Control How Much Sugar You Eat
While this one may seem obvious to some, donât scroll past just yet. How closely do you read ingredient labels? You likely buy and eat some processed foods unless you make all foods including sauces, dressings, and condiments, from scratch.
Thatâs OK youâre a modern-day human and convenience and cost matter. But, most packaged or pre-made foods contain added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Select carefully and, as an example, buy big tubs of steel-cut oats or quick-cooking oats over the flavored, sugary oatmeal in a box or cup.
Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, professor, and specialist in childhood obesity, believes that sugar is so toxic to health that he recommends federal regulation against marketing sugar-laden products1 to children and even adding taxes to processed foods that contain added sugar.
These ideas may seem radical but are similar to rules that govern marketing alcohol to minors, and similar to the extra taxes consumers pay to purchase alcohol and tobacco products. Just as booze and cigarettes can be addictive for some, sugar can hook you and make you want more2.
General Tips On How To Keep You Blood Sugar Levels In Control
- Foods to eat
You should eat foods that are high in protein, fiber, and lower in carbohydrates. You should aim at having around 45 to 60 carbs for each meal. Consistency throughout the day is key to keeping blood sugar levels in control. Foods low in fat and high in nutrients should be picked to maximize your nutrition.
Vegetables and fruits are great as well as eggs, fish, beans, and oatmeal. There is also research that shows cinnamon and apple cider vinegar can help lower your sugar.
- Foods to avoid
Avoiding foods like soda, juice, pasta, candy, and other desserts can help keep your sugar from climbing too high. These foods are high in sugars and fat but low in other nutrients.
Avoiding excess alcohol is also better for you. Read the following article that I wrote about drinking alcohol when you have diabetes to learn more about this topic:
- Signs and symptoms
Signs of high blood sugar include: increased thirst and hunger, blurred vision, irritability, dry mouth, tired, and urinating a lot.
- Look for patterns
Patterns can be great because they help you figure out what is causing undesirable blood sugar values. A good way to track of it is to keep a journal of all of the food you eat, activities you do and your blood sugar levels for 1 week. During this week, check your sugar before and after you eat, as well as in between meals. Also document any insulin that you give yourself.
- Test sugar levels regularly
What Drink Will Help Lower Blood Sugar
Normally blood sugar levels should be less than 126 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dl. But in cases of high blood glucose, which is also known as hyperglycemia, levels are 160 mg/dl or above. The condition, which characterizes diabetes, develops because your body doesnt produce any or enough insulin, or it cannot properly use the insulin it produces. One drink that will help lower blood sugar is green tea.
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Throw In Some Chickpeas With Any Meal
Chickpeas are another debatable food when it comes to vegetables, but you cant debate the benefits to your blood sugar. Because of this, you need to make sure you add them to your morning routine.
There are just so many ways that you can use chickpeas. One of the most common is by creating your hummus. For more info on hummus and diabetes, click here. You could make a healthy dip for your broccoli and carrots on a morning if you want something light that you can pick at! It will also work as a filling for your breakfast burrito, packed with spinach and avocado.
How do chickpeas help? Theyre packed full of proteins, which help to balance out the carbohydrates in the body. They are also full of insoluble fiber. While soluble fiber will help to get into the bloodstream to work directly on the blood sugar levels, the insoluble fiber will slow down the bodys whole process. Your body doesnt absorb as much sugar on a morning through your other foods, so your insulin can work effectively.
Use Avocado Throughout The Morning
Okay, so avocados are a debated item. Are they a fruit or vegetable? In this case, well include them as a vegetable that you need to eat on a morning.
Avocados get an unfairly bad reputation. Theyre known as the fatty vegetable. After all, you can get nutritious avocado oil in the stores, so its understandable why people view them as fatty. The different is the type of fat. Remember that I said nutritious avocado oil.
There is one thing to be said for healthy fats. They support the liver and include plenty of good cholesterols. They help to line the arteries and lower the risk of various diseases, including Type II diabetes. That morning blood sugar will be reduced and remain at a healthy limit.
You can chop up avocados to add to a breakfast salad. However, you can also mash it and add it to some wholegrain toast or opt for mixing it into the middle of your morning burrito. Its also delicious with other ingredients in a smoothie. This is one of the most versatile vegetables out there.
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Can Oral Mediations Help A High Blood Sugar
While any oral medications you take to help manage your diabetes do improve your blood sugar levels, they are not something you would take an extra dose off to correct an occasional high blood sugar level.
However, if you realize that you forgot to take your dose of a daily medication, this should be part of the process of bringing your high blood sugar down.
Some medications can be taken late, and some medications may need to wait until your next normally scheduled dose. Contact your healthcare team to determine if the diabetes medication you take can be taken late after missing your usual dose.
If you have been skipping this medication altogether for days or weeks its very likely a significant contributor to the reason your blood sugar is high. These medications are designed to improve your blood sugar levels in a variety of different ways.
Talk to your healthcare team to better understand the medications youve been prescribed and the issues youre having in taking them as directed.
When To See A Doctor
According to the University of Michigan, blood sugar levels of 300 mg/dL or more can be dangerous. They recommend calling a doctor if you have two readings in a row of 300 or more.
See your doctor if you have consistently high blood sugar levels. Symptoms of this include:
- increased thirst
- high levels of sugar in urine
Ask your doctor how often to check your blood sugar and about your ideal blood sugar levels.
If you dont currently see a doctor who specializes in diabetes, known as an endocrinologist, you can find one by searching the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists website.
You can find a certified diabetes educator by visiting the American Diabetes Associations website and searching by zip code.
Summary
Talk to your doctor if you have consistently high blood sugar readings or symptoms of chronic hyperglycemia.
Checking your blood sugar and then treating hyperglycemia early will help prevent any complications.
Health problems can arise when someone has high blood sugar regularly and without treatment.
Examples of complications include:
- nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, that may affect sensations in the feet and hands
- diabetic retinopathy, or damage to the blood vessels in the eyes that affects vision
- increased risks for kidney problems
- increased risks for heart problems
Taking steps to keep your blood sugar at target levels can help to minimize the likelihood that these complications will occur.
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Sweet Potatoes And Yams
Regular potatoes have a high GI score, but sweet potatoes and yams have low scores and are very nutritious.
Some research indicates that the flesh of the sweet potato contains more fiber than the skin, indicating that the whole vegetable could be beneficial for those with diabetes.
Reporting the findings of an animal study, the researchers also noted that sweet potato consumption may lower some markers of diabetes.
While there is still no conclusive evidence that sweet potatoes can help to stabilize or lower blood sugar levels in humans, they are undoubtedly a healthful, nutritious food with a low GI score.
People can substitute sweet potatoes or yams for potatoes in a variety of dishes, from fries to casseroles.
Oats have a GI score of 55 or lower, making them less likely to cause spikes and dips in blood sugar levels.
Oats also contain B-glucans, which can do the following:
- reduce glucose and insulin responses after meals
- improve insulin sensitivity
2012 study found that incorporating legumes into the diet improved glycemic control and lowered the risk of coronary heart disease in people with type 2 diabetes.
Avoid legume products that contain added sugars and simple starches, such as those in syrups, sauces, or marinades. These additions can significantly increase a products GI score.
Garlic is a popular ingredient in traditional medicines for diabetes and a wide variety of other conditions.
People can eat garlic raw, add it to salads, or use it in cooked meals.
What Should I Avoid If I Have High Blood Sugar
Avoiding certain foods will be beneficial in case you have increased the level of sugar in blood like- potato chips, soda, burger, mayonnaise, fat based food, sausages, alcohol, and smoking. A sedentary lifestyle has proved detrimental for blood sugar level. Irregular intake of diabetes medicines has always proved fatal to health. Unhealthy and erratic timings of meals are the factors responsible for a deteriorating health. Unnecessary tension and stress bring in high blood sugar.
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How Do I Lower My Blood Sugar Level If I Have Gestational Pregnancy
A little more than 9.2% of pregnant women have gestational diabetes. It is very common that all women are tested during their pregnancy. If you havent yet, bring it up to your physicians attention. The cause is really unknown, but doctors believe that it is because the extra hormones that are released during pregnancy hinder the insulin sensitivity and increase the need for more insulin. It is very important to keep blood sugar levels under control because high blood sugars can lead to complications such as:
- Premature labor
- Pre-eclampsia which can lead to seizures
- Increased risk of the mother to develop type 2 diabetes later in life
Lowering blood sugar with gestational diabetes is a lot like the other ways mentioned above.
They include:
Breastfeeding after the baby is born is a great way to lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life as well as providing many benefits for the baby. Read this article / that I wrote about all of the benefits of breastfeeding.
How To Bring Blood Sugar Down Fast If Over 400
High blood sugar or hyperglycemia is caused when your sugar levels are higher in the blood than the normal range. Constant high blood sugar can increase the risk of heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, loss of vision, and kidney problems. Most of the people who have diabetes do not know how to bring blood sugar down fast if over 400 orthe normal range.
This article will help you to understand how to lower blood sugar immediately and will enable you to fight against hyperglycemia by following a healthy lifestyle.
Naturally, your body breaks down the food you eat into sugar. The insulin hormone transports this sugar into your cells, where it is used as energy by the body. In diabetes, insulin does not move this sugar in the cells, which in turn lead to health complications.
Table of Content
- Fatigue or tiredness
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Three Steps That Will Help
Step 1: drink water, not any other beverages that are made with water, like coffee, tea, or diet soda. Im speaking of water, plain or iced. This will help with rehydration because when your blood sugar is running on the high side, it can be from being dehydrated and can dehydrate you. We also eliminate excess blood sugar through urine.lots of water, of course, speed that process along.
Be Sure To Check Out Can Drinking Water Help My Blood Sugar?
Step 2: Stick to a very low-carb diet if your reading is running on the higher side. Choose foods that are protein like cheese, chicken, beef, pork, or eggs. These are straight protein foods that do not contain any carbohydrates. Once your blood sugar starts coming back to the target range, you can include carb-containing foods. This will just be a short period of time that you will need to go very low carb.
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Risks Of High Blood Sugar
When your blood sugar levels are too high for too long, the sugar deposits itself somewhere inside the body. If it deposits itself in your eye, your vision will worsen, as the sugar can form cataracts.
If some of the excess blood sugar deposits in your nerves, it will cause or worsen peripheral neuropathy. If the nerves to the penis are taking up some of that excess blood sugar, it will become more and more difficult to have erections, including morning erections.
The excessively high blood sugar levels will also interfere with your immune system because sugar feeds bacteria, viruses, and fungi that cause disease. This results in cuts and sores that seem to take forever to heal. You may also notice vaginal infections or urinary tract infections more often than usual.
While the high levels of sugar are circulating in your body, they are being filtered as best they can by your kidneys. However, the excess is putting far too much stress and strain on your kidneys and can damage them. When this happens, it may become possible for you to lose protein through your kidneys. This is seen in the urine on urine tests where there will be a 1+ or 2+ for protein in the urine.
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Which Foods Increase Blood Sugar Levels
Carbohydrates ultimately break down into glucose. Many people believe that carbs are bad for people with diabetes. This is not true. Carbs are fuel for the body, so they have to be eaten. You just need to be smart about which ones you eat and how much you eat of them. Picking foods that are high in carbs but have no other nutrition is not smart. Examples of these foods are:
- Full fat yogurt or milk
How To Know If You Are At Risk For High Blood Sugar
Usually, people with type 1 diabetes will experience high blood sugar if they have not taken enough insulin or if they have type 2 diabetes the recommended dosage of insulin is not working as it should.
Apart from this, your chances of hyperglycemia increase if you:
- Eat too many processed and junk food
- Do not have any exercise routine
- Have a habit of eating large meals or binge eating
- Take too much stress about anything
- Suffer from any recurring illness
- Have a family history of diabetes
Lets find out how to lower blood sugar quickly in an emergency.
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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.
Green Tea And Diabetes
Green tea has long been used to regulate blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. It may also play a role in preventing type 1 diabetes or slowing its progression once you have it. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that clinical studies have shown that green tea supplements in powder form can reduce hemoglobin A1c levels in people with prediabetes. Hemoglobin A1c levels indicate how well your blood sugar is under control.
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What Causes The Blood Sugar Levels Go To High
Our bodies need sugar to make energy for the cells. Without it, we cannot do basic functions. When we eat foods with glucose, insulin pairs with it to allow it to enter into the cell wall. If the insulin is not there, then the glucose molecule cant get through the wall and cannot be used. The extra glucose hangs out in the bloodstream which is literally high blood sugar.
The lack of insulin can be caused by two different things.
- First, you can have decreased insulin resistance which means that your insulin doesnt react the way that it is supposed to. It doesnt partner with glucose to be used as fuel.
- Secondly, you can have no insulin, which is the case with type 1 diabetes.
Regardless of how it is caused, it is imperative to control blood sugars to help prevent problems.
Treatment For High Ketone Levels
Treating high ketone levels can immediately help you avoid hospitalization for DKA. Work with your doctor to decide what you need to do to help manage moderate ketone levels. If youre unable to treat at home or if your levels continue to rise, youll need to receive medical treatment. Treatments can include:
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