What To Take For High Blood Sugar

What Should My Blood Sugar Level Be

When youâre first diagnosed with diabetes, your diabetes care team will usually tell you what your blood sugar level is and what you should aim to get it down to.

You may be advised to use a testing device to monitor your blood sugar level regularly at home.

Or you may have an appointment with a nurse or doctor every few months to see what your average blood sugar level is. This is known as your HbA1c level.

Target blood sugar levels differ for everyone, but generally speaking:

• if you monitor yourself at home with a self-testing kit a normal target is 4 to 7mmol/l before eating and under 8.5 to 9mmol/l 2 hours after a meal
• if your HbA1c level is tested every few months a normal HbA1c target is below 48mmol/mol

If My A1c Is Normal My Glucose Is Good

An A1C result thatâs below 5.7% is normal âs standards, but having a result below that number isnât the end of the story. Pregnancy, hemoglobin variants, anemia, liver disease, and certain medications can cause inaccurate A1C results.

Additionally, the A1C test is measuring your average glucose value over the past 3 months, but averages inherently do not capture highs and lows. So, you could have a normal average while also having abnormal glucose spikes. The A1C test should only supplement your regular blood sugar testing, not replace it completely.

The Fattest People On Earth

The Pimas of Arizona are among the fattest groups of people in the world. The only populations more obese are people living on some isolated Pacific Islands. On the Gila River reservation in Arizona, children as young as six and seven are so obese they cannot run. They lumber across baseball fields, out of breath before they get to first base.

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Easy Ways To Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally

High blood sugar occurs when your body doesnt make enough or effectively use insulin, a hormone that regulates blood glucose and helps it enter your cells for energy.

High blood sugar is associated with diabetes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 13% of U.S. adults live with diabetes, and 34.5% have prediabetes (

This means close to 50% of all U.S. adults have diabetes or prediabetes.

Here are 15 easy ways to lower blood sugar levels naturally:

Natural Cocoa Can Be Of Use

Researchers have found that certain compounds found in cocoa can actually help the body release more insulin and respond better to high blood sugar. Its about the polyphenols epicatechin and catechin, which change the glucose metabolism in the intestine and stimulate insulin production in the pancreas. A 2017 study suggests that prolonged long-term cocoa consumption can affect insulin resistance more than single doses of cocoa products.

Dark chocolate with at least 85% cocoa contains very little added sugar. However, people with diabetes should limit their chocolate intake to one or two small squares of dark chocolate per day. A good idea for diabetics, for example, is this chocolate spread: Mix a pack of cream cheese with one to two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and season with one to two teaspoons of erythritol the sugar-free treat is ready!

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Take Steps To Control Your Blood Sugar Level

Although high blood sugar and low blood sugar have very different symptoms and treatments, they are both caused by blood sugar and insulin imbalances. The steps you take to control your blood sugar level will help prevent both high and low blood sugar levels.

Be sure to have identification that says you have diabetes, such as a medical alert bracelet, with you at all times. This will help other people take steps to care for you if you are not able tell them about your medical condition.

You can take steps to prevent high and low blood sugar emergencies.

• Follow your treatment plan.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly to detect early changes before an emergency develops. Treat your symptoms of high or low blood sugar quickly to prevent more problems.
• Control your stress to prevent your blood sugar level from increasing slowly over several days.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink. Do not drink alcohol if you have problems recognizing the early signs of low blood sugar.
• Take precautions when you are driving and do not drive if your blood sugar is low.

What To Do When Levels Are High

You should seek medical attention immediately if your blood sugar level is above 240 mg/dl. Because this can lead to organ damage. The symptoms of diabetes include intense thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, and blurry vision. Also, keep in mind that adults aged 40+ have diabetes. But have never experienced symptoms before developing intense thirst at around 230mg/dL. So this is probably not appropriate for all ages unless granulated based on the affected person.

If levels are between 180 and 239, then you can treat it with a simple meal or drink that contains 15g of carbohydrates and two to four ounces of juice. If you take insulin, only give yourself half of your usual amount and dont take any more doses until you speak with your doctor about what to do next.

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How Are Ketones Tested

Testing your blood or urine to measure your ketone levels can all be done at home. At-home testing kits are available for both types of tests, although urine testing continues to be more common. Urine tests are available without a prescription at most drugstores, or you can buy them online.

You should test your urine or blood for ketones when any of the following occurs:

• Your blood sugar is higher than 240 mg/dL.
• You have symptoms of DKA.
• You feel sick or nauseated, regardless of your blood sugar reading.

To perform a urine test, you urinate into a clean container and dip the test strip into the urine. For a child who isnt potty-trained, a parent can usually press the stick to their childs wet diaper to test for ketones.

Urine testing strips contain special chemicals that change colors when they react with ketones. You can interpret the test results by comparing the test strip to the color chart on the package. When you have ketones present in your urine, its called ketonuria.

An at-home meter is available to test for blood ketones. This is performed in a similar way to a finger-stick glucose test. You prick your finger with a needle and place a small drop of blood onto the testing area.

Doctors often recommend that people whove just received a diabetes diagnosis test their ketones twice daily.

While individual testing may vary, in general, results for ketone testing are labeled in the following way:

• swelling in your brain
• diabetic coma
• death

Take A Pass On The Bread Bowl

Its obvious that sugary stuff leads to an increase in blood sugar, but starchy foods can do the same thing. Your body processes simple carbs quickly and turns them into sugar, and it needs a lot of insulin to absorb them. That means a bag of Doritos is as likely as a candy bar to cause a spike.

If youre in the middle of a blood sugar spike, its best to curtail your carb intake. Check the glycemic index if youre not sure about a food.

Surprisingly, popcorn and white potatoes are worse than ice cream, according to the index. If you stick to low-carb/low-glycemic-index foods, your blood sugar will return to normal much more quickly.

Ultimately, its best to limit your carb intake. A 2004 study found that a diet of 20 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 50 percent fat lowered fasting blood sugar and kept blood sugar from spiking after meals.

This was a very small study, but the results suggest that lower carb intake can lead to generally lower blood glucose. In general, most people with diabetes eat 40 to 45 percent of their calories in the form of carbohydrates. Choosing nutrient-rich sources of carbs is best.

Another promising study found that after two years on a low-carb diet, many participants with type 2 diabetes were able to manage their condition without medication or resolve it entirely.

The occasional baked potato isnt a problem, but frequent trips to the drive-through are not a good idea. Find a few veggie-and-protein-heavy meals and make them your go-tos.

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What Foods Should You Eat To Reduce Blood Sugar Level

Some good sources of quercetin, a plant polyphenol from flavonoid group, used for reducing blood sugar level are- cinnamon, citrus fruit, cold water fish, fiber-rich foods, legumes, green tea, nuts, spinach, kale and collard greens.

There could be severe consequences of a high blood sugar level and can cause permanent damage to liver, pancreas and a rise in triglycerides which has chances of increasing cardiovascular damage and a probable heart attack.

You must keep in mind that whenever your blood sugar level gets treated, you will be at a lower risk of health.

Learn How To Deal With Low Blood Sugar Levels

Because you have diabetes and can have low blood sugar levels, you need to keep some glucose or sucrose tablets or solution or quick-sugar food with you at all times. These can quickly raise your blood sugar level. Be sure to check your blood sugar level 15 minutes after eating a quick-sugar food to make sure your level is getting back to your target range. If you continue to have low blood sugar, take another 15 grams of carbohydrate. When your blood sugar gets to 4.0 mmol/L or higher, you can eat your normal meals and snacks. Eat a small snack if your next meal or snack is more than one hour away.

Quick sugar foods to help raise blood sugar

It is important to know that sugar foods like a candy bar or ice cream do not help raise low blood sugar levels quickly, because these foods also have fat and protein. So the body can’t use the sugar in these foods quickly to raise the blood sugar level.

You can get low blood sugar from using too much insulin or from other medicines you take.

Pregnant women who have gestational diabetes also need to know how to deal with a low blood sugar level.

Since low blood sugar levels can quickly become a medical emergency, be sure to wear medical identification, such as a medical alert bracelet, to let people know you have diabetes so they can get help for you.

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Natural Home Remedies For High Blood Sugar

Diabetes, or to be specific, type-2 diabetes, is a disease that has reached pandemic proportions in the developed world.

That is why today, were going to be looking at several home remedies for high blood sugar.

With the number of cases of type-2 diabetes across the globe now reaching pandemic proportions, health experts and officials are extremely concerned, and for good reason.

Diabetes is a potentially life-threatening disease that is extremely difficult to manage.

Furthermore, it can severely affect your overall quality of life.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing about type-2 diabetes, however, is the fact that the disease can easily be avoided.

Caused primarily due to poor dietary and lifestyle choices, diabetes is a disease that needs constant care and maintenance.

The good news is that there are a series of home remedies, which not only helps to manage diabetes, but they can also help to prevent it.

Here are a few prime examples.

Questions To Prepare For Doctor Appointment

You can help your doctor treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

• What steps did you take to correct your high or low blood sugar level? Did they help?
• Have you had signs of another illness?
• Have you made any recent changes in your diet, exercise, or medicines?
• What other prescription and non-prescription medicines do you take?
• Have you recently had increased emotional or physical stress?
• Have you noticed situations that trigger or may cause your high or low blood sugar problem?
• Have you noticed any patterns, such as time of day, when your high or low blood sugar problem occurs?
• Have you used a high blood sugar card ? If so, be sure to bring it when you see your doctor.
• Do you have other health risks?

Be sure to take your daily blood sugar monitoring logbook to your appointment. If you have specific records of your high and low blood sugar problems, be sure to take those records.

Parents will also need to keep records of their child’s high or low blood sugar problems to share with their child’s doctor.

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Broccoli And Broccoli Sprouts

Sulforaphane is a type of isothiocyanate that has blood-sugar-reducing properties.

This plant chemical is produced when broccoli is chopped or chewed due to a reaction between a glucosinolate compound called glucoraphanin and the enzyme myrosinase, both of which are concentrated in broccoli .

Test-tube, animal, and human studies have shown that sulforaphane-rich broccoli extract has powerful antidiabetic effects, helping enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar and markers of oxidative stress .

Broccoli sprouts are concentrated sources of glucosinolates like glucoraphanin, and theyve been shown to help promote insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes when supplemented as a powder or extract (

11 ).

Keep in mind that the best way to enhance the availability of sulforaphane is to enjoy broccoli and broccoli sprouts raw or lightly steamed, or to add active sources of myrosinase like mustard seed powder to cooked broccoli (

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 Does It Take To Get Prediabetes Under Control

Prediabetes is a condition with higher than normal blood sugar levels, but with levels still below those in diabetes. In most cases, recommendations for managing prediabetes include losing weight loss and increasing physical activity.

These and other healthy lifestyle changes can help manage or even reverse prediabetes. Once you start making changes to lower blood sugar, results can be detected quickly. Greater changes can occur with continued healthy choices. Here is some information about how long it can take to get prediabetes under control.

When To Get Urgent Medical Attention

Contact your diabetes care team immediately if you have a high blood sugar level and experience the following symptoms:

• feeling or being sick
• a fever for more than 24 hours
• signs of dehydration, such as a headache, dry skin and a weak, rapid heartbeat
• difficulty staying awake

These symptoms could be a sign of a more serious complication of hyperglycaemia, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or a hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state, and you may need to be looked after in hospital.

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When Should I Check My Blood Sugar

How often you check your blood sugar depends on the type of diabetes you have and if you take any diabetes medicines.

Typical times to check your blood sugar include:

• When you first wake up, before you eat or drink anything.
• Before a meal.
• Two hours after a meal.
• At bedtime.

If you have type 1 diabetes, have type 2 diabetes and take insulin, or often have low blood sugar, your doctor may want you to check your blood sugar more often, such as before and after youre physically active.

Dos And Donts To Follow For A Healthy Lifestyle

• Never skip meals as it can result in obesity. Whenever you remain without eating anything for longer hours, your body uses the glucose already stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. This provokes the liver to release more glucose into the bloodstream.
• Dont cut off necessary sleep. The appropriate time you should allow for sleeping is 7 to 8 hours to prevent unnecessary blood sugar spikes.
• Be cautious with your sleeping hours, even sleeping more than required makes you overweight and cause more problems.
• Eat more foods with low glycemic index and must involve apples, pineapple, citrus fruits, strawberries for high fiber intake
• Regular exercise is the key to maintaining normal blood sugar levels. Weightlifting, walking, running, cycling, dancing or even short term intense workouts, all can help you to fight high blood sugar.

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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.