Why Does Exercise Sometimes Raise Blood Glucose
Exercise is essential for everyoneespecially for people with diabetes. Being active most days of the week keeps you healthy by reducing long-term health risks, improving insulin sensitivity, and enhancing mood and overall quality of life. Most of the time, working out causes blood glucose to dip. But some people, after certain types of exercise, notice that their glucose levels actually rise during or after exercise. Fear not! There are steps you can take to avoid this.
Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar
When you first found out you had diabetes, you tested your blood sugar often. Doing so helped you understand how food, activity, stress, and illness could affect your blood sugar levels. By now, youve got it figured out for the most part. But thenbam! Something makes your blood sugar zoom up. You try to adjust it with food or activity or insulin, and it dips really low. Youre on a roller coaster no one with diabetes wants to ride.
Do you know all these blood sugar triggers?
Knowledge is power! Look out for these surprising triggers that can send your blood sugar soaring:
Veggies Or Fat Or Protein
I was taught to eat my salad first, then the meal but I read that you advised to break a longer fast with ¼ cup of Macadamia nuts, and an hour later a salad. He talked about the veggies doing their thing in the upper intestine, and the fat and protein in the lower. My question is which should I eat first to receive the best benefit. I eat once a day while fasting at least 24 hours. When 24 hours comes past 8 pm, I wait until the next day around lunch, then move ahead one hour each day and repeat.
William
I think you should eat the salad first. There is some data to suggest that eating the veggies first reduces insulin.
Dr. Jason Fung
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Adrenaline Can Raise Blood Glucose Levels
Using your muscles helps burn glucose and improves the way insulin works. Thats why blood glucose levels usually come down during exercise. But you might see blood glucose go up after exercise, too. Some workouts, such as heavy weightlifting, sprints, and competitive sports, cause you to produce stress hormones . Adrenaline raises blood glucose levels by stimulating your liver to release glucose.
The food you eat before or during a workout may also contribute to a glucose rise. Eat too many carbs before exercising, and your sweat session may not be enough to keep your blood glucose within your goal range.
High Blood Glucose: Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia means that you have too much blood glucose. It happens when your blood glucose level is around 200 mg/dL or higher. Hyperglycemia can happen if you miss taking your diabetes medications, eat too much or do not get enough exercise. Sometimes, the medications you take for other problems cause high blood glucose.
Symptoms of hyperglycemia include:
- Having blurry vision
- Having to urinate often
If you have these symptoms, check your blood glucose right away. If its too high, follow these steps:
- Check your blood glucose every four hours. If your level does not go down after two checks or your symptoms get worse, call a member of your diabetes team.
- Drink water or other sugar-free liquids, such as diet soda or Crystal Light.
- You may need to take an extra dose of insulin. Your diabetes educator talks with you more about this.
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Why Does My Blood Sugar Go Up At Night A Detailed Guide
10 min read
Diabetes causes many complications when not properly managed, and one of them is high blood sugar at night. People with diabetes usually experience night high blood sugar in three phases before they sleep, when they sleep, and after they wake up.
Also, apart from established diabetics, people can experience a blood sugar spike at night if theyre vulnerable to developing diabetes or do things that could increase their blood sugar levels just before they sleep.
The good thing about elevated blood sugar levels at night is that you can prevent it, or at the very least, reduce it with the proper management tips. This article/guide examines how to successfully maintain low blood sugar at night by throwing light on the cause of the blood sugar spikes at night, the kind of people susceptible to it, and the solutions to live healthier.
What to expect?
- Which Set of People Have High Blood Sugar at Night?
- The Different Stages of Night-Influenced High Blood Sugar Level
- High Blood Sugar at Night: Symptoms
- How to Prevent Blood Sugar Spikes at Night
Avoiding High Blood Sugar And Dka
No matter how well they take care of themselves, people with diabetes will sometimes have high blood sugar levels. But the best way to avoid problems is to keep your blood sugar levels as close to your desired range as possible, which means following your diabetes management plan. Checking your blood sugar levels several times a day will let you know when your blood sugar level is high. Then you can treat it and help prevent DKA from happening.
High blood sugar levels don’t always cause symptoms, and a person who isn’t testing regularly might be having blood sugar levels high enough to damage the body without even realizing it. Doctors may use the HbA1c test to find out if someone has been having high blood sugar levels over time, even if the person has not had obvious symptoms.
Here are some other tips for avoiding high blood sugar levels and preventing DKA:
- Try to eat all your meals and snacks on time and not skip any.
- Take the right amount of insulin.
- Check your blood sugar levels regularly and your ketone levels when your diabetes management plan recommends it.
- Stick to your diabetes management plan.
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What Is High Blood Sugar
Most of the food you eat is broken down into glucose. Your body needs glucose because its the primary fuel that makes your muscles, organs, and brain work properly. But glucose cant be used as fuel until it enters your cells.
Insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, unlocks cells so glucose can enter them. Without insulin, that glucose keeps floating around in your bloodstream with nowhere to go. It can become increasingly more concentrated over time.
When glucose builds up in your bloodstream, your blood glucose levels rise. Over time, this can cause damage to organs, nerves, and blood vessels.
Blood sugar spikes occur in people with diabetes because their bodies are unable to use insulin effectively.
Keep reading to learn about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of blood sugar spikes.
A Breakthrough Moment: Understanding Insulin Resistance
One day when Charlotte watched a video about reversing insulin resistance, she was introduced to the concept that a person with type 1 diabetes could eat a high-fruit diet without experiencing blood glucose spikes.
But the mere fact that it seemed unbelievable was all the temptation she needed to try the Mastering Diabetes Method.
For breakfast, Charlotte began eating smoothie bowls containing bananas, spinach, zucchini, apples, and dates.
For lunch, she usually ate a large salad with beans or oil-free, air-fried potatoes. For dinner, she typically ate beans and rice or tacos followed by nice cream.
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Exercise Increases Insulin Sensitivity
The type and intensity of exercise determine the effect of exercise on blood sugar. Moderate to intense levels of exercise can lower blood sugar for up to 24 hours, according to the American Diabetes Association.10 This is because muscle cells are more sensitive to insulin after more intense exercise.
Muscle cells have two ways of transporting GLUT 4 receptors to cell membranes so glucose can enter muscle cells, insulin and exercise. Exercise allows glucose to enter muscle cells in a way that is not insulin-dependent.11 At rest and after eating, insulin moves glucose into muscle cells to restore muscle glycogen stores. Storing glycogen in muscle cells provides them with a ready source of glucose for energy.12
High-intensity interval training : HIIT alternates short bursts of higher and lower intensity exercise, resulting in greater gains in cardiovascular fitness.13
When metabolically healthy people performed HIIT for 7.5 to 20 minutes per week for two weeks and at 80% maximal capacity, it increased insulin sensitivity for three days post-exercise. 14
Resistance exercise:Resistance exercise decreases insulin resistance, increases muscular strength, increases lean muscle mass and bone density, and improves glycemic control.13 After an initial increase in blood glucose, resistance exercise can lower fasting blood glucose for at least 24 hours after exercise.13
Indian Doctors Are Witnessing An New Onset Of Diabetes In Covid
Written by Longjam Dineshwori|Updated : February 25, 2021 8:46 AM IST
Increasing number of Covid-recovered patients, who are otherwise healthy, are being diagnosed with diabetes and related complications in India. This is because coronavirus is apparently messing up with sugar levels of the patients, say Indian doctors, advising people who recovered from the disease to get their glucose levels checked to avoid long-term complications.
News agency IANS reported one such case. A Covid-19 patient, Gaurav Jain , started experiencing some unusual symptoms like blurry vision, constant thirst and lethargy nearly three months after recovering from a mild Covid-19 infection. He was shocked to find out that his blood sugar levels had gone above 400 mg/dL, which never happened before Covid. Jain rushed to the nearby hospital, where he was given medications and told to completely transform his lifestyle.
Dheeraj Kapoor, head of department of Endocrinology at Artemis Hospital in Gurugram, told the news agency that Covid-19 can mess up with sugar levels of healthy people who had no history of diabetes. But why this is happening is not known yet, he added.
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Follow Your Diabetes Meal Plan
Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your health care team. Following a meal plan will help you manage your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
Choose fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains, chicken or turkey without the skin, fish, lean meats, and nonfat or low-fat milk and cheese. Drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt. Learn more about eating, diet, and nutrition with diabetes.
Main Symptoms Of High Blood Glucose
While an individual can have no noticeable symptoms and still have high blood glucose, knowing what kinds of symptoms tend to accompany high blood glucose helps us take the right action before things get worse. If for no other reason, keeping these markers of high blood glucose in mind can help you identify it more quickly in yourself.
The most common symptoms to be aware of are:
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Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar
Learning to recognize the symptoms of hyperglycemia can help you successfully manage your diabetes.
Some people with diabetes immediately feel the symptoms of high blood sugar. Others dont because their symptoms are mild or vague.
Symptoms of hyperglycemia typically begin when your blood glucose goes above per deciliter . Symptoms can worsen the longer its untreated.
Symptoms of a blood sugar spike may include:
- frequent urination
The Central Confusion Point: Isn’t Glucose What I’m Trying To Avoid
The main reason behind this problem is the way we talk about diabetes and your blood sugar. Most of the complications of diabetes are tied to elevated blood glucose , which is why we tend to talk about diabetes in these terms.
We discuss the results of a fasting blood glucose test, we measure average blood sugar, and most diabetes medications are aimed at lowering these symptoms.
As a result, it does seem like a simple solution to simply remove glucose from your diet as much as possible. So people reduce their carb intake, go on a low carbohydrate diet, and focus on eating healthy fats and too much protein.
But what this solution crucially fails to address is insulin resistance, which is the true cause of those high blood glucose numbers. And unfortunately, eating a low-carb diet just makes you more insulin resistant. This was exactly what was happening with Charlotte.
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What Happens If My Blood Glucose Level Becomes Too Low
Sometimes blood glucose levels drop below where they should be, which is called hypoglycemia. For most people with diabetes, the blood glucose level is too low when it is below 70 mg/dL.
Hypoglycemia can be life threatening and needs to be treated right away. Learn more about how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia.
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.
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All Carbs Are Created Equal
Phipps explains that, despite containing similar amounts of carbohydrates, one serving of pasta could have a hugely different effect on your blood glucose levels than one serving of rice. Likewise, that serving of pasta may have an entirely different effect on your blood glucose levels than your friendsâ or even family membersâ. âWeâre all unique,â Phipps says.
What Else Can I Do To Help Manage My Blood Sugar Levels
Eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting regular physical activity can all help. Other tips include:
- Keep track of your blood sugar levels to see what makes them go up or down.
- Eat at regular times, and dont skip meals.
- Choose foods lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.
- Track your food, drink, and physical activity.
- Drink water instead of juice or soda.
- Limit alcoholic drinks.
- For a sweet treat, choose fruit.
- Control your food portions .
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What Are The Risks Of Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia can be a sign that your body isnt getting enough insulin. It is normal for patients with T1D to get hyperglycemia, and most of the time this is simply treated with insulin. If the body does not have insulin for approximately 8 hours, you could develop a condition called , or DKA.
In DKA, your body breaks down fat for energy because it doesnt have enough insulin to use the sugar in your blood. This produces chemicals called ketones, which make your blood more acidic.
DKA is dangerous. Too much acid in your blood can make you pass out or even cause death.
How Can I Treat High Blood Sugar
Talk to your doctor about how to keep your blood sugar levels within your target range. Your doctor may suggest the following:
- Be more active. Regular exercise can help keep your blood sugar levels on track. Important: dont exercise if ketones are present in your urine. This can make your blood sugar go even higher.
- Take medicine as instructed. If your blood sugar is often high, your doctor may change how much medicine you take or when you take it.
- Follow your diabetes meal plan. Ask your doctor or dietitian for help if youre having trouble sticking to it.
- Check your blood sugar as directed by your doctor. Check more often if youre sick or if youre concerned about high or low blood sugar.
- Talk to your doctor about adjusting how much insulin you take and what types of insulin to use.
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How Is Dka Treated
DKA is very serious, but it can be treated if you go to the doctor or hospital right away. To feel better, a person with DKA needs to get insulin and fluids through a tube that goes into a vein in the body .
Let your parents or someone on your diabetes health care team know if you have any of these symptoms or are sick and don’t know what to do to take care of your diabetes.
Always wear a medical identification bracelet or necklace that says you have diabetes. Then, if you are not feeling well, whoever’s helping you will know to call for medical help. Medical identification can also include your doctor’s phone number or a parent’s phone number.
Roller Coaster: Female Hormones
When a woman’s hormones change, so does their blood sugar. Keep a monthly record of your levels to get a better idea of how your menstrual cycle affects you. Hormone changes during menopause may make blood sugar even harder to control. Talk to your doctor about whether hormone replacement therapy is a good idea.
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