Understand The Risks Of A Keto Diet For Diabetes
Ketogenic diets can lower blood sugar better than conventional diets . But these diets only treat the symptom, high blood sugar.
Not only do these diets not treat the disease, carbohydrate intolerance, but they can also make it much worse.
If you eat mostly fat, your blood sugars will stay low. But your carbohydrate intolerance can get worse on a ketogenic diet within two days .
One week on an 80% fat diet can quintuple your blood sugar spike in response to the same amount of carbs compared to a week on a low-fat diet. But even one day can increase your carb intolerance .
One meal high in saturated fat can make your carbohydrate intolerance worse in four hours . A high-fat meal the night before can affect the results of your diabetes test .
You cant avoid eating carbs forever and your carbohydrate intolerance only gets worse. And when you do eat carbs, the consequences could be far more dangerous.
Carbs arent the problem, the problem is carb intolerance. Diabetics have reversed their diabetes in weeks while eating more than 300 grams of carbs a day .
Here Are 4 Ways To Lower Your Blood Sugar Fast :
- Chugging water. Drinking a lot of water quickly will dilute your blood sugar and cause you to urinate a lot of it out. Do not drink a lot of water if you have any type of kidney problems or heart problems.
- Increasing your heart rate for 15 minutes can maximize your insulin response and drop your blood sugar down. Be sure to check your blood sugar when you are finished.
- Eat a snack that is high in protein. Protein stabilizes blood sugar. Make sure that the food doesnt have a lot of sugar in it. Good choices are cheese or almonds.
- Administer a quick-acting insulin if your doctor has prescribed it, such as . Insulin is a very rapid way to lower your sugar. Be sure to check your level about 30 minutes after you administer the insulin to see if it prevented the hypoglycemia.
With any of these quick remedies, it is imperative to have a snack handy in case your blood sugar drops too low. Always discuss any plans that you have with your physician.
How can you reduce your blood sugar levels naturally without medications?
Like I mentioned above, diet and exercise are the two ways that you can to lower blood sugar. Did you know that losing just 5 pounds can reduce your need for medications or insulin?
Foods that you should consume should include lots of lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. Read on for more details about how exercise and a healthy diet can lower your sugar.
How can exercise lower my blood sugar?
Exercise can help lower your blood sugar in two ways:
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General Tips On How To Keep You Blood Sugar Levels In Control
- Foods to eat
You should eat foods that are high in protein, fiber, and lower in carbohydrates. You should aim at having around 45 to 60 carbs for each meal. Consistency throughout the day is key to keeping blood sugar levels in control. Foods low in fat and high in nutrients should be picked to maximize your nutrition.
Vegetables and fruits are great as well as eggs, fish, beans, and oatmeal. There is also research that shows cinnamon and apple cider vinegar can help lower your sugar.
- Foods to avoid
Avoiding foods like soda, juice, pasta, candy, and other desserts can help keep your sugar from climbing too high. These foods are high in sugars and fat but low in other nutrients.
Avoiding excess alcohol is also better for you. Read the following article that I wrote about drinking alcohol when you have diabetes to learn more about this topic:
- Signs and symptoms
Signs of high blood sugar include: increased thirst and hunger, blurred vision, irritability, dry mouth, tired, and urinating a lot.
- Look for patterns
Patterns can be great because they help you figure out what is causing undesirable blood sugar values. A good way to track of it is to keep a journal of all of the food you eat, activities you do and your blood sugar levels for 1 week. During this week, check your sugar before and after you eat, as well as in between meals. Also document any insulin that you give yourself.
- Test sugar levels regularly
Why Blood Sugar Spikes
Common reasons for skyrocketing glucose levels include the following:
- Not taking insulin or diabetic medication properly
- Not getting enough exercise
- Joint problems
- Diabetic coma
These symptoms start to develop when blood sugar reaches levels over 200 mg/dL. In many cases, these symptoms develop over the course of several days. The key is developing a plan with your doctor for prevention and management of your blood sugar.
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Exercise To Lower Blood Sugar Fast
Regular exercise improves and increases your sensitivity to insulin. This means the cells in your body can better absorb and use the glucose in your body to make energy.
When your muscles contract during movement, glucose is the preferred source of fuel. Thatâs why when your glucose spikes after eating a sugary treat or a large meal with lots of high-glycemic foods, you can bring your glucose back down to a normal range if you exercise within 30-60 minutes after eating.
Any type and duration of exercise can improve insulin sensitivity and helps stabilize your glucose afterward.
That said, if youâre fit enough and able to handle high intensity, short bursts of movement performed at 80% of your max effort can burn up to four times the amount of glucose compared to what youâd burn slumping on the couch.
If you want short and sweaty to bring down your blood sugar quickly, follow along with our 10-minute full-body or dumbbell leg workout. These get-âer-done-fast efforts combine strength training with cardio in a circuit-style workout that stabilizes glucose in less time.
When To Seek Immediate Medical Attention
A medical emergency can strike at any time in a person with diabetes. You can experience hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, and you should always be prepared.
People with type 1 diabetes are more at risk of medical emergencies because their bodies do not make insulin and they have to take it in an injectable form. However, type 2 diabetics can also suffer from hyperglycemia, when they dont take sufficient medicine or eat too much of the wrong foods. High sugar levels may even occur when people dont know that they have diabetes.
You can suffer from diabetic ketoacidosis which can even cause coma in diabetic patients. This happens when insulin in the body falls to low levels or you have not eaten enough to use the insulin or you have drunk too much alcohol. Ketones in the urine that can be easily detected are a sign of this problem.
Hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome can occur with or without DKA and has similar signs as hyperglycemia. It may occur in people with uncontrolled or undiagnosed or poorly controlled sugar levels that may shoot up to a high of 600 mg/dl.
Infections of the urinary tract, gum disease, respiratory infections, stomach infections, and skin infections run the risk of becoming serious if they are not taken care of early enough. Even seemingly small problems can lead to organ damage and sepsis and can prove fatal.
Discuss any changes in medicine, insulin dosage, or lifestyle changes that you should make to stay healthy and on top of your diabetes.
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About Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is growing significantly in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control stating that 9.4% of the countrys population has diabetes. Another 84 million have prediabetes, which can lead to full blown diabetes within 5 years if not treated.3
Diabetes can be silent, developing without any symptoms or indications that it is damaging the bodys organs. The complications from diabetes are numerous. Having diabetes puts one at significantly higher risk for heart disease and stroke. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness. Circulation problems in the legs can develop because of diabetes, and in the worst instances, can lead to tissue death requiring amputation. Diabetes can also damage the nerves , causing tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the hands and feet. Diabetes also damages the filtering system in the kidneys, leading to kidney disease that could require dialysis or a kidney transplant. Symptoms of depression are more common in people with diabetes, which can affect diabetes management.
1 Diabetics Guide, 20 Foods That Lower Blood Sugar, March 23, 2018,
2 Harvard Health Publishing, Glycemic Index for 60+ foods, March 14, 2018,
3 Centers for Disease Control,
Not A Replacement For Doctor
These are temporary measures for lowering your glucose level and should not be used as a replacement for doctor-prescribed treatment.
Keep your blood sugar levels within acceptable levels by taking appropriate medication, regular exercise, plenty of water and a healthy diet monitored by your diabetic counselor.
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The Symptoms Of Hyperglycemia
Before you learn how to lower blood sugar immediately, you should be aware that the symptoms of high blood glucose levels are similar to the ones in the initial stages of diabetes. But even if you know that you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are on insulin or medications, you may not experience them till the blood glucose levels are very high.
The symptoms of diabetes include:
- Excessive thirst
- Coldness or insensitivity in the feet, signs of nerve damage
- Digestive disturbances like constipation or diarrhea
Do be alert for these symptoms if you are at risk for developing diabetes.
Manage Your Carb Intake
Your carb intake strongly influences your blood sugar levels .
Your body breaks carbs down into sugars, mainly glucose. Then, insulin helps your body use and store it for energy.
When you eat too many carbs or have insulin-function problems, this process fails, and blood glucose levels can rise.
Thats why the American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes manage their carb intake by counting carbs and being aware of how many they need .
Some studies find that this can help you plan your meals appropriately, further improving blood sugar management (
Foods that are high in fiber include:
- vegetables
- legumes
- whole grains
The recommended daily intake of fiber is about 25 grams for women and 35 grams for men. Thats about 14 grams for every 1,000 calories .
Summary
Eating plenty of fiber can aid blood sugar management. Soluble dietary fiber appears to be more effective than insoluble fiber for this purpose.
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Take Your Insulin As Prescribed
High blood sugar occurs when your body has too little insulin, or your body cant use insulin properly. Administering insulin can bring your blood sugar levels down.
Talk to your doctor about how much rapid-acting insulin you should administer when your blood sugar is high.
You may want to check your blood sugar about 1530 minutes after taking insulin to make sure your blood sugar is going down and that its not dropping too low.
What Causes A Low Blood Sugar Level
In people with diabetes, the main causes of a low blood sugar level are:
- the effects of medicine especially taking too much insulin, medicines called sulfonylureas , medicines called glinides , or some antiviral medicines to treat hepatitis C
- skipping or delaying a meal
- not eating enough carbohydrate foods in your last meal, such as bread, cereals, pasta, potatoes and fruit
- exercise, especially if it’s intense or unplanned
- drinking alcohol
Sometimes there’s no obvious reason why a low blood sugar level happens.
Very occasionally, it can happen in people who do not have diabetes.
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What Is The Dawn Phenomenon
Your body uses glucose for energy and it is important to have enough extra energy to be able to wake up in the morning. So for a period of time in the early morning hours, usually between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m., your body starts churning out stored glucose to prepare for the upcoming day.
At the same time, your body releases hormones that reduce your sensitivity to insulin. In addition, these events may be happening while your diabetes medication doses taken the day before are wearing off.
These events cause your bodyâs blood sugar levels to rise in the morning .
Correcting High Blood Sugar Levels With Insulin
If you take insulin, one way to reduce blood sugar is to inject insulin.
However, be careful as insulin can take 4 hours or longer to be fully absorbed, so you need to make sure you take into account how much insulin you may already have in your body that is yet to be absorbed by the blood. Insulin that is yet to be absorbed by the blood is called active insulin.
If you decide to correct with insulin, watch you dont over correct as this can lead to hypoglycemia and can be dangerous, particularly so before bed.
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Peanut Butter Celery Sticks
A popular way to enjoy celery sticks is by dipping them in peanut butter. Its another healthy snack option for people with diabetes.
First, celery sticks are very low in calories, providing only 16 calories per cup . This can help you manage your weight, which helps control type 2 diabetes .
Furthermore, celery contains antioxidants called flavones, which have been studied for their role in lowering blood sugar levels .
Adding a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to celery sticks adds some extra protein and fiber to the snack, which will benefit your blood sugar control even more .
Symptoms That Require Emergency Room Treatment
If your high blood sugar level does not come down within an hour of the above temporary measures and is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, seek emergency room treatment immediately:
- Vomiting
- Fruity-scented breath
- Confusion
If left untreated, high glucose levels or hyperglycemia could cause life-threatening dehydration loss of consciousness and death. Ketoacidosis cannot be self-treated. You will require intravenous fluids and insulin.
Please do not listen to other diabetics who may tell you that they had high glucose readings and “were fine.” Every body responds differently.
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Can You Avoid Diabetes If It Runs In Your Family
Yes, your genes dont have to define you! There are genetic factors that can predispose some people to be heavier than others. Yet, your heredity doesnt define your health. Your health is determined by your environment. And, you can control your environment. For example, researchers have noticed stark differences between Pima Indians living in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico eating a traditional diet, and those living in urban areas of Arizona eating a traditional Western diet. The Pima Indians of Arizona are among the most obese groups of people in the world and have a diabetes rate that is 8 times greater than the national average. Their lifestyle is mostly sedentary, and their diet is a typical American diet . Meanwhile, despite their genetic similarities, the Pima Indians of Mexico, weigh an average of 65 pounds less than their Arizona counterparts, and fewer than 4% have type 2 diabetes. The reason is in the stark differences of their lifestyles: the Pima Indians live an active lifestyle working their farms, and eat a diet rich in the whole foods . It is clear that lifestyle has an extremely powerful influence on health. You can adopt a healthy lifestyle, and enjoy a healthy body, irrespective of your genetic heritage.
When To Call For Medical Advice
It is important to note that very high blood glucose levels can be dangerous and it is important to be aware of the symptoms and risk factors of the following conditions:
- Diabetic ketoacidosis a short term complication most commonly associated with type 1 diabetes
- Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State a short term complication most commonly associated with type 2 diabetes
If you are struggling to keep your blood glucose levels under control, speak to your GP or consultant who can advise you or refer you onto a diabetes education course.
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What Is Low Blood Glucose
Low blood glucose, also called low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, occurs when the level of glucose in your blood drops below what is healthy for you. For many people with diabetes, this means a blood glucose reading lower than 70 milligrams per deciliter .1 Your number might be different, so check with your doctor or health care team to find out what blood glucose level is low for you.
Take A Correction Dose
For those who take fast or rapid-acting insulin Novolog, Humalog, Apidra, Fiasp, Admelog, Afrezza you can take a correction dose to bring a high blood sugar down.
A correction factor is determined with support from your healthcare team. This number tells you how much 1 unit of fast or rapid-acting insulin will lower your blood sugar. For example, a correction factor of 1:50 means that 1 unit of insulin will lower your blood sugar by 50 points.
Its important to keep in mind how much insulin you may already have on board in your bloodstream before taking an additional dose of insulin.
Most fast and rapid-acting insulin stays in your system for approximately 3 to 4 hours, which means taking an additional dose of insulin to correct a high could lead to a severe low blood sugar if you already have a significant amount of insulin from your most recent dose still in your bloodstream.
Also, remember to give that correction dose of insulin at least two hours to make an impact on your blood sugar before getting frustrated and taking another injection. You wont see a significant improvement in your blood sugar until its been in your system for at least 2 to 3 hours .
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