A Basic Understanding of Blood Sugar Levels
If you suffer from diabetes, blood sugar (aka glucose) levels could be continuously high. As time passes, this can cause harm to your body and can result in a myriad of health issues.
This article is designed to aid you in knowing the basics that affect blood sugar:
What Is Blood Sugar?
Glucose, also known as sugar, is the most important sugar inside your blood. It is produced by the foods you eat and is your body’s primary energy source. Your blood handles the process of glucose in all your body’s cells to generate energy.
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the sugar levels of your patients are high. In time, excess glucose levels within your blood could cause some big problems. Even if there isn’t diabetes, there are times when you could suffer from problems with sugar levels that are too low or excessively high. A routine of activity, food, and taking the medications you require may help.
If you are diagnosed with diabetes, it’s crucial to keep your sugar levels within your desired range. You may need to test your sugar levels several times throughout the day. Your doctor will perform a blood test known as an A1C. It measures your sugar levels over the last three months. When your sugar level is excessively high, you might require medication and/or adhere to a specific diet.
Factors That Alter the Levels of Blood Sugar
If you suffer from prediabetes (also known as diabetes), you might be suffering from diabetes-related insulin resistance. This is a condition that makes it difficult to make insulin. This means that your body has difficulties controlling sugar levels by itself.
It’s an intricate balance to keep; this is why this list of tips can aid you in understanding elements that can make your blood sugar levels increase or decrease.
The Reasons Your Blood Sugar Levels Could Be HIGH
Some doctor’s guidelines show that If your blood sugar levels are above 180 mg/dL within two hours of having eaten, it’s thought to be above that normal blood sugar level. What could cause your blood glucose or glucose sugar levels to rise? Think about the following reasons:
- Consuming more carbs or having a bigger meal than normal.
- Menstrual cycles.
- Dehydration.
- Do not take enough insulin and medication for diabetes based on activity levels.
- Reduction in physical activity.
- Stress, illness, and discomfort (both long-term and short-term).
The Reasons Your Blood Sugar Levels Could Be LOW
- If your sugar falls less than 70 mg/dL, it’s not at a normal level. It could be due to various factors, including:
- Not eating enough, not having an important meal or eating a snack
- Reduce the number of carbohydrates that you typically consume
- Intoxicated by insulin or oral diabetes medications based on carbs or levels of activity
- Physical activity has increased
- Medicine side effects (if taken without recommendation)
If you suffer from diabetes, keep your blood glucose monitor and sources of glucose that are fast-acting (like the glucose tabs and juices from fruit) close at hand in case your sugar falls. This is crucial for those suffering from hypoglycemia apathy, which is a condition that causes the symptoms that indicate low sugar that is unnoticed.
Hidden Dangers of High Blood Sugar
In the short-term, high sugar levels can drain your energy, cause excessive thirst and urinary frequency, and cause blurred vision. High sugar levels could cause itchy and dry skin and even infections. In addition to feeling your best, keeping your sugar levels within your target range can help prevent complications and injury.
As time passes, high sugar can affect various parts of the body; this is why you should take blood sugar medicine. A long-term high sugar level can begin to trigger visible changes, which include:
- Memory issues.
- Problems with vision such as blurriness, diabetic retinopathy, and blindness.
- Gum disease, which leads to tooth loss. This makes eating healthy food difficult due to issues with chewing.
- A stroke or heart attack is due to increased plaque build-up within the vessels as well as other vascular problems.
- Kidney disease could lead to the requirement for dialysis or the need for a kidney transplant.
- Nerve damage can lead to diminished sensation in the legs and feet, increasing the chance that wounds could become serious infections and even the possibility of amputation.
The damage to the nerves caused by high blood sugar levels can result in a myriad of symptoms, including:
- The sensation of tingling and pain is felt in the hands and feet
- It is difficult to empty your bladder.
- After eating, trouble with digestion may cause food items to remain in the stomach for too long, causing nausea, vomiting, or fluctuating blood sugar levels.