How Can I Reduce Stress In My Life
There are many things you can do to reduce stress. The following are some suggestions:
- Take your medications as directed and eat healthy meals.
- Use relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
- Get some exercise. You can reduce stress though activities such as dancing, walking, or biking. Do something that you enjoy.
- Remember to keep your sense of humor. Laughing helps to reduce stress.
- Join a support group. You can meet people with problems similar to yours and make new friends.
- Seek out professional help in order to talk about what’s troubling you.
There are additional strategies that you can use to help reduce stress in your life. Talk to your diabetes educator or doctor for more ideas.
Tests For Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using blood tests. Youll probably be tested between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If your risk is higher for getting gestational diabetes , your doctor may test you earlier. Blood sugar thats higher than normal early in your pregnancy may indicate you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes rather than gestational diabetes.
What Is Fasting Blood Sugar
As the name suggests, fasting blood sugar is the amount of sugar present in your blood after fasting . During these fasting hours, you cannot eat or drink anything except water. The normal range of fasting blood sugar levels varies from 70-100mg/dl. If your blood sugar level is more than this then you may have diabetes.
Fasting sugar is preferred by doctors as it is a reliable number compared to non-fasting sugar levels. After eating different types of food, our blood sugar level fluctuates differently. So, doctors, may not get a correct picture of your blood sugar level.; Your doctor may also ask for fasting sugar levels to calculate your insulin resistance.
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What Is Considered A High Blood Sugar Level
If you just received a diabetes diagnosis, you may be wondering what blood sugar levels mean and how you should be creating goals based off of your blood glucose tracking. One of the most important things for you to know is what blood sugar levels are and when theyre considered to be high. Learning what steps to take if you find your levels are too high will help you stay safe.
Because diabetes is such an individual condition, the best first step is to consult your doctor about what is a healthy range for your blood sugar. Once youve gotten advice from your medical expert, you can begin to modify your lifestyle and continue to do additional research to improve your health and benefit your diabetes management journey. Before researching online, its important to remember that blood sugar levels are an individual, personal reaction to many factors, and can vary while still being within an acceptable range. Generalized numbers are often not a 100% accurate measure of personal health and there may be other factors that are affecting your blood sugar, resulting in confusing numbers when you check.
Make sure that you carefully follow the instructions your doctor has created for you. Diabetes can have negative effects if not managed properly. By understanding healthy blood sugar ranges, you can take steps to reduce or avoid added diabetes complications, and better understand what changes in ;blood sugar may be reflecting about your bodys health.;
Why Your Blood Sugar Level May Be Low
If blood sugar drops below 70 mg/dL, it is below normal levels. This can be caused by a variety of factors, such as:
- Not eating enough or missing a meal or snack
- Reducing the amount of carbohydrates you normally eat
- Alcohol consumption especially if youre drinking on an empty stomach
- Taking too much insulin or oral diabetes medication based on carbohydrates or activity levels
- Increased physical activity
- Side effects from medications
If you have diabetes, keep your blood glucose meter and sources of fast-acting glucose close by in case your blood sugar drops. This is especially important for people with hypoglycemia unawareness, which is a condition that causes symptoms of low blood sugar to go unnoticed.
Eating balanced meals and snacks at regular times throughout the day is a big part of maintaining normal blood glucose levels. Check out our article on meal planning for diabetes to better understand the three macronutrients where calories come from and which have the biggest effect on blood sugar.
Meal Planning for Diabetes: How to Optimize Your Diet >
Everyone will respond differently to certain factors, which is why its important to have individualized target glucose levels. To help you reach your target blood glucose goals, work with your healthcare provider to discuss modifications to your diet, physical activity, or medications, and alert them of other factors like a recent illness or stressful event.
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Rising Blood Sugar: How To Turn It Around
| Image: Thinkstock |
Rising blood sugar signals a need for weight loss and more exercise.
Whenever you have routine blood tests at a physical exam, chances are one of the numbers will be a measurement of your glucose, or blood sugar. A normal blood sugar level is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter of blood after an eight-hour fast. You have diabetes if your blood sugar is 126 mg/dL or higher. But between those two numbers lie many opportunities for action.
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- Research health conditions
- Prepare for a doctor’s visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
How Is Prediabetes Diagnosed
A blood test can tell if you have prediabetes. You have prediabetes if:footnote 1
- The results of your fasting blood glucose test are between 6.1 to 6.9 millimoles per litre .
- The results of your oral glucose tolerance test are 7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L .
- The results of your hemoglobin A1c test are 6.0% to 6.4%.
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Why Are Fasting Glucose Levels High
If you have high fasting blood glucose numbers, it may be because of how your body is using the hormones involved with glucose and diabetes — not the nighttime snack before bed. Read on to see what can cause high morning blood sugars.
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Stumped by high fasting blood glucose results? Join the club. “It just doesn’t compute. When I snack before bed, my fastings are lower than when I limit my night nibbles,” says Pete Hyatt, 59, PWD type 2.
“It’s logical for people to point the finger for high fasting blood sugar numbers at what they eat between dinner and bed, but surprisingly food isn’t the lead villain,” says Robert Chilton, M.D., a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The true culprit is compromised hormonal control of blood glucose levels.
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The Essential Hormones
During the years that type 2 diabetes develops, the hormonal control of blood glucose breaks down. Four hormones are involved in glucose control:
Insulin, made in the beta cells of the pancreas, helps the body use glucose from food by enabling glucose to move into the body’s cells for energy. People with type 2 diabetes have slowly dwindling insulin reserves.
Glucagon, made in the alpha cells of the pancreas, breaks down glucose stored in the liver and muscles and releases it to provide energy when glucose from food isn’t available.
Why Is My Fasting Glucose High
High levels of fasting blood sugar suggest that the body has been unable to lower the levels of sugar in the blood. This points to either insulin resistance or inadequate insulin production and, in some cases, both. When blood sugar is very low, diabetes medications may be lowering blood sugar too much.
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Nausea Vomiting Confusion And More
These seemingly disparate symptoms are all signs of a rare and life-threatening state called diabetic ketoacidosis , according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. DKA can cause the symptoms above, as well as stomach pain, trouble breathing, dry or flushed skin, fruity-smelling breath, or difficulty paying attention. It usually occurs in people with type 1 diabetes and is sometimes the first sign they are sick, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. ;DKA happens when the liver is unable to use the sugar in the blood for energy without insulin and begins to break down body fat into a type of fuel called ketones at such a high rate that they become toxic and make the blood acidic, the U.S. National Library of Medicine explains. DKA can be fatal if left untreated, so anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek care immediately.
Over time, untreated high blood sugar can cause additional symptoms, such as:
When To See A Doctor
If a persons blood sugar levels are high more than three times in a 2-week period without an apparent reason, the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommend that they seek medical help.
Any significant change in blood sugar patterns warrants a visit to a doctor. People with diabetes and those at risk of diabetes should also consult a doctor if:
- blood sugar levels become unusually high or low
- well-managed blood sugar levels are suddenly start fluctuating
- people have new or worsening symptoms of diabetes
- they change their medication or stop using it
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High Blood Sugar: Hidden Dangers
In the short term, high blood sugar levels can zap your energy, cause excessive thirst and urination, and blur your vision. High blood sugar levels can also lead to dehydration, dry and itchy skin, and infections. Minimizing the time spent above your target blood sugar range can help you feel your best and will help prevent complications and injury to your body.
Over time, high blood sugar affects many parts of the body. Chronic high blood sugar can start to cause noticeable changes, including:
- Memory problems
- Vision problems like blurriness, diabetic retinopathy, and blindness
- Gum disease that leads to tooth loss, which can make eating healthy foods difficult due to problems chewing
- Heart attack and stroke due to increased plaque build-up in the vessels and other vascular issues
- Kidney disease, which can lead to the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant
- Nerve damage that can cause decreased sensation in the feet and legs which increases the risk for wounds to turn into serious infections and even amputation
Nerve damage from high blood sugar can also cause a variety of symptoms including:
- Pain and tingling in the feet and hands
- Difficulty emptying your bladder
- Problems during the digestion process after eating, which can cause food to sit in the stomach too long and lead to nausea, vomiting, and erratic blood sugar levels
Checking your blood sugar frequently and taking immediate action when it is above range can reduce your risk of complications.
What Is High Blood Sugar
High blood sugar occurs when theres a buildup of excess glucose in the bloodstream. This is more often a concern for someone with diabetes than it is for someone without it. Our bodies are typically pretty great at keeping our blood sugar in perfect balance, Deena Adimoolam, M.D., assistant professor of endocrinology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells SELF. But in some situations, like when a person has diabetes, high blood sugar can happen.
Blood sugar is measured in milligrams per deciliter , and a fasting blood sugar of greater than 125 mg/dL is considered hyperglycemic, the Cleveland Clinic says. A person can also be considered to have hyperglycemia if their blood glucose level is higher than 180 mg/dL one to two hours after eating, the Cleveland Clinic says.
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What Causes Hyperglycemia In People With Diabetes
- The dose of insulin or oral diabetes medication that you are taking is not the most helpful dose for your needs.
- Your body isnt using your natural insulin effectively .
- The amount of carbohydrates you are eating or drinking is not balanced with the amount of insulin your body is able to make or the amount of insulin you inject.
- You are less active than usual.
- Physical stress is affecting you.
- Emotional stress is affecting you.
- You are taking steroids for another condition.
- The dawn phenomenon is affecting you.
Other possible causes
- Pancreatic diseases such as pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and cystic fibrosis.
- Certain medications .
- Gestational diabetes, which happens in 4% of pregnancies, and is due to decreased insulin sensitivity.
- Surgery or trauma.
Achieving Normal Fasting Glucose Level
The very first thing is to watch out the figures lower than 70 mg/dl. In case you’ve been experiencing more than two episodes of low figures then you should consult your doctor.
The most probable cause include medicine you are taking and diet you’re following. And that should be corrected to keep glucose level under control.;
Trying to achieve normal fasting glucose level means you must work hard on it and never surrender.
If this is so hard for you, try this natural alternative by;
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Where Does This Blood Sugar Come From
You may be wondering how your fasting blood sugar can become elevated if you have only been consuming high-fat meals and very little carbs. Well, your body has a built-in mechanism to create its own glucose. This is because there is a small proportion of the body that can only burn sugar as an energy source.
While the rest of the bodys cells are burning ketones for energy, your body will actually use amino acids, lactic acid, and glycerol to manufacture the necessary sugar for those cells. This process is called gluconeogenesis. Additionally, the body will store a small supply of glucose in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen.
This is why some people are able to stay in ketosis for long periods of time with no consequences, they are still getting all the sugar they need! Some people do seem to do better with a cyclical ketogenic diet, however.
What If The Range Of Your Fasting Blood Sugar Levels Go Up 100 Mg/dl Chart Explained
The chart below will help you get an idea on what goes on in case of changing of;fasting blood sugar levels up 100mg/dl and down 70 mg/dl.
When your fasting blood sugar level readings are between 100 and 125 mg/dl, then most probably you may have pre-diabetes.
That is a condition in which your body insulin function is impaired. You may know it also as;impaired fasting blood glucose;condition.
In case your fasting blood sugar levels figures are;higher than 125 mg/dl, than most probably you may have diabetes. Further diagnostic exams will determine what type of diabetes you may have.
Remember:;always will be a double check to fully determine if you have diabetes or not.
This means that you’ve to monitor your fasting blood sugar levels for one week, record the results for reference when consulting your doctor. Then, and only then you will know if you are diabetic or not.
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How Does Hyperglycemia Happen
Insulin is a hormone that lets your body use the sugar in your blood, which comes primarily from carbohydrates in the food that you eat. Hyperglycemia happens when your body has too little insulin to use the sugar in your blood.
People with type 1 diabetes can have episodes of hyperglycemia every day. Although this can be frustrating, it rarely creates a medical emergency. Not taking enough insulin can lead to hyperglycemia .
Other things that can cause hyperglycemia include:
- Caffeine
- Having trouble seeing or concentrating
- Experiencing stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting
- Having sweet-smelling or fruity breath
- Cuts or sores that do not heal, infections, and unexplained weight loss may also be signs of long-term hyperglycemia.
If you notice any of these symptoms, you should check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is very high, you should also test for ketones in either your blood or urine.
Diabetes Is Diagnosed By Any One Of The Following:
Sometimes you may have symptoms of fatigue, excessive urination or thirst, or unplanned weight loss. However, often people have no symptoms of high blood glucose and find a diabetes diagnosis surprising.
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What Causes High Morning Blood Sugars
Two main culprits prompt morning highs: the dawn phenomenon and waning insulin. A third, much rarer cause, known as the Somogyi effect, may also be to blame.
The occasional morning high will have little impact on your A1C, a measure of your average blood sugar levels over time that indicates how well managed your diabetes is. But if those highs become consistent, they could push your A1C up into dangerous territory.
What Is Essential For You To Know About Your Childs Health
Here are some essential things that you should know about your child.
- You should keep an eye on the behavior of your child.
- You should notice if you find some difference in his/her routine. For example, if your child is urinating more than usual.
- If your child mostly remains tired or feels fatigued even after some activity, ask a doctor.
- You should be frank enough that your child can discuss everything with you.
- Also, try to observe his/her social interactions with other his/her friends and fellows.
- If you feel any mood swings, then dont ignore but find the reason.
- You should be educated enough that you know about the common medical thing. For example, what is the regular blood sugar of a non-diabetic child? Similarly, what are the symptoms of diabetes? etc.
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