12. C (taking chromium). Chromium is widely advertised to lower blood glucose levels, but well-designed studies find that it has no effect in non-diabetics. (The results in people with diabetes are inconclusive.) Your best bet is to lose weight (especially if you carry it around your waist) and to exercise for (ideally) an hour a day. Exercise helps even if you don't lose weight. Cutting back on sweets (soft drinks, cookies, pastries, ice cream, etc.) and replacing refined carbs (like white bread) with whole grains may also help. Ditto for choosing carbohydrates (like vegetables, beans, peas, and pasta) that help keep a lid on blood sugar.