Diabetes Medications That Work With The Pancreas
Most people who have type 2 diabetes need to take prescription medications, some of which act specifically on the pancreas to lower A1C.
Sulfonylureas and Meglitinides
How they work: Lower blood sugar by encouraging the pancreas to produce more insulin
DPP-4 Inhibitors
How they work: Block the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase 4, which increases the amount of GLP1 in the body
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists
How they work: Mimic the effects of the hormone GLP-1, which triggers your pancreas to produce more insulin after you eat and decreases glucagon. These drugs also help you feel full after a meal and slow the rate at which the stomach empties, which may help you lose weight
How To Beat Sugar Addiction
Reducing the amount of refined sugar and simple carbs is one of the 70 habits featured in my e-book 70 Powerful Habits For A Great Health which will guide you how to take positive steps to improve your wellness and overall health. And with the potential to cause all these health problems and overall bad feelings, theres no reason to keep eating sugar-laden foods and gulping down sugary drinks.
If you take a close look at what youre consuming and find sugary stuff to be a common theme, its time to make a pledge to purge yourself of excessive sugar.
Many healthy foods, like fruits and sweet potatoes, are naturally sweetand once you kick processed sugars like candies and soft drinks to the curb, your taste buds will be able to appreciate a healthy level of sweetness all the more.
So, what are you waiting for? Give excess sugar the boot and get on the road to a healthier, happier you.
How Are High Blood Sugar Levels Treated
Treating high blood sugar levels involves fixing what caused them in the first place. Your diabetes health care team will give you specific advice on how to keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range. But here are some ways to manage the common causes of high blood sugar levels:
| Reason for High Blood Sugar Level | What to Do |
|---|---|
| Not getting enough insulin or other diabetes medicine |
|
| Not following the meal plan |
|
| Not getting enough exercise |
|
| Illness or stress |
|
| Use of other medicines that can increase blood sugar |
|
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Your Legs And Feet Are Swollen
When there’s too much sugar in the system, it can pull water into cells, which will swell up over time if you don’t get these fluids moving through your body regularly.
The American Diabetes Association claims that people who have diabetes tend to have legs and feet up to five times larger than they should be, which can lead to complications within the circulatory system, including infections and reduced blood flow.
If you notice your feet and ankles begin to swell up, make sure to keep them elevated when possible. It’s important to treat swelling as soon as possible by elevating your legs higher.
You’ve Lost Motivation To Work Out
Consuming too much sugar can make you gain weight in many ways, but the weirdest way is that it can reduce actual physical activity. In one University of Illinois study, mice that were fed a diet that mimicked the standard American dietâi.e., one that was about 18 percent added sugarsâgained more body fat even though they weren’t fed more calories. One of the reasons was that the mice traveled about 20 percent less in their little cages than mice that weren’t fed the sugary diet.
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I Feel Fine So I Dont Need To Test My Levels
Zanini points out that having high blood glucose can come as a surprise to anyone. âIt’s possible they didn’t notice any symptoms or were simply feeling ‘more tired than usual,ââ she says. âIt’s easy to attribute being tired to many other things. . .so this is why regular physicals with your healthcare provider are important.â The bottom line? Listen to your body, take note of symptoms as they arise, and consider monitoring your continuous glucose values.
Signs That May Indicate You Are At Risk For Diabetes
**This article is a repost of an earlier written article. We are reposting because we believe the information is valuable and pertinent to many.**
According to the CDC, over 9% of Americans are living with diabetes. This illness is becoming increasingly common, with 1.5 million Americans being diagnosed with diabetes every year.
There are some serious complications that can come with having high blood sugar such as heart failure and stroke. However, diabetes can be managed with prescription medication, diet, and exercise to help you live a normal, healthy life.
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You Notice Tingling And Numbness In Your Hands Or Feet
As mentioned, uncontrolled blood sugar can cause nerve damage, also known as diabetic neuropathy. What you may notice is a tingling sensation or even numbness in your hands and feet. Some people experience pain in their hands and feet as well. Though neuropathy is most common in people who have had diabetes for a long time, it can occur in anyone with poorly controlled diabetes.
Complications Of High Blood Sugar
Diabetes is one of the main causes of high blood sugar levels, but there are other causes that can impact your blood glucose and your risk for hyperglycemia.
Hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar levels. You can have temporary spikes in blood sugar after eating a large meal or as a result of medication side effects. Chronically elevated blood sugar levels are dangerous and common in those with diabetes. Without treatment, you run the risk of a diabetic coma.
Ketoacidosis is a condition that develops when elevated blood glucose levels go untreated. Without glucose to use for fuel, your body begins to burn fat instead and produces ketones. When there are too many ketones in the blood, it will turn acidic, which can very quickly lead to ketoacidosis, a diabetic coma, and even death.
People without diabetes can develop a similar condition known as ketosis, but they can tolerate a certain level of ketones because inulin is still effectively working.
Diabetic hyperosmolar syndrome is another serious complication of high blood sugar. This is more common among individuals with type 2 diabetes and is triggered by an infection or illness.
As a result of the high blood sugar, your body tries to push out the excess glucose by passing it through your urine. Without treatment, this can result in life-threatening dehydration so prompt medical attention would be necessary.
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How Must You Act When Your Blood Sugar Level Rises Above 300
- Postprandial blood sugar level should not be more than 140 mg/dl. In case if its more than 300 mg/dl than you are at high risk. There can be some immediate measures to be taken when you observe that the sugar level is not coming down.
- Immediately drink water. It will dilute your blood level and soot down the blood sugar level.
- Exercise on a regular basis. It will help you to control sugar level. In fact, you may take the steps and perform an up-down basis activity. It will lower your abnormal level of blood sugar.
- You must keep a check on what you eat. In fact, hyperglycemia level will prompt you to have a full test on the carbohydrate level. Control your crabs intake and replace it with protein.
- You may take insulin, in case your doctor advises you to do so. In fact, insulin will lower the level of blood sugar.
- Always have a check for ketones in urine. If its above 50 mg/ DL, then you are advised not to exercise.
- If you have crossed 7 hours and still feel that diabetes is not under control, then you must give a call to your doctor or get yourself hospitalized.
- Keep monitor your blood sugar level with the help of glucometer or blood sugar testing machine.
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High Sugar Intake Depletes Your Bones
There are many mechanisms by which sugar negatively impacts bone health. First and foremost, sugar promotes the formation of Advanced Glycation End-products, or AGEs. These byproducts of the Maillard reaction damage collagen, the primary substance that makes up bone.
Consuming large amounts of sugar and foods with a high glycemic index also cause an increase in the levels of cortisol in the blood. Studies have confirmed that excess cortisol is detrimental to bone health.
Finally, sugar has been shown to cause bone-building nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and copper, to leech from your bones.
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Your Skin Is Prematurely Wrinkled
A high-sugar diet has been shown to speed up skin aging. That’s because too much dietary sugar reacts with proteins in your bloodstream and forms advanced glycation endproducts , damaging the structural proteins in skin collagen and elastin that make your supple and bouncy. “A high sugar diet can definitely make your skin wrinkle faster, making you look older. Limiting sugar can make difference,” says Ansel.
It Is Dangerous To Walk Around With High Blood Sugar For Too Long
Your blood sugar level starts to rise when your body produces less or no insuline. Normally, your body produces insuline automatically, for example, when youve had a meal with a lot of carbs. The amount of carbs makes your blood sugar levels go up, but insuline makes those levels go down again. You can imagine that this process does not work the way it should when your body does not produce enough insuline. Blood sugar levels that are too high are dangerous, which is why we present you with ten signs to help your recognise it.
Do you often have complaints like these?
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When To Get Urgent Medical Attention
Contact your diabetes care team immediately if you have a high blood sugar level and experience the following symptoms:
- feeling or being sick
- a fever for more than 24 hours
- signs of dehydration, such as a headache, dry skin and a weak, rapid heartbeat
- difficulty staying awake
These symptoms could be a sign of a more serious complication of hyperglycaemia, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or a hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state, and you may need to be looked after in hospital.
Youre Developing Blisters Dryness Or Other Skin Changes
Small pieces of extra skin, called skin tags, may form in the creases of skin, especially if you have diabetes and youre trying to find ways to manage your weight, notes the ADA. Dark, thick areas of soft skin may form on the back of the neck or hands, armpits, face, or other areas. These can be a sign of insulin resistance, Zanini says. Blisters, infections, dryness, itchiness, discolorations, and abnormalities of the skin can all be warning signs of high blood sugar. Check with your doctor if these skin changes develop.
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Make Physical Activity Part Of Your Daily Routine
Set a goal to be more physically active. Try to work up to 30 minutes or more of physical activity on most days of the week.
Brisk walking and swimming are good ways to move more. If you are not active now, ask your health care team about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you. Learn more about being physically active with diabetes.
Following your meal plan and being more active can help you stay at or get to a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, work with your health care team to create a weight-loss plan that is right for you.
What Are The Recommended Targets For Blood Glucose Levels
Many people with diabetes aim to keep their blood glucose at these normal levels:
- Before a meal: 80 to 130 mg/dL
- About 2 hours after a meal starts: less than 180 mg/dL
Talk with your health care team about the best target range for you. Be sure to tell your health care professional if your glucose levels often go above or below your target range.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Hyperglycaemia
The main 3 symptoms of high blood glucose levels are increased urination , increased thirst and increased hunger.
High blood glucose levels can also cause:
- feeling or being sick
- breath that smells fruity.
Symptoms of hyperglycaemia in people with diabetes tend to develop slowly over a few days or weeks. There may be no symptoms until your blood sugar level is very high over 11 mmol/L.
| Symptoms of hyperglycaemia can also be caused by undiagnosed diabetes, so see a GP if you have these symptoms and are not diagnosed as diabetic. |
What Foods Have Added Sugars
Ultra-processed foodsâfoods with added flavors, colors, sweeteners, emulsifiers, and other additivesâcontribute to nearly 90 percent of our sugar intake, according to a BMJ Journal study. The main sources of added sugars in ultra-processed foods are:
- soft drinks
- breakfast cereals
- ice cream and ice-pops
As you can see, sugar-sweetened drinks are the top three sources of sugar in our diet. In fact, almost half of the added sugars in our diets come from drinks like soda and fruit drinks.
Check both the nutrition label and ingredients to find added sugar foods. “Just because a label says ‘no added sugar,’ you still want to read the label and see how many grams of sugar there are in that item per serving,” says Zeitlin.
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Foods That Lower Blood Sugar
Food can be a wonderful tonic for your overall good health and well-being or it can be devastating to your health. Taking the time and effort to make good choices can save you from a lot of pain and suffering in the future. Here is a list of foods that are great for your health, and especially good for maintaining healthy sugar levels.
How Blood Sugar Levels Work
Your blood sugar levels can rise and fall in accordance with the sugar content in the food you eat. When you eat something high in sugar, your blood sugar levels rise your body responds to this by secreting insulin, a hormone which is created by the pancreas.
Insulin works to lower you blood sugar levels and help cells throughout your body absorb glucose for energy. When you go too long without any food or eat unhealthy foods that are too high in sugar and fat, or have health problems affecting your hormones, your blood sugar levels can become dangerously low. As this happens, your adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol in order to remedy the situation this is why you feel cranky and moody when you havent eaten for a while.
The best thing to do at this point is to eat food that will raise your blood sugar levels gradually rather than something that will cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, followed by a crash where your blood sugar levels will become very low again.
Most of the time, three healthy meals a day is enough to keep your blood sugar levels in check. But if youre not eating regular, balanced meals, its easy for your blood sugar to get out of whack, which can lead to a cycle of blood sugar spikes and crashes.
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How Can I Tell If My Blood Sugar Is Irregular
Again, only a doctor can diagnose a problem with your blood sugar. But you may be wondering how to know if it’s something you should get checked out. There can be two main issues with your blood sugar — either it’s consistently too high or too low. Even if you don’t have diabetes, there are some signs that your blood sugar levels are not functioning normally.
Hypoglycemia is a condition in which your blood sugar is too low. Signs include an irregular heartbeat, fatigue, shakiness and tingling or numbness in your face. If you consistently feel this way when you get hungry or between meals, talk to your healthcare provider.
On the flipside, hyperglycemia happens when your blood sugar is too high, and can happen to nondiabetics. Symptoms include frequent urination, increased thirst and headache. If you think you’re hyperglycemic and can’t keep fluids or food down, call for emergency medical assistance.
You’re Breaking Out Around Your Mouth And Chin
While experts say that severe acne has nothing to do with diet for the vast majority of people, somestudies have linked breakouts to eating too many sugary foods. In theory, says Ansel, sugar increases the production of hormonesâparticularly androgensâthat are linked to inflammatory hormonal acne, which usually appears around the jawline and the mouth, says Bruce Robinson, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.
“If you’re struggling with breakouts and don’t know why, it can be helpful to cut out added sugars in your diet,” says Ansel.
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