for her canine companion as it was “part of the family”. The unnamed 28-year-old wrote: "My friend, Lisa, has a dog named Max that she adores. Max is a lovable but highly energetic German Shepherd." She added: "Recently, Lisa asked me if she could bring Max to my wedding. She argued that he's part of her family, and she can't imagine leaving him alone for the whole day. She wants him to be a part of our special day." The bride went on to say that she told Lisa the venue would now allow the dog to attend the ceremony, and that the decision was out of her hands. "I love Max and understand her attachment, but I was hesitant,” she wrote. “I explained that our venue doesn't allow pets, and it's a formal event. We have a lot of guests who might not be comfortable around dogs, and I don't want any potential disruptions during the ceremony or reception." The woman added: "Lisa got upset and accused me of being inconsiderate. She said she'd keep Max on a leash and make sure he doesn't bother anyone. I insisted that we have to follow the venue's rules, but Lisa won't drop it. Now she's threatening not to come to the wedding at all because Max can't be there." Eventually the pair worked out a compromise, with the bride hosting a smaller event ahead of the wedding day which meant she was able to invite Lisa. "After our initial argument, Lisa and I had a heart-to-heart conversation,” the bride wrote. “She apologized for pressuring me and said she understood my concerns about the venue's rules. We agreed that Max won't be attending the formal ceremony and reception. We found a compromise by having a small, informal gathering the day before the wedding, where Max can join us. It'll be a fun and relaxed pre-wedding get-together for close friends and family to meet Max without any disruptions to the wedding itself." The comments section was full of people criticising Lisa’s actions, with one writing: "That is a completely unreasonable request. I have never heard of a guest bringing a dog to a wedding, especially a formal indoor ceremony." Another said: "This is a completely inappropriate request. Max is a pet, not a service animal. She needs to make arrangements for him by leaving him with a friend, family member, or boarding facility. If she is incapable of being away from him for a day she needs to get mental health help." It comes after a bridge sparked controversy after charging guests £2,000 to attend her wedding. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings

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