How To Stay Hydrated If Youre Managing Type 2 Diabetes
Even if scientists still have questions about how dehydration affects the body, staying hydrated is clearly important for good health especially if you have type 2 diabetes.
So how can you make sure youre getting enough water to manage diabetes? Rizza and Simos offer the following tips.
Have some salt but not too much. Too much salt can be bad for blood pressure, Rizza says, but you do need some to maintain proper hydration. When you eat salt, notes the U.S. National Library of Medicine, you help stabilize your electrolytes, which are charged substances that regulate essential functions in your body, helping you stay hydrated. If you already have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor about how much salt to consume.
Check your blood glucose levels in extreme heat, and drink water if they are elevated. When its hot, its easier to become dehydrated, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Staying well hydrated can help reduce your blood glucose levels, which helps you manage the hormone insulin, Simos explains. And make sure that your blood glucose test strips and insulin are stored in a cool, dry place, she says, so that they dont lose their potency and accuracy.
Reach for hydrating snacks if youre hungry. For example, choose a cold piece of melon or a few frozen grapes, Simos says. Drinking a glass of water isnt the only way to get your fix.
Does Everyone Have Symptoms From Hypoglycemia
Some people dont have symptoms or dont notice them. Healthcare providers call that situation hypoglycemia unawareness. People with such a challenge arent aware when they need to do something about their blood sugar. Theyre then more likely to have severe episodes and need medical help. People with hypoglycemia unawareness should check their blood sugar more often.
Dizziness Dizziness Associated With Hyperglycemia Can Result From Dehydration And Other Effects Of High Glucose Levels
Although it often occurs without obvious symptoms people sometimes experience headaches nausea or dizziness with elevated blood pressure. Nov 29 2017 The condition can be diagnosed by measuring blood-sugar levels after eating sugar. Dec 18 2018 Diabetes is a metabolic disorder which causes higher than normal blood sugar levels as described by the American Diabetes Association 1 2 4Blood sugar also called glucose is one of the bodys main sources of energy.
High blood sugar levels. In order to clear the sugar from the blood your body will try to eliminate the sugar by urinating it out explains Dr. And a classic symptom of dehydration is dizziness.
Treatment of hyperglycemia includes taking diabetes medication as prescribed staying hydrated following an eating plan and staying physically active. Both high and low blood sugar can cause cognitive issues. Interestingly brain cells.
Other symptoms and signs of high blood sugar levels in the blood are blurred vision hunger hangry and headaches. Hyperglycemia elevated blood sugar can cause excessive urination leading to dehydration. Eat 2 medium size guavas they instantly reduce your high glucose levels.
One symptom of dehydration is dizziness. You can get dizzy if it drops too low. Dizziness is an episode of unsteadiness and unbalance as a result of something affecting the brain or ears.
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Water And Diabetes: Are You Drinking Enough Water
Staying hydrated is important for everyone especially considering that water makes up more than half of the human body!
60 percent of our body is composed of water, 75 percent in our muscles, 85 percent in our brains, its like oil to a machine, explained Dr. Roberta Lee at Medicine Daily.
But we dont drink enough. According to recent research at the Institute of Medicine, 75 percent of Americans are perpetually dehydrated.
As people with diabetes, drinking enough water is especially crucial. Even a little dehydration during the day can impact our blood sugars.
This article will explain how dehydration affects blood sugar levels, how much water we should drink each day, who should limit their water intake, and what else you can drink if you dont want to just drink plain water.
High Blood Sugar: Hydration
Managing high blood sugar may also help treat dehydration. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help the body stay well-hydrated. For more severe cases of dehydration, people may need to replenish their electrolytes.
It is best to avoid sugary drinks or fruit juices, as these could increase blood sugar levels.
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What Are Signs And Symptoms Of Diabetic Ketoacidosis
A person with diabetes developing diabetic ketoacidosis may have one or more of these symptoms excessive thirst or drinking lots of fluid, frequent urination, general weakness, vomiting, loss of appetite, confusion, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, a generally ill appearance, and dry skin or mouth, increased heart rate, low blood pressure , increased rate of breathing, and a distinctive fruity odor on the breath.
How Do You Treat Hypoglycemia
Low blood sugar levels happen when theres too little glucose left in the bloodstream to continue supplying fuel to your organs, muscles, and tissues. It most often occurs when you dont eat enough food, especially carb-containing foods, given your blood-sugar-lowering medications and physical activity levels, ONeill says. Levels can decrease gradually or suddenly.
When the amount of glucose in the bloodstream drops to too-low levels, the body reacts by releasing epinephrine, also called adrenaline or the fight or flight hormone. Epinephrine revs your heart rate and can cause sweating, shaking, anxiety, and irritability. If not enough glucose is able to reach the brain, the result may be difficulty concentrating, confused thinking, and slurred speech. In extreme cases, a lack of glucose within the brain can lead to seizures, coma, and even death, she says.
People with low glucose levels can use the ADAs 15-15 Rule, which advises people consume 15 g of carbs, wait 15 minutes, and check their levels again. If the number is still low, repeat until reaching at least 70 mg/dL.
You can find 15 g of carbs in:
- 1 slice of bread
- Three to four hard candies
- Glucose tablets as indicated on the label
- Glucose gel as indicated on the label
Once your glucose levels are back to normal, the ADA suggests going ahead and eating your next scheduled meal or snack, which will help prevent levels from dropping again.
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How Does Staying Hydrated Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
Comfort is the buzzword for the modern-day lifestyle. But this lifestyle has also gifted us many health-related issues and its high time that we become aware of it. Taking proper care and corrective measures are the only options that we are left with. Uneven blood pressure levels or thyroid levels are nothing, but lifestyle generated disorders that we usually suffer from. And in this list is reigned by none other than, the imbalanced Blood Sugar Levels.
Type 2 Diabetes And Dizziness
People with diabetes may experience dizziness, either as a symptom of the condition or as a result of dehydration or certain medications. A doctor can help determine the cause and how to manage or treat it.
Diabetes can cause low or high blood sugar, which can make people feel dizzy or lightheaded. High blood sugar can also lead to dehydration, as the body removes excess glucose from the blood through the urine, taking extra water with it.
Certain medications, including those that lower blood sugar, can also cause dizziness.
In this article, we look at the possible causes of dizziness in type 2 diabetes, other symptoms to be aware of, treatment options, and when to see a doctor.
Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can occur in a person with diabetes. Low blood sugar levels, or low glucose levels, are those that fall below the healthy range.
According to the American Diabetes Association , low blood sugar levels are usually below 70 milligrams per deciliter , although this may be different for each individual.
Research suggests that of people with diabetes experience dizziness as a symptom of low blood sugar.
Other signs of low blood sugar can include:
- statins
- neuropathic pain relief medication, such as amitriptyline, duloxetine, and pregabalin
A person can discuss medication changes with a doctor. They should not stop taking medications or change their dosages unless the doctor instructs them to do so.
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When Should You Call A Doctor For Diabetic Ketoacidosis
When to call the doctor
- If you have any form of diabetes, contact your doctor when you have very high blood sugars or moderate elevations that do not respond to home treatment. At initial diagnosis your doctor should have provided you with specific rules for dosing your medication and for checking your urinary ketone level whenever you become ill. If not, ask your health care practitioner to provide such “sick day rules.”
- If you have diabetes and start vomiting, seek immediate medical attention.
- If you have diabetes and develop a fever, contact your health care practitioner.
- If you feel sick, check your urinary ketone levels with home test strips. If your urinary ketones are moderate or higher, contact your health care practitioner.
When to go to the hospital
A person with diabetes should be taken to a hospital’s emergency department if they appear significantly ill, dehydrated, confused, or very weak. Other reasons to seek immediate medical treatment include shortness of breath, chest pain, severe abdominal pain with vomiting, or high fever .
Parents Of Children With Diabetes
If your child has diabetes and shows symptoms of hypoglycemia, its important to check their blood glucose level with a glucometer. If this is not possible, it is best to treat them as if they have hypoglycemia by giving them carbohydrates to prevent symptoms from getting worse.
Your child should have a safety plan in place for when they are not in your care, such as when they are at school, friends homes, or daycare. The plan should include whom they should talk to if they are not feeling well.
Talking to your child about their diabetes and the symptoms to be aware of helps keep them safe. When your child is aware that how theyre feeling is related to their blood sugar levels and diabetes management, they can learn to both self-identify and verbalize or signal to their parents when they need treatment.
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Effect Of Dehydration On Renal Function Tests
Dehydration has multiple effects on the kidney. The loss of body water leads to an increase in serum osmolality and activation of vasopressin which results in urinary concentration. This can be seen clearly in the above given Vignette.
Nose and colleagues also demonstrated sustained effects on plasma electrolyte concentration before and after dehydration .
Figure 2
However, there is an exception in the case of patients with cranial diabetes insipidus .
Dehydrated patients usually present with an elevated serum urea level, owing in part to increased renal reabsorption of urea mediated by antidiuretic hormone . Serum urea values fall in patients with ADH deficiency and this fact can be used to distinguish patients dehydrated because of CDI from those with usual hypertonic dehydration and intact ADH secretion. In one study, the mean serum urea level was 2.9 mmol/L in the CDI group and 15.4 mmol/L in the patients without CDI, while the mean serum sodium level was 155 mmol/L in both groups.
Staying Hydrated With Diabetes: A Balancing Act
Use these tips to avoid dehydration and keep your blood sugar level down, even in hot weather.
Dehydration can strike anyone when the sun is out and the temperature is high. But when you have diabetes, you’re even more prone to dehydration. That makes finding ways to lower blood sugar and stay hydrated critical for those with diabetes, especially during the warmer summer months.
Dehydration and diabetes often go hand in hand. Diabetes occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, creating extra sugar in your blood, and your kidneys work overtime to filter and absorb the excess sugar. If your kidneys are overworked, the Mayo Clinic says, your body expels the excess sugar in your urine, which in turn drags fluids from your tissues.
This makes you urinate more often, and that could leave you dehydrated. Drinking more fluids quenches your thirst, but it also makes you urinate even more, which could leave you even more dehydrated.
So how can you help prevent the problem of dehydration and diabetes and make sure your fluids remain at a healthy level? A few simple strategies can ensure that you stay hydrated, even when the weather is warm.
Staying Hydrated in Hot Weather
If you’re still learning to manage your diabetes or if you’re helping a loved one manage theirs, know that it’s important to take extra steps to keep hydrated when it’s hot out. Here are some tips:
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How Much Water Should People With Diabetes Drink Each Day
There is no definitive rule for how much water you should drink, but there are guidelines we can follow.
The most important recommendation is that you should always have water available and drink whenever you feel thirsty. You dont need to force yourself to drink water to reach some specific goal, but try to drink water continuously throughout the day.
Even if you dont feel thirsty, you should try to take a few sips of water every hour to keep hydrated. The thirst reflex isnt always perfect, especially for people with diabetes, so its better to proactively drink a little water than risk dehydration.
The average non-diabetic is advised to drink 8 glasses of water per day, so a person with diabetes should certainly take that to heart. While our insulin-producing friends need plenty of water, too, the consequences of mild dehydration in those of us with diabetes are more obvious in our blood sugar levels.
8 glasses of water per day add up to about 2 liters of water . It sounds like a lot but you can make it feel more doable by choosing a medium-sized reusable beverage container and determining how many times per day you need to fill it to reach 2 liters.
If youre exercising or battling the heat of summer, that number increases quickly.
But even a healthy persons water needs will vary, adds Harvard, especially if youre losing water through sweat because youre exercising, or because youre outside on a hot day.
Treating Dehydration: What To Do And When To Seek Help
If an elderly person is dehydrated, you should give him or her a glass of water right away. But if his or her symptoms don’t improve, it’s best to head to the emergency room or call 911.
In the emergency room, dehydration treatment usually starts with an assessment to determine the degree of the problem. For mild cases, carefully observing patients and ensuring that they drink plenty of electrolyte-containing fluids may be all that’s needed.
But for moderate dehydration, intravenous treatment is often necessary. And in severe cases, further intervention may be required. For example, if a person’s kidneys are affected, he or she may require dialysis. And an older person who is experiencing confusion or other more serious signs of dehydration may need to be admitted to the hospital.
So the treatment and time required for recovery from dehydration, in elderly people especially, depends a lot on the degree of the problem, as well as on the person’s overall health. But taking fast action can help reduce the recovery time. That’s why it’s important not to ignore the symptoms of dehydration in elderly people.
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Low Blood Pressure As A Cause Of Dizziness
Dizziness, lightheadedness, and the feeling of passing out is a common complaint in people who have low blood pressure. When the blood pressure is too low, not enough oxygen-rich blood is delivered to the brain, and its function can be affected. If the brains blood supply is decreased too much, the person may pass out . Symptoms may worsen when changing position from lying down or sitting to standing up.
In addition to feeling dizzy, associated symptoms may include:
In individuals who are dehydrated or anemic, blood pressure readings may be normal when they are lying flat however, the lack of fluid is unmasked when they stand up quickly. The lack of blood to the brain may cause dizziness and lightheadedness. This feeling may pass in a few seconds as the body adapts. However, if dehydration or medications prevent the body from reacting by constricting blood vessels and increasing the heart rate, the dizziness may persist to the point at which the patient passes out .
Some diseases are associated with an inability to compensate for changes in body position . Normally when a person stands, blood vessels contract to increase blood pressure slightly, and the heart rate also increases slightly, to pump blood uphill to the brain against gravity. In autonomic dysfunction, a person may become dizzy when they move from a lying position to sitting or standing up. Examples of these diseases with this syndrome include diabetes, Addisons disease, or Parkinsons disease.
Almost Every Process In Your Body Relies On Water
Water actually does far more for our bodies than we realize. Water aids your digestion, lubricates joints, helps flush waste products and performs a host of other important tasks in your body. Not being properly hydrated will significantly reduce your physical capacity and brain function.
According to Harvard University, adequate water intake is vital for a variety of daily functions within our body:
- carries nutrients and oxygen to cells throughout your body
- flushes bacteria from your bladder
- aids in the digestion of meals
- prevents constipation
- protects your organs and tissues from a variety of potential damage
- regulates your body temperature
- maintains your bodys electrolyte/sodium levels
Water has been pinpointed in many studies as an important part of losing weight, but researchers still arent clear how its accelerating your weight-loss efforts.
Theories behind water consumption and weight-loss include:
- Drinking more water means youre likely drinking less soda and other sugar-laden beverages
- Drinking more water might boost your metabolism and cause you to burn more calories
- Drinking more water might help reduce cravings for not-so-healthy foods
- Drinking more water in place of diet soda may reduce insulin resistance
Regardless, it is clear in study after study that those who drink more water tend to lose more weight, in contrast, to study participants drinking less water.
Drinking enough water impacts so many aspects of our daily health. But how much water is enough?
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