Blood Sugar Levels In Children With Diabetes:
Summary
Plate : Fish Dinner With Rice And Vegetables
Original Dinner: 6-ounce piece of breaded, fried fish, 1.5 cups of rice, ¼ cup zucchini
Overhauled Dinner: 4-ounces of salmon, ½ cup of brown rice, 1 cup of zucchini
Approximate Calorie Difference: 400 calories
The differences:
- The Overhauled has a smaller portion of protein, since a serving is only 3 to 4 ounces. That amount has about 24 to 32 grams of protein, and your body can only benefit from about 20 to 30 at one sitting.
- The Overhauled has a single serving of rice, instead of 3 servings in the Original.
- The Overhauled has a full cup of vegetables, which is a good goal for most meals.
- The Overhauled has some healthier swaps, with carb-free baked fish instead of breaded and fried fish and whole-grain brown rice instead of refined white rice.
Blood Sugar Level Chart And Information
Synopsis: Information and printable chart showing diabetic blood sugar levels for persons with diabetes or pre-diabetes. The results of blood sugar tests vary by testing method and lab but generally doctors consider a fasting blood sugar of up to 100 mg/dL to be within the average range. A number of medical studies have shown a dramatic relationship between elevated blood sugar levels and insulin resistance in people who are not very active on a daily or regular basis.
You May Like: Glucagon Deficiency Symptoms
Recommended Blood Sugar Targets
For people with type 1 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends that blood sugar targets be based on a person’s needs and goals. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about these goals. A general guideline is:
Before meals, your blood sugar should be:
- From 90 to 130 mg/dL for adults
- From 90 to 130 mg/dL for children, 13 to 19 years old
- From 90 to 180 mg/dL for children, 6 to 12 years old
- From 100 to 180 mg/dL for children under 6 years old
After meals , your blood sugar should be:
- Less than 180 mg/dL for adults
At bedtime, your blood sugar should be:
- From 90 to 150 mg/dL for adults
- From 90 to 150 mg/dL for children, 13 to 19 years old
- From 100 to 180 mg/dL for children, 6 to 12 years old
- From 110 to 200 mg/dL for children under 6 years old
For people with type 2 diabetes, the American Diabetes Association also recommends that blood sugar targets be individualized. Talk to your doctor and diabetes educator about your goals.
In general, before meals, your blood sugar should be:
- From 70 to 130 mg/dL for adults
After meals , your blood sugar should be:
- Less than 180 mg/dL for adults
The Power Of Prevention
The high prevalence of adult obesity in America, which is now around 35%, is largely to blame for the prediabetes epidemic, says Dr. Ganda. But if your blood sugar is on the high side, you don’t need to make drastic changes to see improvements. The Diabetes Prevention Program, a landmark study published 15 years ago, showed that cutting out 150 calories per day and walking briskly for 30 minutes, five days a week, cut the risk of developing diabetes by more than half . You should also avoid refined carbohydrates, such as white rice, foods made with white flour, and sugary treats like desserts and sodas. Losing weight is ideal but not absolutely mandatory.
“I tell my patients, don’t be disheartened if you don’t lose weight,” says Dr. Ganda. If you keep exercising regularly, even if your weight doesn’t change, your body composition will change. Losing fat and gaining muscle will improve your response to insulin, as will the exercise itself. “Think of doing exercise as having a little bit of extra insulin on board,” he says.
Don’t Miss: High Glucose Side Effects
What Is Blood Sugar Level
Blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is defined as the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. The body naturally tightly regulates blood glucose levels as a part of metabolic homeostasis. The international standard way of measuring blood glucose levels are in terms of a molar concentration, measured in mmol/L . In the United States, mass concentration is measured in mg/dL – See our mmol/L to mg/dl chart for blood sugar number conversions.
When a person eats carbohydrates, such as pasta, bread or fruit, their body converts the carbohydrates to sugar – also referred to as glucose. Glucose travels through the blood to supply energy to the cells, to include muscle and brain cells, as well as to organs. Blood sugar levels usually fluctuate depending upon what a person eats and how long it has been since they last ate. However consistent or extremely low levels of glucose in a person’s blood might cause symptoms such as:
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Nervousness
Warning signs of dangerously high levels of blood sugar include sleepiness or confusion, dry mouth, extreme thirst, high fever, hallucinations, loss of vision, or skin that is warm and dry.
Determining The Right A1c Goal For You
Just because a normal blood sugar range of 70 to 130 mg/dL is considered the healthiest doesnt necessarily mean thats the appropriate goal range for you especially if you have type 1 diabetes, or take insulin as a person with type 2 diabetes.
The reason this may not be the right goal for you is that extremely tight blood sugar management in people taking insulin can potentially lead to frequent low blood sugars which can be dangerous.
Achieving extremely tight blood sugar management, like a range of 70 to 130 mg/dL, also often requires a strict nutrition plan, more frequent than usual blood sugar monitoring, precise medication management, and most importantly, years of experience studying your own blood sugar levels.
Also Check: Can Too Much Sugar Cause Seizures
How To Keep Diabetes Under Control
In addition to modifying your diet, walk for 10 minutes after each meal to help improve insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake into your cells. Eat quality food and monitor your carbohydrates. Get a referral to a certified diabetes educator who will modify their recommendations based on your body, not what the guidelines say. If your blood sugar is still high with the recommended amount of carbs per meal, decrease the carbs further. Avoid low fat foods. Fat and protein will help your body absorb carbs more slowly and prevent spikes and troughs in your blood sugar.
Since diabetic diet is restrictive, you should change your view from focusing on the things you cant eat to focusing on all of the delicious things you can eat. All food groups are still on the table. You may have to modify recipes but there are so many awesome alternatives to almost any food available on the internet.
It is recommended to severely decrease your daily carbohydrates intake. However Low carb diets can still be rich and delicious.
Diabetics are recommended to avoid certain types of fruit, however, in moderation, all kinds of fruits can still be consumed. They key is to eat them in moderation. For example, half a banana is already one serving of carbohydrates. Apples and oranges should be no larger than a tennis ball. Be careful with dried fruits because they are concentrated.
What Is Considered High Blood Sugar Level
Chronically high blood sugar is caused by a number of abnormalities in the body, one of them being the affected vascular walls of small and large arteries in a process called atherosclerosis.
We can say that a blood sugar level is high if we measure glucose level and get the following values more than 110 mg/dL on an empty stomach or at any time more than 200 mg/dL .
High blood sugar levels affect the arteries throughout the body, especially the organs which have the richest blood circulation: heart, brain, kidney, senses, nerves and other organs.
If the high blood sugar is associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism , the abnormalities are more intense. Diabetes is among the risk factors for major non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease, cerebral vascular disease and peripheral vascular diseases.
Don’t Miss: Can Prediabetics Eat Bananas
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.
How Quickly Can You Lower Your A1c
Because A1c is simply a measure of your average blood sugar over 2-3 months, it can decrease by any amount over that time period. If you, from one day to the next, decreased your daily average blood sugar from 300 mg/dl to 120 mg/dl , your A1c would decrease from 12% to 6% in around two months.
However, it may not be a good idea to lower your A1c so quickly, as I will explain below.
Recommended Reading: What To Do To Bring Sugar Level Down
What To Do When Your Blood Sugar Is High Or Low
High blood sugar can harm you. If your blood sugar is high, you need to know how to bring it down. Here are some questions to ask yourself if your blood sugar is high.
- Are you eating too much or too little? Have you been following your diabetes meal plan?
- Are you taking your diabetes medicines correctly?
- Has your provider changed your medicines?
- Is your insulin expired? Check the date on your insulin.
- Has your insulin been exposed to very high or very low temperatures?
- If you take insulin, have you been taking the correct dose? Are you changing your syringes or pen needles?
- Are you afraid of having low blood sugar? Is that causing you to eat too much or take too little insulin or other diabetes medicine?
- Have you injected insulin into a firm, numb, bumpy, or overused area? Have you been rotating sites?
- Have you been less or more active than usual?
- Do you have a cold, flu, or another illness?
- Have you had more stress than usual?
- Have you been checking your blood sugar every day?
- Have you gained or lost weight?
How To Use A Glucose Meter
Glucometers are easy to use. Take the following steps to successfully test blood glucose:
People with type 2 diabetes normally need to test blood sugar concentrations at least once each day.
Those who need to take insulin, which includes all people with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2, have to test their blood several times a day.
An accurate reading of the blood glucose level can help achieve good diabetes control.
You May Like: Dangers Of High Glucose Levels
Blood Sugar Levels Chart
Blood sugar levels rise and drop during the day. This is normal. However, dramatic fluctuations in your blood glucose levels may indicate problems.
Dramatic changes of blood sugar levels have significant physical symptoms and will increase your risk of diabetes-related complications.
and keep track of your results write down all of your measured values.
Blood sugar levels chart for non-diabetics
| Glucose mg/dL or mmol/L |
|---|
- headache,
- visual disturbances
Symptoms may vary different people might experience different symptoms. In some cases symptoms can even remain unrecognized .
How To Lower Your A1c: The Complete Guide
We are always told that having a low A1c is an important goal in our diabetes management, but do you know why? Do you know what a good A1c target is, how to lower your A1c, and how quickly you can lower your A1c safely?
These are the questions I will answer in this comprehensive guide on what A1c is, how to lower your A1c, and why achieving a low A1c isnt the only goal when it comes to diabetes management.
You May Like: Most Sugar Fruit
What Does An A1c Of 69 Mean
An A1C of 6.9 means that you have diabetes.
The A1c test measures blood sugar over the last three months by looking at the percentage of hemoglobin saturated with sugar. An A1c of 6.9 means that 6.9% of the hemoglobin in your blood are saturated with sugar.
You may already be experiencing symptoms of diabetes, which include increased thirst, frequent urination, general fatigue and blurred vision.
Diabetes is a serious condition. Left untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, blindness, kidney disease and amputation.
What Level Of Blood Sugar Is Dangerous
Higher blood sugar than normal is always a matter of concern. When should you become vigilant looking at your glucometer?
If you are a non-diabetic person then it is a basis of distress if your glucometer shows a number higher than 140mg/dl and in case of diabetic the range increases to 180 200 mg/dl. This condition is known as hyperglycemia and calls for the necessity to consult with a doctor.
Is testing blood sugar the only way to know your hyperglycemia? What would you do if you dont have glucometer at home?
Just be conscious of the following 7 symptoms:
Sometimes even with the treatment, elderly diabetic patients develop dementia with time.
Don’t Miss: Pedialyte Good For Diabetics
My Perspective On A1c As A Person Living With Diabetes
I have a very ambivalent relationship with my A1c myself. Ive been living with type 1 diabetes for over 20 years, and my A1c is not something I think about in my daily life. However, every three months when I see my endo, I get a little anxious because receiving your A1c can feel a lot like getting your diabetes report card.
And, quite honestly, thats really silly. My A1c number doesnt reflect whats been going on in my life for the last three months. It doesnt tell me how much effort Ive put into managing my diabetes and it does not define me as a person. Its a good source of information, nothing more.
Still, we tend to look at it and judge, good or bad, how weve done with our diabetes management. But we really shouldnt!
That doesnt mean that I think we shouldnt get our A1c checked. I absolutely think we should, but we also need to understand what it means as well as why we should look beyond the A1c number. I hope this guide has given you the knowledge and tools to do so!
If you liked this guide on how to lower your A1c, please sign up for our newsletter in the form below. We send out a weekly newsletter with the latest posts and recipes from Diabetes Strong.
Suggested next posts:
If you found this guide to lowering your A1c useful, please sign up for our newsletter using the form below. We send out a weekly newsletter with the latest posts and recipes from Diabetes Strong.