What Happens When You Are Sick
When you are sick, your body reacts by releasing hormones to fight infection. But these hormones raise blood sugar levels and at the same time make it more difficult for insulin to lower blood sugar. When you have diabetes, even a minor illness can lead to dangerously high blood sugar. This may cause life-threatening complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or a hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state .
Minimizing The Risk Of Hypoglycemia In T1dm
Minimizing the risk of hypoglycemia in T1DM involves the practice of hypoglycemia risk factor reduction . That includes four steps: 1) Acknowledge the problem. 2) Apply the principles of aggressive glycemic therapy. 3) Consider the conventional risk factors for hypoglycemia. 4) Consider the risk factors indicative of HAAF in diabetes.
A Low Blood Sugar Level And Driving
You may still be allowed to drive if you have diabetes or you’re at risk of a low blood sugar level for another reason, but you’ll need to do things to reduce the chance of this happening while you’re driving.
You also need to tell the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and your car insurance company about your condition.
For more information, see:
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Symptoms Of A Low Blood Sugar Level
A low blood sugar level can affect everyone differently. You’ll learn how it makes you feel, although your symptoms may change over time.
Early signs of a low blood sugar level include:
- sweating
- a fast or pounding heartbeat
- becoming easily irritated, tearful, anxious or moody
- turning pale
If a low blood sugar level is not treated, you may get other symptoms, such as:
- weakness
- unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness
- feeling sleepy
- seizures or fits
- collapsing or passing out
A low blood sugar level, or hypo, can also happen while you’re sleeping. This may cause you to wake up during the night or cause headaches, tiredness or damp sheets in the morning.
Eating A Healthy Balanced Diet
What you eat can make a difference to how you feel and how you manage your condition. Thats why weve got a huge range of tasty and nutritious recipes ready for you to try.
Whether youre cooking up a feast for dinner, or looking for something lighter for lunch, weve got you covered. Simply search by ingredient, meal type or dietary requirement and enjoy eating with diabetes.
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Blood Sugar Lowering Activities That Will Do The Trick Immediately
If youre experiencing a post-meal high , I recommend a brisk walk or living room dance-off, accompanied by plenty of fluid.
What you want to achieve is an increased heart rate that stays up for a period of time. This type of activity is called steady-state cardio and will typically lower blood sugars pretty quickly. Most people I have worked with see an impact already after 15-20 minutes, but it really depends on you, your blood sugar level, and your insulin sensitivity.
I usually recommend a brisk walk, but it can be whatever activity works for you, as long as it raises your heart rate. If its pouring rain or snowing outside, you can walk or dance around the house instead .
If you have limited mobility, it might be something as simple as standing up and sitting down several times in a row or simply fluttering your legs while seated. Work with what you got!
I think you get my point by now, just move, and get your heart rate up!
I also mentioned hydration, which is a critical component. Most people forget to get enough water throughout the day, and being dehydrated does not help when it comes to lowering blood sugars. So make sure to drink enough, even if you live in a cold climate.
Why Is Managing Hypoglycemia Important
Low blood sugars can affect the quality of life of people living with diabetes and their families. For example, it can affect your ability to work and go about your day-to-day activities. It is important to treat low blood sugar before it worsens to a dangerous level, as there is a risk of losing consciousness.
What next?
- It is important to determine what may have caused the episode of low blood sugar and make changes to your insulin dosing or meal planning if needed. Monitor and record your blood sugar levels regularly and discuss with your diabetes health care provider.
- A MedicAlert® identification should be worn so that others know how to assist you if needed. Alternatively, if you choose not to wear one, you should carry a card in your wallet stating that you have diabetes and are on insulin. Including your usual insulin doses is also helpful.
- Educate family and friends about what to do when you have low blood sugar, especially in severe cases. Make sure others know to get medical assistance if you go unconscious and how to administer glucagon.
Speak to your diabetes team if you have severe and/or frequent episodes of hypoglycemia or if you have any questions about its management.
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Preventing Low Blood Sugar
Monitor your blood sugar regularly
Monitoring on a regular basis will help you identify patterns where you may have lower blood glucose levels. If you feel any symptoms of hypoglycemia, test your blood sugar level right away. If you cannot test your blood sugar, start treatment to help prevent worsening of symptoms.
Fast acting carbohydrates
Carry glucose tablets or another form of fast-acting carbohydrate with you at all times.
Do Your Blood Sugar Levels Drop When You Sleep
Yes, people with diabetes may experience a blood sugar level that drops when they sleep. This is largely due to a phenomenon called the dawn effect.
This doesn’t always happen and it’s not something that everyone experiences but as time goes on, our bodies will tell us which pattern is best for it: whether we should eat before bed or not. It’s important to experiment with what works best for our individual needs – if eating before bed causes our blood sugar to drop too low, then we’ll know that it’s best to avoid eating for the hours leading up to bed to keep your blood sugar under control.
If we do experience a drop in blood sugar levels, there are some strategies that may help us either prevent or treat it. Some people will take insulin before going to bed if they know their blood sugar is too high others might drink juice or eat cereal with milk before bedtime when they know they have low blood sugar during the night.
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What Should I Do If My Blood Sugar Is Low
A ‘hypo’ is usually defined as a blood glucose below 4 mmol/L. A useful way to remember it is ‘Five, don’t drive four is the floor’. In other words, if your blood glucose is below 5 mmol/L, you shouldn’t drive. If it’s below 4 or you have symptoms of a hypo:
- Stop what you’re doing .
- Check your blood glucose if you haven’t already.
- Immediately eat some glucose tablets or sugary sweets or drink fruit juice or a sugary drink – the standard recommended amount is 15-20 grams of fast-acting carbohydrate.
- Warn anyone you’re with about what’s happening, so they can help if your symptoms get worse.
- Relax for 15 minutes or so while your blood glucose rises.
- Check your blood glucose again. Don’t drive until at least 45 minutes after it has risen above 5 mmol/L.
- You may also need to eat another snack, or a meal if it’s due – your medical team can advise.
Can Type 1 Diabetes Be Controlled By Diet Alone
The simple answer is no. What you eat plays an important role in how well you manage your diabetes, but a healthy lifestyle also includes exercise, adequate sleep, and as little stress as possible. All of these factors need to be balanced with how much insulin you take. As someone with type 1 diabetes, you will have to consider insulin, diet, exercises, stress, and more for the rest of your life.
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How Do I Check For Ketones
There are two ways to check for ketones:
- Step 7
Ketone strip storage
- Keep ketone strips at room temperature between 59° and 86° F. Keep them out of direct sunlight.
- Step 8 After opening the first time, write the date on the bottle.
- Always put the lid back on right away after opening.
- Do not keep them in the bathroom because the moisture could ruin the strips.
- Throw the ketone strips away 6 months after first opening if they are not gone.
- Do not use them after the expiration date. Call your pharmacy for a refill.
Steps to check for blood ketones:
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.
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Symptoms Of Low Blood Sugar
How you react to low blood sugar may not be the same as how someone else with low blood sugar reacts. Its important to know your signs. Common symptoms may include:
- Fast heartbeat
- Hunger
If youve had low blood sugar without feeling or noticing symptoms , you may need to check your blood sugar more often to see if its low and treat it. Driving with low blood sugar can be dangerous, so be sure to check your blood sugar before you get behind the wheel.
You may not have any symptoms when your blood sugar is low . If you dont have symptoms, it will be harder to treat your low blood sugar early. This increases your risk of having severe lows and can be dangerous. This is more likely to happen if you:
- Have had diabetes for more than 5-10 years.
- Frequently have low blood sugar.
- Take certain medicines, such as beta blockers for high blood pressure.
If you meet one or more of the above and you have hypoglycemia unawareness, you may need to check your blood sugar more often to see if its low. This is very important to do before driving or being physically active.
Is There A Specific Diet For Type 1 Diabetes
The goal of managing type 1 diabetes is to keep blood sugar at normal levels to ward off future problems. “Taking control of your blood sugar is the only way that you’re going to save yourself from a lot of trouble later on,” Sandra J. Arevalo, RDN, national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells Health.
All people with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin for the rest of their lives, but diabetes is a highly individual disease. Every person will need different amounts of insulin at different times, and the insulin must be carefully calibrated with not just food but also exercise, stress, sickness, your body size, and metabolismall of which can affect blood sugar. In the beginning, there’s a trial-and-error period to find the right combinations of insulin and diet . “It takes time to find that magic number,” says Arevalo. Type 1 diabetes is also not static, she adds. It will change as time goes on. For this reason and others, there is no one “diabetes diet.”
One way to start a dietary plan is with the Diabetes Food Pyramid, based on the well-known Food Pyramid from the US Department of Agriculture. Depending on how many calories you need, the plan recommends:
Alcohol, sweets, and fatty foods should only be taken in moderation.
The plate method can simplify things. Half of your plate should be non-starchy vegetables. Meat or another protein occupies one-fourth, and the final one-fourth is a grain or starch.
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How To Treat Low Blood Sugar
If you think you have low blood sugar, be sure to check it.
Keeping your blood sugar levels on target as much as possible can help prevent or delay long-term, serious health problems. While this is important, closely managing your blood sugar levels also increases your chance for low blood sugar . Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is considered low. If you think you have low blood sugar, check it. If you arent able to check it, go ahead and treat it.
Untreated low blood sugar can be dangerous, so its important to know what to do about it and to treat it immediately.
Blood Sugar Levels And Type 1 Diabetes
If you have diabetes, you may be wondering what your blood glucose should be. Hopefully your doctor, nurse practitioner, physicians assistant or whoever diagnosed you has given you answers to that question. Unfortunately, though, not everyone is given glucose goals. Or in some cases, it may have been a long time ago, and theyve since been forgotten. No worries well go over all that!
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What Is Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia is the medical term for high blood sugar . It happens when sugar stays in your bloodstream instead of being used as energy.
For people without diabetes, a healthy blood sugar level is about 70 to 140 milligrams per deciliter of blood . For people with diabetes, though, the target or healthy blood sugar range depends on a number of other factors, like their age, how long theyve had diabetes, and other health conditions they may have. To achieve good long-term glucose control, people with diabetes should focus on the time they spend in their target range, which is typically 70 to 180 mg/dL. Doctors may say you have hyperglycemia if your blood sugar is higher than 130 mg/dL after not eating or drinking for at least 8 hours or if your blood sugar is higher than 180 mg/dL 2 hours after a meal .
For people with diabetes, blood sugar control over the long term is important. Your healthcare team will work with you to evaluate your long-term control by looking at your HbA1c and/or the amount of time your blood sugar is within your target range based on data from a continuous glucose monitor, or CGM, or your blood glucose meter.
Why Am I Having Lows
If you are experiencing low blood glucose and youre not sure why, bring a record of blood glucose, insulin, exercise, and food data to a health care provider. Together, you can review all your data to figure out the cause of the lows.
The more information you can give your health care provider, the better they can work with you to understand what’s causing the lows. Your provider may be able to help prevent low blood glucose by adjusting the timing of insulin dosing, exercise, and meals or snacks. Changing insulin doses or the types of food you eat may also do the trick.
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The Dangers Of Low Blood Glucose
At some time, most people with diabetes experience the sweating and shakiness that occurs when blood glucose levels fall below 70 mg/dl a condition known as hypoglycemia. The average person with type 1 diabetes may experience symptoms of low blood glucose up to two times a week. However, not all are aware that these symptoms can rapidly progress to seizures, coma and even death if hypoglycemia is severe. Though hypoglycemia can be common and occur repeatedly in some people with diabetes, symptoms of low blood glucose should always be taken seriously. People with diabetes and their families, friends or coworkers should be prepared to act quickly and responsibly at the earliest signs of low blood glucose.
How To Prevent It
If you work to keep your blood sugar under control â follow your meal plan, exercise program, and medicine schedule â you shouldnât have to worry about hyperglycemia. You can also:
- Know your diet â count the total amounts of carbs in each meal and snack.
- Test your blood sugar regularly.
- Tell your doctor if you have repeated abnormal blood sugar readings.
- Wear medical identification to let people know you have diabetes in case of an emergency.
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