Managing Blood Sugar Levels
Many people with diabetes must check their blood sugar levels daily with a glucose meter. This device takes a drop of blood, usually from a finger, and displays the sugar level within a few seconds.
People with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin as their doctor recommends, usually several times a day.
Those with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes may need to change their diet and exercise habits. They may also need to take oral medications or insulin.
A number of strategies can help prevent hyperglycemia.
People should:
- check their blood sugar levels as their doctor advises and take the correct amount of insulin, if they have type 1 diabetes
- speak to their healthcare provider or dietitian about which foods to eat or avoid, how much to eat, and how often
- take precautions to avoid infections, for example, through regular hand washing, as illness, such as a cold, can trigger a rise in blood pressure
- plan their food intake and exercise to balance blood sugar levels
- minimize stress, as far as possible, for example, through exercise, getting enough sleep, and stress-reducing activities such as meditation or yoga
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can happen when a person:
- has certain medical conditions
- does a lot of exercise
- skips meals or eats too little
It can also be a side effect of diabetes medicines. Taking too much insulin can result in low blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of low blood sugar may include:
- visit a doctor regularly
Tips To Manage Blood Glucose Levels
There are several steps a person can often take to help control blood sugar.
Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, maintaining a moderate weight, and getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense exercise each week
Other tips for controlling blood sugar can include:
- eating at regular times and not skipping meals
- drinking more water
- balancing portions at meals so that a typical plate will be one-fourth meat, one-fourth starchy foods, and one-half non-starchy vegetables
Any person who experiences symptoms of low or high blood sugar should see a doctor, whether or not they have a diagnosis of diabetes.
Why Test Blood Sugar Levels
If you take certain medication, like insulin or sulphonylureas, checking your blood sugars is a vital part of living with diabetes. It can help you work out when you need to take more medication, when you need to eat something or for when you want to get up and move around more.
Routine checks can help you know when you might be starting to go too low or too high . Its a way of getting to know your body and how it works. It can help you and your healthcare team spot patterns too. Do you write your results down? You might find that helpful.
But importantly, it will help you stay healthy and prevent serious diabetes complications now and in the future. By complications, we mean serious problems in places like your feet and your eyes. This happens because too much sugar in the blood damages your blood vessels, making it harder for blood to flow around your body. This can lead to very serious problems like sight loss and needing an amputation.
The higher your blood sugar levels are and the longer theyre high for, the more at risk you are.
Also Check: Is There Sugar In Peanut Butter
Nighttime Low Blood Sugar
While low blood sugar can happen at any time during the day, some people may experience low blood sugar while they sleep. Reasons this may happen include:
- Having an active day.
- Being physically active close to bedtime.
- Taking too much insulin.
- Drinking alcohol at night.
Eating regular meals and not skipping them can help you avoid nighttime low blood sugar. Eating when you drink alcohol can also help. If you think youre at risk for low blood sugar overnight, have a snack before bed.
You may wake up when you have low blood sugar, but you shouldnt rely on that. A continuous glucose monitor can alert you with an alarm if your blood sugar gets low while youre sleeping.
How Can I Lower My Blood Sugar Quickly
Struggling to gain control of your blood sugar levels can be frustrating. Heres what scientific evidence has found is an effective, achievable way to lower your blood sugar quickly.
Yes, its possible to lower your blood sugar quickly! Not everyones blood sugar levels will tumble in 3 days, but scientific evidence strongly points to the use of a healthy lifestyle can help you reverse diabetes in as quickly as two to three weeks. Nearly 10% of the U.S. population has diabetes. Are you ready to make a change? Heres how you can lower your blood sugar quickly.
Read Also: What Can You Eat To Bring Your Blood Sugar Down
Sufficient And Fulfilling Sleep
Nature is clever enough to provide us with a mechanism to recuperate and rejuvenate ourselves through sleeping. This is the time when the body gets enough time for reconstructing and repairing cells, muscles etc. as the night sets in and the sunlight disappears the body secretes hormones to induce sleep.
But with the rush towards more and more comfort we have started to ignore these fundamental needs of the body giving rise to heaps of diseases. Nature retaliated and we have started to understand the importance of sleep.
We must understand that a sound and quality sleep of seven to eight hours is essential for a healthy living. Lack of sleep and proper rest causes imbalance in the system and becomes a reason for diabetes.type 2.
You will be surprised to know that lack of sleep increases appetite and there often remains a risk of weight gain which again is linked to diabetes. Lack of sleep also causes raised secretion of cortisol hormone that plays its role in raising blood sugar levels.
Following methods may be followed to improve the quantity as well as quality of sleep
Top 30 Doctor Insights On: High Glucose And Creatinine Could That Be Diabetes
1 A glucose of: Above 200 drawn from a vein at any time and any situation usually indicates diabetes, or at least a reason to investigate further. Check w/your doctor and also diabetes. Org. Read more 2 Albuminuria: Albumin is a very abundant blood protein that we all have. One of the complications of diabetes is kidney disease, and an early sign of diabetic kidney disease is spilling albumin into the urine . The blood albumin level is not affected by diabetes unless there is severe kidney disease with a lot of albumin Read more 3 Glucosuria: Glucosuria glucose in the urine. If blood glucose is normal & kidneys are functioning appropriately the urine usually contains no glucose. An uncommon and unconcerning inherited condition called renal glucosuria spills glucose into urinr. A new group of medications mimics this inherited condition. Fanconis syndrome also has glucosuria, many Read more 4 8 15 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 29 30Continue reading > >
You May Like: Is There Sugar In Peanut Butter
Read Also: What Spices Lower Blood Sugar
How Do You Feel When Your Sugar Is Low
Its normal for blood sugar levels to vary throughout the day for each and every one of us. With that said, when blood sugar levels fall particularly low, its important to take action. According to the American Diabetes Association, blood sugar levels are considered particularly low in those with diabetes when blood sugar is less than 70 mg/dL.
Although low blood sugar levels can affect everyone differently, and symptoms may change over time for each individual, its important to stay in the know with regards to certain early symptoms of low blood sugar.
Some of the most common and early symptoms of low blood sugar include:
- Feelings of anxiety
One of the most reliable ways to know whether or not your blood sugar level has fallen is to check your blood sugar. If you can confirm that they have fallen, the next important step is to treat it.
See also:What is the best treatment for diabetes?
Natural Ways To Lower Blood Sugar
Whether you have symptoms of high blood sugar or youve been diagnosed with diabetes, you may be wondering how to lower blood sugar naturally. While blood sugar may be improved with home remedies, people with diabetes should not stop taking their medication or change their dosage without talking to their healthcare provider. But in addition to medication, you can try these natural remedies for lowering your blood sugar. Also consider the opposite, if you do not follow these healthful ways to lower blood sugar, the medication that your physician prescribes may never effectively control your blood sugars.
Also Check: How To Make Sugar Scrub
A Few Final Notes On Keeping Blood Sugar Stable
Taking an active, intentional approach to your blood sugar levels is crucial to your quality of life and overall health, ONeill says. Avoiding too-high or too-low blood sugar levels will help you avoid adverse symptoms and health complications, and staying within your target range can enable you to feel your best and do whatever you want to do in life, she says.
Test your blood sugar regularly, listen to your body, and dont ever hesitate to reach out to your doctor.
Additional reporting by Karen Appold.
What If I Have Severe Low Blood Glucose And Cant Treat Myself
Glucagona hormone that raises blood glucose levelsis the best way to treat severely low blood glucose. Available as an injection or a nasal spray, glucagon will quickly raise your blood glucose level. Your doctor can prescribe you a glucagon kit for use in case of an emergency.
If your blood glucose level drops very low, you wont be able to treat it by yourself. Be prepared to address severely low blood glucose by
- talking with your doctor or health care team about when and how to use a glucagon emergency kit. If you have an emergency kit, regularly check the date on the package to make sure it hasnt expired.
- teaching your family, friends, and coworkers when and how to give you glucagon. Tell them to call 911 right away after giving you glucagon or if you dont have a glucagon emergency kit with you.
- wearing a medical alert identification bracelet or pendant. A medical alert ID tells other people that you have diabetes and need care right away. Getting prompt care can help prevent the serious problems that low blood glucose levels can cause.
Recommended Reading: How To Control Your Sugar
A Low Blood Sugar Level Without Diabetes
A low blood sugar level is uncommon in people who do not have diabetes.
Possible causes include:
- a gastric bypass
- other medical conditions, such as problems with your hormone levels, pancreas, liver, kidneys, adrenal glands or heart
- some medicines, including quinine
See a GP if you think you keep getting symptoms of a low blood sugar level. They can arrange some simple tests to check if your blood sugar level is low and try to find out what’s causing it.
What Are Clinical Trials For Low Blood Glucose
Clinical trialsand other types of clinical studiesare part of medical research and involve people like you. When you volunteer to take part in a clinical study, you help doctors and researchers learn more about disease and improve health care for people in the future.
Researchers are studying many aspects of low blood glucose levels in diabetes, such as
- how to diagnose and treat low blood glucose among people with diabetes
- medicines that can treat symptoms of low blood glucose in people with hypoglycemia unawareness
- educational approaches to reduce fear of low blood glucose, which can make it harder for you to control your diabetes
Also Check: What Should Your Blood Sugar Be After Exercising
Why Your Blood Sugar Level May Be High
Based on the ADA guidelines above, if your blood sugar is above 180 mg/dL two hours after a meal, it is considered above the normal range. What might cause your glucose or blood sugar to rise? Consider the following factors:
- Consuming more carbohydrates or a larger meal than usual
- Not taking enough insulin or oral diabetes medication based on carbohydrates or activity levels
- Reduced physical activity
- Side effects from medications like steroids or antipsychotics
What Should I Expect During An A1c Test
You can expect the following during an A1C test that involves a sample from your vein, or a blood draw:
- Youll sit in a chair, and a phlebotomist will check your arms for an easily accessible vein. This is usually in the inner part of your arm on the other side of your elbow.
- Once theyve located a vein, theyll clean and disinfect the area.
- Theyll then insert a small needle into your vein to take a blood sample. This may feel like a small pinch.
- After they insert the needle, a small amount of blood will collect in a test tube.
- Once they have enough blood to test, theyll remove the needle and hold a cotton ball or gauze on the site to stop the bleeding.
- Finally, theyll place a bandage over the site, and youll be finished.
You can expect the following during a finger prick A1C test:
- A healthcare provider will ask you which finger youd like them to use.
- Theyll disinfect your fingertip with an alcohol swab and prick it with a small needle called a lancet, which is usually contained within a small plastic device.
- Theyll squeeze your fingertip to form a drop of blood and collect the drop in a small plastic container.
- After they have enough blood for the test, theyll give you a cotton ball or gauze to hold against your fingertip to stop the bleeding.
- The results are usually ready within minutes.
Don’t Miss: How To Decrease Blood Sugar Level
What Can I Expect During A Blood Glucose Test
You can expect the following during a venous glucose test, or blood draw:
- Youll sit in a chair, and a phlebotomist will check your arms for an easily accessible vein. This is usually in the inner part of your arm on the other side of your elbow.
- Once theyve located a vein, theyll clean and disinfect the area.
- Theyll then insert a small needle into your vein to take a blood sample. This may feel like a small pinch.
- After they insert the needle, a small amount of blood will collect in a test tube.
- Once they have enough blood to test, theyll remove the needle and hold a cotton ball or gauze on the site to stop the bleeding.
- Finally, theyll place a bandage over the site, and youll be finished.
You can expect the following during a capillary blood glucose test :
- A healthcare provider will ask you which finger youd like them to use.
- Theyll disinfect your fingertip with an alcohol swab and prick it with a small needle called a lancet, which is usually contained within a small plastic device.
- Theyll squeeze your fingertip to form a drop of blood.
- Theyll place your finger/the drop of blood against a test strip thats inserted into a glucometer.
- After they have enough blood for the test, theyll give you a cotton ball or gauze to hold against your fingertip to stop the bleeding.
- The glucometer will show your blood glucose level within seconds.
What Are Risk Factors For Hyperglycemia
Major risk factors for hyperglycemia are:
- You have a family history of type 2 diabetes.
- You are African American, Native American, Hispanic or Asian American.
- You are overweight.
- You have high blood pressure or cholesterol.
- You have polycystic ovarian syndrome .
- You have a history of gestational diabetes.
You May Like: Do Statins Raise Blood Sugar
Managing Your Dogs Diabetes At Home
Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a common endocrine disorder that affects both humans and dogs. In dogs, the disease can come on at any age and usually requires ongoing treatment. Diabetic dogs often require insulin injections, but determining how much to give them can be a tricky task. The best way to prevent a diabetic dog from developing hypoglycemia is to properly manage their disease on a daily basis. Here are some tips that can help:
Optimize your insulin regimen Dogs with diabetes usually require two daily insulin injections. These should be given at the same time each day, ideally 15 to 30 minutes after a meal. If your dog is refusing to eat, dont administer their insulin, as doing so could push them into hypoglycemia.
Keep a consistent feeding schedule Diabetic dogs do best with timed meals as opposed to free feeding. Aim to feed your dog every 10 to 12 hours or so.
Opt for a prescription diet Prescription diets for diabetic dogs are formulated to keep their blood sugar at healthy levels. Theyre also usually low in fat to prevent your dog from developing pancreatitis. Going with a prescription diet can help owners take some of the guesswork out of their pets nutrition.
Why Your Blood Sugar Level May Be Low
If blood sugar drops below 70 mg/dL, it is below normal levels. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as:
- Not eating enough or missing a meal or snack
- Reducing the amount of carbohydrates you normally eat
- Alcohol consumption especially if youre drinking on an empty stomach
- Taking too much insulin or oral diabetes medication based on carbohydrates or activity levels
- Increased physical activity
- Side effects from medications
If you have diabetes, keep your blood glucose meter and sources of fast-acting glucose close by in case your blood sugar drops. This is especially important for people with hypoglycemia unawareness, which is a condition that causes symptoms of low blood sugar to go unnoticed.
Eating balanced meals and snacks at regular times throughout the day is a big part of maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Check out our article on meal planning for diabetes to better understand the three macronutrients where calories come from and which have the biggest effect on blood sugar.
Meal Planning for Diabetes: How to Optimize Your Diet >
Everyone will respond differently to certain factors, which is why its important to have individualized target glucose levels. To help you reach your target blood glucose goals, work with your healthcare provider to discuss modifications to your diet, physical activity, or medications, and alert them of other factors like a recent illness or stressful event.
Read Also: Are Bananas Bad For Blood Sugar