Reduce Your Sugar Intake
The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day. That translates to around 350 calories .
While some of this is added as table sugar, most of it comes from processed and prepared foods, such as candy, cookies and sodas.
You have no nutritional need for added sugar like sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup. They are, in effect, just empty calories.
Your body breaks these simple sugars down very easily, causing an almost immediate spike in blood sugar.
Studies show that consuming sugars is associated with developing insulin resistance.
This is when the cells fail to respond as they should to the release of insulin, resulting in the body not being able to control blood sugar effectively .
In 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration changed the way foods have to be labeled in the US. Foods now have to display the amount of added sugars they contain in grams and as a percentage of the recommended daily maximum intake.
An alternative option to giving up sugar entirely is to replace it with sugar substitutes.
Summary:
Sugar is effectively empty calories. It causes an immediate blood sugar spike and high intake is associated with insulin resistance.
Sugar In Urine: What You Should Know
Michele Walsh4/29/2021 10:05:49 PM
Glycosuria, or glucose in urine, is a phenomenon caused by the presence of sugar in urine. Under normal circumstances, sugar is either not detected in urine or its quantity is negligible. A physical, chemical, or qualitative analysis of your urine sample can be employed to detect sugar in urine.
The presence of sugar in urine in larger quantities is not normal, and is usually indicative of underlying medical conditions. In this article, we discuss the common causes of sugar in urine, what urine glucose is, its implications, and the best ways to manage the condition.
What If It Goes Untreated
Hyperglycemia can be a serious problem if you don’t treat it, so it’s important to treat as soon as you detect it. If you fail to treat hyperglycemia, a condition called ketoacidosis could occur. Ketoacidosis develops when your body doesn’t have enough insulin. Without insulin, your body can’t use glucose for fuel, so your body breaks down fats to use for energy.
When your body breaks down fats, waste products called ketones are produced. Your body cannot tolerate large amounts of ketones and will try to get rid of them through the urine. Unfortunately, the body cannot release all the ketones and they build up in your blood, which can lead to ketoacidosis.
Ketoacidosis is life-threatening and needs immediate treatment. Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
Talk to your doctor about how to handle this condition.
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How Long Will It Take To Lower My Blood Sugar
If you have high blood sugarin a non-emergency situationthere are several things you can do to lower your blood sugar right away. Follow these steps in order:
Sometimes people with diabetes can go into diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome, a medical emergency requiring immediate medical care. The symptoms are subtle but look out for:
- Shortness of breath
- Excessive urination
- Abdominal pain
If you experience these symptoms, call your healthcare provider immediately and follow their guidelines. If you cannot reach a physician emergently, call 911.
How Can I Check My Blood Sugar
Use a blood sugar meter or a continuous glucose monitor to check your blood sugar. A blood sugar meter measures the amount of sugar in a small sample of blood, usually from your fingertip. A CGM uses a sensor inserted under the skin to measure your blood sugar every few minutes. If you use a CGM, youll still need to test daily with a blood sugar meter to make sure your CGM readings are accurate.
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How Much Do You Need
Although water won’t directly help flush sugar out of your body, it’s still important to make sure you’re drinking enough. Getting enough water keeps your body and your kidneys healthy so they can do their job. It also prevents dehydration and provides energy so you can get through those high-intensity workouts more easily. Water also:
- Keeps every cell in your body healthy.
- Maintains the fluid and electrolyte balance of your blood.
- Flushes out metabolic byproducts.
- Normalizes digestion and prevents constipation.
- Keeps the skin soft and supple.
- Carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
So how much do you need? Unfortunately, the answer isn’t totally clear. Roxanne Sukol, MD, a doctor of preventive medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, says that water needs vary greatly based on things like your age, metabolism and even the temperature around you.
Your water needs also change from day to day based on how much you’re sweating. On days when you do a high-intensity workout, you need more water than on the days when you do something with a little less impact.
Sukol adds that a good rule of thumb is to focus on your urine. That’s right. You can tell if you need more water by what your pee looks and smells like. If your urine is pale or almost clear with little to no odor, it’s likely that you’re properly hydrated. If it’s dark yellow with a strong ammonia odor, you need to drink more water.
How Do Carbs Affect Blood Sugar
Carbs in food make your blood sugar levels go higher after you eat them than when you eat proteins or fats. You can still eat carbs if you have diabetes. The amount you can have and stay in your target blood sugar range depends on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. Counting carbs in foods and drinks is an important tool for managing blood sugar levels. Make sure to talk to your health care team about the best carb goals for you.
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Gestational Diabetes And Glycosuria
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that happens during pregnancy. Your body needs a lot of energy as your baby grows, but sometimes it canât keep up with demand and doesn’t make enough insulin.â
Without the insulin, you will have too high sugar levels, and it will show up in your urine. â
High blood sugar levels during pregnancy can cause problems for you and your baby:
- Your baby grows too big, and you need a C section
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar in your baby
- Risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes after your pregnancy is overâ
Your doctor might do in-office urine tests at your regular prenatal visits to check for glycosuria. You will have another test around the 24 to 28 week mark where you drink a glucose drink and have your blood taken. Your doctor might do the blood test earlier if your urine tests show high glycosuria.
When To Go To The Er
High blood sugar can be very concerning because your body can start burning fat for energy instead of blood glucose.
This can cause conditions such as DKA and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome . These conditions are medical emergencies and can be fatal if left untreated.
DKA is a serious complication of type 1 diabetes. Its rare in people with type 2 diabetes, but can occur.
Symptoms that can indicate you should go to the emergency room include:
- ketones in your urine, as diagnosed using a urine dipstick test
- confusion
- stomach pain
- vomiting
High blood sugar levels can cause a fluid imbalance in the body and can cause the blood to become acidic in a manner that doesnt support life.
Medical treatments for these conditions include administering intravenous insulin on a continuous basis and IV fluids to correct dehydration.
Summary
High blood sugar can become a medical emergency. Go to the ER if you suspect DKA or HHS.
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How To Lower Blood Sugar Naturally
Blood sugar, also known as glucose, is the main sugar in your blood and your bodys main source of energy. Blood sugars vary all day. A normal fasting blood sugar is less than 100 mg/dl. Blood sugars anytime of day regardless of when or what the last meal was should always be under 200 mg/dl. Blood sugars exceeding these two levels could signal prediabetes or Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot produce enough insulin or use insulin properly to correct blood sugars to safe levels.
Ways To Reduce Protein In Urine Naturally
19 November, 2021
Has your doctor told you that you have too much protein in your urine? This condition is called proteinuria and its important to treat it properly from the moment its first detected, as it can be an indication of kidney problems. Well tell you how to reduce protein in urine naturally in this article.
So, take a look at the natural methods well bring you today to combat this problem. If your doctor authorizes them, you can use them as a complement to what they prescribe.
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Control The Presence Of Protein In Your Urine
If youre wondering how you can naturally reduce protein in your urine, the best way to do it is to watch what you eat. Its important to have a balanced diet and avoid foods that overwork your kidneys. Along with this, you should follow the doctors recommendations and maintain adequate hydration.
Here well talk about the best foods to combat this problem. Well also share some home remedies that will benefit the condition of your kidneys and their proper functioning.
What Are The Symptoms Of Protein In The Urine
When your kidneys have only mild damage and you have only small levels of protein in your urine, you will not notice any symptoms.
When your kidneys have more severe damage and you have high levels of protein in your urine, you may start to notice symptoms such as:
- Foamy, frothy or bubbly urine
- Swelling in your hands, feet, belly or face
- Urinating more often
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The Causes Of High Blood Sugar
In general, higher than normal blood glucose levels can be caused by:
- not taking your diabetes medicine when you’re supposed to or not taking the right amounts
- eating more food than your meal plan allows
- not getting enough exercise
- having an illness, like the flu
- taking other kinds of medicines that affect how your diabetes medicines work
Keeping blood sugar levels close to normal can be hard sometimes, and nobody’s perfect. Grown-ups can help you stay in balance if you have diabetes. Sometimes blood sugar levels can be high because you’re growing and your doctor needs to make some changes in your diabetes treatment plan.
Stick To Your Medication And Insulin Regimen
Skipping a dose of medication or insulin can be harmful to your body and increase your blood sugar levels.
Its important to stick to your treatment plan and follow your doctors instructions for taking your medication.
Summary
Healthful lifestyle habits can help people manage their blood sugar levels over the long term, such as eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, staying hydrated, and getting good sleep.
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Normal Urine Ph Levels
Lab results are commonly shown as a set of values known as a reference range, which is sometimes referred to as a normal range. A reference range includes the upper and lower limits of a lab test based on a group of otherwise healthy people.
Your healthcare provider will compare your lab test results with reference values to see if any of your results fall outside the range of expected values. By doing so, you and your healthcare provider can gain clues to help identify possible conditions or diseases.
The normal range for urine pH is between 4.5 and 8 . Urine pH is slightly more alkaline in the morning than at night. Women also tend to have slightly higher urine pH levels than men .
Improper storage conditions before analysis can result in urine pH levels above 9, so if you see levels that are abnormally high you may want to retest to be sure .
What Is Diabetic Ketoacidosis
Someone who has high blood sugar can develop a serious problem with a serious-sounding name: diabetic ketoacidosis . This happens if the body gets desperate for a source of fuel. The body wants to use glucose . But without insulin, that glucose stays stuck in the blood and isn’t available to the cells so the body uses fat instead.
But that can sometimes cause problems. Why? Because when the body uses fat, chemicals called ketones are produced. These ketones get into a person’s blood and urine and they can make a person very sick. DKA is a very serious problem for people with diabetes, but the good news is that it can be prevented and treated.
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Responding To High Or Low Blood Sugar Levels
As you learn more about living with diabetes and monitoring your blood sugar levels, youll experience times when your blood sugar levels are too high or too low. But dont panic over these results, Aloi says. The complications of diabetes are caused by poor blood sugar control over the long term typically not by the occasional short-lived elevations in your blood sugar levels. Still, it’s important to be aware of the long-term effects of blood sugar thats too high or too low , and how its treated.
Measuring Sugar In Your Urine Yourself
You can also measure the blood sugar levels in your urine on your own. Having sugar in your urine is usually a sign of very high blood sugar levels. The extra sugar in the bloodstream is usually only removed via the kidneys at blood sugar concentrations of about 10 mmol/l and above. In order to measure the amount of sugar in your urine, you need a urine test strip and a container for collecting urine.
Its important to talk with your doctor about the best time of day to do the urine test, and whether to do it before or after eating. When measuring sugar in your urine yourself, you need a sample of urine that hasnt been in your bladder for long. So you wouldn’t use morning urine which has collected overnight. Instead, its more typical to urinate and collect a sample about an hour after the last time you went to the toilet. The test strip is then dipped into the sample. After about two minutes, the color pads on the test strip show the results.
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What Abnormal Results Mean
Higher than normal levels of glucose may occur with:
- Diabetes : Small increases in urine glucose levels after a large meal are not always a cause for concern.
- Pregnancy: Up to half of women have glucose in their urine at some time during pregnancy. Glucose in the urine may mean that a woman has gestational diabetes .
- Renal glycosuria: A rare condition in which glucose is released from the kidneys into the urine, even when blood glucose levels are normal.
What Are The Symptoms Accompanying Sugar In Urine
Since sugar in urine or glycosuria presents as a symptom of underlying diseases and disorders, you are likely to see other symptoms alongside it. Some of these symptoms are the following:
- Tingling sensation in the hands and feet.
- Insomnia.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Altered states of consciousness.
Be sure to visit your physician the moment you notice these symptoms or if you think there’s sugar in your urine.
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Symptoms That Might Indicate A Serious Condition
In some cases, sugar in the urine may occur with other symptoms that might indicate a serious condition that should be evaluated immediately in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care if you, or someone you are with, have sugar in the urine along with other serious symptoms including:
- Loss of vision or changes in vision
- Slow-healing wounds
Protein In Urine Causes Symptoms & Treatments
When your kidneys are not working as well as they should, protein can leak through your kidneys filters and into your urine . Protein in your urine is called proteinuria or albuminuria. It is a sign that your kidneys are damaged.
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What Else Can I Do To Help Manage My Blood Sugar Levels
Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular physical activity can all help. Other tips include:
- Keep track of your blood sugar levels to see what makes them go up or down.
- Eat at regular times, and dont skip meals.
- Choose foods lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.
- Track your food, drink, and physical activity.
- Drink water instead of juice or soda.
- Limit alcoholic drinks.
- For a sweet treat, choose fruit.
- Control your food portions .