Blood Sugar 117 After Meal

Managing Diabetes During Pregnancy

Almost two million women of reproductive age have diabetes, and these numbers continue to rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is extremely important for women with diabetes to achieve normal blood glucose levels before they become pregnant, because if women have poorly controlled diabetes going into a pregnancy, they are at much higher risk for serious fetal complications. This improved control can be accomplished with education and medical management. Women with type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes are also at higher risk for: Large birth weight babies, resulting in more Cesarean deliveries and increased complications during delivery Premature births or fetal death Pre-eclampsia: a dangerous surge in blood pressure associated with protein in the urine Diabetic retinopathy: damage to the retina caused by high glucose levels Diabetic kidney disease Severe hypoglycemia: episodes of low blood glucose levels that can result in confusion or unconsciousness Ensuring a healthy pregnancy The good news is that women with uncomplicated diabetes who keep their blood glucose levels in a normal range before and during pregnancy have about the same chance of having a successful pregnancy as women without diabetes. The Joslin-Beth Israel Deaconess Pregnancy Program recommends the following blood glucose goals and medical assessments before pregnancy: Fasting and pre-meal blood glucose: 80-110 mg/dl Blood glucose one hour after meal: 100-155 mg/dl A1C, a blood test that measures average blood glucose over two to three months: less than 7 percent and as close to 6% as possible without hypoglycemia Review of diabetes and obstetrical history Eye evaluations to screen for and discuss risks of diabetic retinopathy Renal, thyroid, gynecological and sometimes c Continue reading >>

Controlling The Dawn Phenomenon

One of our most stubborn challenges is to control the dawn phenomenon. That’s when our fasting blood glucose readings in the morning are higher than when we went to bed. The dawn phenomenon is a normal physiological process where certain hormones in our body work to raise blood glucose levels before we wake up, as we wrote in The New Glucose Revolution: What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up…And Down? Professor Jennie Brand-Miller of the University of Sydney, Kaye Foster-Powell, and I co-authored that book (Marlowe & Co., first edition 2003, second American edition 2006). These so-called counter-regulatory hormones, including glucagon, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol, work against the action of insulin. They stimulate glucose release from the liver and inhibit glucose utilization throughout the body. The result is an increase in blood glucose levels, ensuring a supply of fuel in anticipation of the wakening body’s needs. If you take insulin injections, it could be that the effect of insulin you took is waning. Your blood glucose will rise if you didn’t take enough to keep your insulin level up through the night. The dawn phenomenon varies from person to person and can even vary from time to time in each of us. That much was clear when our book came out. But how to control it was a different story. A couple of years ago here I wrote about several efforts for “Taming the Dawn Phenomenon.” People have tried everything from eating a green apple at bedtime to high-maize grain to uncooked cornstarch. None of these remedies that I have been able to try ever worked for me. I always thought that the most promising remedy was one that a correspondent named Renee suggested – vinegar capsules. “I am still using vinegar tablets (usually 8) each night and have us Continue reading >>

How Can I Prevent Diabetes?

Q: My doctor told me that my fasting blood glucose was 117, I need to lose 100 pounds, I should eat more healthfully, and I should start exercising. Then he walked out of the office without giving me a prescription. How can I prevent diabetes? A: A fasting blood glucose of 100-125 mg/dl likely means you have pre-diabetes. Your blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough to diagnose diabetes. There is a silver lining. Research shows that if you follow a healthful eating plan (especially limiting how much fat you eat and getting plenty of fiber), be active about 30 minutes five days a week, and lose just 5-7 percent of your starting body weight, you can delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes without going on a medication. It is worth noting that research in people with pre-diabetes has shown that several of the blood-glucose-lowering medications are effective in delaying or preventing type 2 diabetes. At this point, none of the medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating type 2 are approved for treating pre-diabetes. Keep in mind that pre-diabetes and type 2 are progressive. Over time, about 70 percent of people with pre-diabetes develop type 2, particularly if they don't make healthful lifestyle modifications. Most people with type 2 diabetes require some blood-glucose-lowering medication. Your main goal should be to control your weight and blood glucose. If you do need to take blood-glucose-lowering medicine, take it without shame or guilt. To learn more about diabetes and to get the support you will need to achieve your goals, find health-care providers who know about diabetes. Also request a referral from your provider to a diabetes education program. Find a diabetes education program in your area through the American Continue reading >>

Blood Sugar Monitoring

What Do the Numbers Tell You? “I must admit that I stopped checking my blood sugar,” Dave said. “I used to stick myself and write the numbers in a book, but I had no idea what they meant. I’d eat the same thing and get different numbers. Finally, I just gave up.” Sound familiar? Many people dutifully check their blood glucose levels but have no idea what the numbers mean. Part of the problem is that blood glucose levels constantly fluctuate and are influenced by many factors. The other part of the problem is that no two people are alike. A blood glucose reading of 158 mg/dl in two different people might have two different explanations. Most people know that their bodies need glucose to fuel their activities and that certain foods or large quantities of almost any food will raise blood glucose. That’s the easy part. But just as cars require a complicated system of fuel pumps, ignition timing, batteries, pistons, and a zillion other things to convert gasoline into motion, our bodies rely on an intricate system to convert glucose into energy. Back to basics Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps regulate the way the body uses glucose. Its main job is to allow glucose in the blood to enter cells of the body where it can be used for energy. In people who don’t have diabetes, the pancreas changes how much insulin it releases depending on blood glucose levels. Eating a chocolate bar? The pancreas releases more insulin. Sleeping? The pancreas releases less insulin until the wee hours of the morning when the hormones secreted in the early morning naturally increase insulin resistance, so the pancreas needs to release a little more. Insulin also controls how much glucose is produced and released from the liver. Glucose is stored in the liver in a f Continue reading >>

Want To Know If Your Diet Is Healthy? Track Your Blood Sugar.

Are you confused if what you are eating is healthy? Are whole grains good for us? Do we need to be gluten free? Should we be eating dairy regularly? What about fruit? Nuts? Beans? Ahhhhhhhh! Let’s face it, there is A LOT of conflicting diet information out there. Where do you even start? Well it all comes down to one very basic thing…your blood sugar. It doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t have to take weeks of diet diaries and calorie counting. Nor does it require reading endless books, websites, studies, and journals to get the most up-to-date nutrition advice. It is really quite simple, and it can be tested. Wouldn’t it be great to know when you eat something how the inside of your body responds? Does it give you the green light or the red light? Well, you can learn this with a very inexpensive piece of equipment that you can find at any drug store or pharmacy called a glucose meter or glucometer. Click here for a video tutorial on how to test your blood sugar. ……. So, ask your body what it thinks of the food you are eating by taking your blood sugar. Here is a quick & very basic break down on how your blood sugar works. Step 1: You eat a food Step 2: It gets broken down into two categories: stuff the body will use and stuff that will become waste Step 3: Glucose, aka blood sugar, is one of the essential breakdown products of food that the body and brain use for fuel Step 4: Depending on the types of food you just ate, your blood sugar rises. If you just ate a meal high in starch and sugar, your blood sugar rises high over a normal fasting level. If you just had a meal of healthy fats and proteins, your blood sugar does not rise as high. ……. Having a normal functioning blood sugar is the key to optimal health and the prevention of chronic dis Continue reading >>

Is Random Sugar Of 117 Normal?

QUESTION: Sir, No Charge Glucose Meter - OneTouch Verio Flex® Meter Ad Compact Design to Track Your Glucose On-the-Go. Get It At No Charge. OneTouch Learn more I want to know that my random blood sugar level is 117. So, can u tell me if my sugar is normal or not or am i diabetic patient and if so plz tell me the remedies also to cure my disease. ANSWER: Hi Amita, According to ADA/EASD hyperglycemia management guidelines, blood sugar levels targets should be set personally and specifically for each person according to their age, body indexes (weight, height) and other diseases and conditions they might have. Based on this, I should have these data of yours. If you a young person, such glucose levels can be accepted due to high metabolism rate of the young people. However, if you are a mature person with other diseases; then, I should ask you to go for the next steps as the following. In addition, I want you to measure your blood sugar levels for 2 subsequently weeks (each day at one precise time). Next, I would like to ask you to measure fasting blood sugar, oral-glucose tolerance test, and A1C test. All these data are necessary to give an exact diagnosis. Once I would have all these data, I could give an exact answer whether you are a diabetic, a pre-diabetic or a going-to-be:). All the best! Dr.Alba Continue reading >>

High Blood Glucose Reading Four Hours After A Meal

An elevated blood glucose level after eating may indicate you have diabetes. If you haven't been diagnosed, see your health care provider. If you're already being monitored for diabetes, a high blood glucose level may occur from changes in your routine, illness or due to medications. Over time, a chronically elevated blood glucose level may lead to complications such as kidney disease, eye problems, heart attack and stroke. According to Joslin Diabetes Center, blood glucose is considered high when it's 160 milligrams per deciliter or greater. If two or more tests show your blood glucose is between 100 and 125 milligrams per deciliter four hours after a meal, also known as fasting blood sugar, you'll be diagnosed with prediabetes or impaired fasting glucose. Prediabetes puts you at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to Joslin Diabetes Center. If two or more tests show your blood glucose is greater than 126 four hours after a meal, you'll be diagnosed with diabetes. Making changes to your eating habits and exercise, oral prescriptions and insulin injections can all help lower your glucose levels four hours after eating. Changes in Your Routine If your blood glucose has been within normal range and has recently become elevated, examine any changes in your eating habits and exercise. Increasing your food intake, changing what you eat daily and eating too many high-carbohydrate or high-fat foods can cause fluctuation in your blood sugar. A decrease in physical activity may also cause an increase in your blood glucose. Track your food intake and exercise routine along with your blood glucose to identify any patterns that may be causing this increase. High blood glucose four hours after a meal may also be due to problems with your medication. If y Continue reading >>

Blood Glucose Four Hours After Eating

Cells throughout your body work around the clock, even when you’re sleeping. Clearly, they need a steady supply of energy to keep going. To function, they rely on glucose, a simple type of carbohydrate. Glucose enters your bloodstream until the hormone insulin comes around to help cells use or store the circulating glucose. Your blood sugar may go up a bit after eating, but if it’s still high four hours after your meal, or if it drops too low, something is awry in your body. Video of the Day Normally your blood sugar should remain between 70 and 130 milligrams per deciliter, according to the American Diabetes Association. This range is for any random time throughout the day, before or after meals. After a long fast, such as after a night’s sleep, it’s normal for your glucose to be on the lower end of that spectrum -- 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter. Four Hours After Eating If you’re generally healthy or are properly managing your diabetes, your blood glucose should fall between 90 and 130 milligrams per deciliter four hours after eating. If you're not diabetic, your sugar could even go as high as 140 milligrams per deciliter after meals. Of course, if you are a diabetic, your blood glucose could rise even higher -- 180 milligrams per deciliter or above, even several hours after eating. It’s not typical for your glucose to remain elevated four hours after eating. By then, insulin should have done its job and made sure that all of that extra glucose was used up. So if your blood sugar is still high hours after eating, it could be a sign that you have diabetes. Or if you have already been diagnosed, the dosage of your insulin or other diabetes medication might be off. Elevated glucose can also stem from an infected pancreas, an overactive thyroid and certain Continue reading >>

Blood Sugar Levels After Eating

Blood sugar level simply means the concentration of a simple sugar (glucose) in certain amount of blood. In the United States, it is measured in mg/dl or milligrams per deciliter. Glucose concentration in the body fluctuates the whole day. Actually, there can be significant variations from minute to minute. Blood sugar levels after eating normally skyrocket and exercising will normally drop the levels. Doctors are interested in fasting glucose, glucose levels after eating, which is at times tested. Blood Sugar Levels Before and After Eating Blood sugar levels in our bodies will fluctuate depending on various conditions and circumstances. Here are the different levels: 1. Normal Blood Sugar Levels After Eating According to the American Diabetics Association, normal blood sugar levels after meals should be 70 mg/dl –140mg/dl.This should be the reading 2 hours after a meal. If the levels are lower than 70mg/dl, it might mean that you have hypoglycemia. If your blood sugar is slightly higher than 140mg/dl, it does not necessarily mean that you have diabetes. However, you might need to have an oral glucose tolerance test later on to determine the severity of your elevated post-meal blood sugar. 2. Normal Levels of Fasting Blood Sugar This blood sugar level is taken first thing when you wake up before your first meal. A normal level of fasting blood sugar lies from 70mg/dl to 92mg/dl. This is also the blood sugar level for a normal person who has not eaten for the past few hours. 3. Normal Blood Sugar Level for Type 1 Diabetics American Diabetes Association recommends that blood sugar targets should lie between the following: Before eating your blood sugar should be: Adults: 90-130mg/dl 13-19 years old: 90-130mg/dl 6-12 years old: 90-180mg/dl 0-6 years old: 100-180mg/dl Aft Continue reading >>

Introduction To Self-monitoring Blood Glucose

The tiny drop of blood you see on your test strip contains a wealth of information. You can use this to help you within the blood glucose target ranges recommended by your healthcare provider, as well as your own lifestyle goals.1 Blood sugar target ranges In general, the American Diabetes Association's (ADA) recommended blood sugar levels are: Between 80 and 130 mg/dL before meals2 Less than 180 mg/dL after meals2 Your range is yours alone—based on your health, age, level of activity and other factors. And remember that your target is a range you'd like to stay within, not a single number. But what if you're out of range? These results provide valuable information, too. You can review your numbers over time to find patterns in highs and lows. Then you can work with your healthcare team to make adjustments to your diabetes management plan that will bring you closer to your target range. Gaining insights from routine testing Day-to-day blood sugar checks—also known as routine testing—can give you a good idea of how you're doing at this moment, and they can be reviewed overall to see trends. They can help answer questions such as: Are your medications working as they should? How does the type or amount of food you eat affect your blood sugar? How does activity or stress affect your blood sugar? Your healthcare team will probably recommend a schedule of routine or daily testing to help you manage your blood sugar. Recognizing patterns with structured testing You can take self-monitoring a step further with structured testing—checking your blood sugar at specific times over a short period to see how the things you do may affect your blood sugar. For example, if you're interested in insights into your overall blood glucose control, you can identify patterns with the Continue reading >>

* What Is A Normal Blood Sugar?

Normal blood sugars after a high carbohydrate breakfast eaten at 7:30 AM. The blue line is the average for the group. The brown lines show the range within which most readings fell (2 standard deviations). Bottom lines show Insulin and C-peptide levels at the same time. Click HERE if you don't see the graph. Graph is a screen shot from Dr. Christiansen's presentation cited below. The term "blood sugar" refers to the concentration of glucose, a simple, sugar, that is found in a set volume of blood. In the U.S. it is measured in milligrams per deciliter, abbreviated as mg/dl. In most of the rest of the world it is measured in millimoles per liter, abbreviated as mmol/L. The concentration of glucose in our blood changes continually throughout the day. It can even vary significantly from minute to minute. When you eat, it can rise dramatically. When you exercise it will often drop. The blood sugar measures that doctors are most interested in is the A1c, discussed below. When you are given a routine blood test doctors usually order a fasting glucose test. The most informative blood sugar reading is the post-meal blood sugar measured one and two hours after eating. Doctors rarely test this important blood sugar measurement as it is time consuming and hence expensive. Rarely doctors will order a Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, which tests your response to a huge dose of pure glucose, which hits your blood stream within minutes and produces results quite different from the blood sugars you will experience after each meal. Below you will find the normal readings for these various tests. Normal Fasting Blood Sugar Fasting blood sugar is usually measured first thing in the morning before you have eaten any food. A truly normal fasting blood sugar (which is also the blood sugar a norm Continue reading >>

Diagnosis

Print The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that blood glucose screening for adults begin at age 45, or sooner if you are overweight and have additional risk factors for prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. There are several blood tests for prediabetes. Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test This test indicates your average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. Specifically, the test measures the percentage of blood sugar attached to the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin). The higher your blood sugar levels, the more hemoglobin you'll have with sugar attached. In general: An A1C level below 5.7 percent is considered normal An A1C level between 5.7 and 6.4 percent is considered prediabetes An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates type 2 diabetes Certain conditions can make the A1C test inaccurate — such as if you are pregnant or have an uncommon form of hemoglobin (hemoglobin variant). Fasting blood sugar test A blood sample is taken after you fast for at least eight hours or overnight. In general: A fasting blood sugar level below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) — 5.6 millimoles per liter (mmol/L) — is considered normal. A fasting blood sugar level from 100 to 125 mg/dL (5.6 to 7.0 mmol/L) is considered prediabetes. This result is sometimes called impaired fasting glucose. A fasting blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L) or higher indicates type 2 diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance test This test is usually used to diagnose diabetes only during pregnancy. A blood sample is taken after you fast for at least eight hours or overnight. Then you'll drink a sugary solution, and your blood sugar level will be measured again after two hours. In general: A blood sugar level less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmo Continue reading >>

Why Does High (or Low) Blood Sugar Give Me Headaches?

Susan B. Sloane, BS, RPh, CDE, has been a registered pharmacist for more than 20 years and a Certified Diabetes Educator for more than 15 years. Her two sons were diagnosed with diabetes, and since then, she has been dedicated to promoting wellness and optimal outcomes as a patient advocate, information expert, educator, and corporate partner. Headaches can be debilitating, and patients with diabetes can get headaches from blood sugars dropping too low or climbing too high. As if we didn’t have enough to think about, right? There are many factors that can trigger headaches or even migraines, and blood sugar fluctuations are just one of those factors. The key to avoiding blood sugar-related headaches is keeping blood sugars from spiking or dropping too rapidly. For example, when you are treating a low blood sugar, don’t go on a high carbohydrate-eating binge, even though you may be ravenous. Eat a sensible meal with some protein as directed by your healthcare provider. When blood sugar is too low One of the suspected causes of low blood sugar-caused headaches has to do with the blood vessels in your brain. Your brain needs a readily available supply of glucose in order to function properly. If the brain senses it does not have enough sugar, blood vessels in the brain can spasm, triggering a headache. In the fasting state, stress hormones are also released which can cause vasoconstriction leading to headache. There is also a type of headache that can be seen in patients with diabetes that experience frequent low blood sugars, which are followed by rebound high blood sugars. This rebound phenomenon is often due to hormones that the body releases in response to a low blood sugar in an attempt to regulate itself. When blood sugar is too high High blood sugars can cause l Continue reading >>

Blood Sugar 117 Mg/dl (6.49mmol/l) After Eating - Is That Good Or Bad?

We help you interpret your blood sugar values. You have tested your blood sugar after eating and the result was 117 mg/dl. Let's have a look at the blood sugar gauge: Your result is: Normal blood sugar Your blood sugar level (up to 2 hours) after eating should always be below 140mg/dl but not fall below 80mg/dl. It is normal for blood sugar levels to rise immediately after a meal. The increased glucose is a product of the carbohydrates in the food that was just consumed. The higher blood glucose triggers the pancreas to produce more insulin. This release of insulin usually takes place within about 10 minutes of eating. The insulin removes the glucose from the blood and stores it for the body to use as energy. In a healthy individual, blood glucose levels should return to a normal level within about two hours after finishing the meal. In diabetics, the blood sugar level often remain elevated for a longer period because of the body’s inability to produce or utilize insulin properly.An elevated two-hour postprandial (after a meal) blood sugar may indicate diabetes or prediabetes. As a general rule, a normal two- hour postprandial blood sugar is as follows: • Age 50 and under: Less than 140 mg/dl • Age 50 – 60: Less than 150 mg/dl • Over age 60: Less than 160 mg/dl A doctor may recommend different postprandial blood sugar levels based on an individual’s particular circumstances and health history. Several factors may cause a person’s postprandial blood sugar to remain elevated. • Smoking after the meal: Studies show that smoking raises blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. • Extreme stress: Stress produces the body’s fight-or-flight response triggering the release of stress hormones such as cortisol. These hormones cause the body to release the glu Continue reading >>

When Your “normal” Blood Sugar Isn’t Normal (part 1)

In the next two articles we’re going to discuss the concept of “normal” blood sugar. I say concept and put normal in quotation marks because what passes for normal in mainstream medicine turns out to be anything but normal if optimal health and function are what you’re interested in. Here’s the thing. We’ve confused normal with common. Just because something is common, doesn’t mean it’s normal. It’s now becoming common for kids to be overweight and diabetic because they eat nothing but refined flour, high-fructose corn syrup and industrial seed oils. Yet I don’t think anyone (even the ADA) would argue that being fat and metabolically deranged is even remotely close to normal for kids. Or adults, for that matter. In the same way, the guidelines the so-called authorities like the ADA have set for normal blood sugar may be common, but they’re certainly not normal. Unless you think it’s normal for people to develop diabetic complications like neuropathy, retinopathy and cardiovascular disease as they age, and spend the last several years of their lives in hospitals or assisted living facilities. Common, but not normal. In this article I’m going to introduce the three markers we use to measure blood sugar, and tell you what the conventional model thinks is normal for those markers. In the next article, I’m going to show you what the research says is normal for healthy people. And I’m also going to show you that so-called normal blood sugar, as dictated by the ADA, can double your risk of heart disease and lead to all kinds of complications down the road. The 3 ways blood sugar is measured Fasting blood glucose This is still the most common marker used in clinical settings, and is often the only one that gets tested. The fasting blood glucose Continue reading >>