Carbohydrates And Blood Sugar
When people eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which enters the blood. As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that prompts cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. As cells absorb blood sugar, levels in the bloodstream begin to fall. When this happens, the pancreas start making glucagon, a hormone that signals the liver to start releasing stored sugar. This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensure that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar. Carbohydrate metabolism is important in the development of type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body can’t make enough insulin or can’t properly use the insulin it makes. Type 2 diabetes usually develops gradually over a number of years, beginning when muscle and other cells stop responding to insulin. This condition, known as insulin resistance, causes blood sugar and insulin levels to stay high long after eating. Over time, the heavy demands made on the insulin-making cells wears them out, and insulin production eventually stops. Glycemic index In the past, carbohydrates were commonly classified as being either “simple” or “complex,” and described as follows: Simple carbohydrates: These carbohydrates are composed of sugars (such as fructose and glucose) which have simple chemical structures composed of only one sugar (monosaccharides) or two sugars (disaccharides). Simple carbohydrates are easily and quickly utilized for energy by the body because of their simple chemical structure, often leading to a faster rise in blood sugar and insulin secretion from the pancreas – which can have negative health effects. Complex carbohydrates: These carbohydrates have mo Continue reading >>
15 Ways High Blood Sugar Affects Your Body
High blood sugar symptoms Glucose, or sugar, is the fuel that powers cells throughout the body. Blood levels of this energy source ebb and flow naturally, depending what you eat (and how much), as well as when you eat it. But when something goes wrong—and cells aren't absorbing the glucose—the resulting high blood sugar damages nerves, blood vessels, and organs, setting the stage for dangerous complications. Normal blood-sugar readings typically fall between 60 mg/dl and 140 mg/dl. A blood test called a hemoglobin A1c measures average blood sugar levels over the previous three months. A normal reading is below 5.7% for people without diabetes. An excess of glucose in the bloodstream, or hyperglycemia, is a sign of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes don’t make insulin, the hormone needed to ferry sugar from the bloodstream into cells. Type 2 diabetes means your body doesn’t use insulin properly and you can end up with too much or too little insulin. Either way, without proper treatment, toxic amounts of sugar can build up in the bloodstream, wreaking havoc head to toe. That’s why it’s so important to get your blood sugar levels in check. “If you keep glucose levels near normal, you reduce the risk of diabetes complications,” says Robert Ratner, MD, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association. Here’s a rundown of the major complications and symptoms of high blood sugar. No symptoms at all Often, high blood sugar causes no (obvious) symptoms at all, at least at first. About 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, but one in four has no idea. Another 86 million have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. That's why it’s a good idea to get your blood sugar test Continue reading >>
High Blood Sugar After Meals And What To Do About It
I will admit to having a bit of a diabetes crush on Gary Scheiner, MS, CDE, Type 1, and founder of Integrated Diabetes Services, LLC. And you know what? I’m not the only one. I recently saw Gary give a talk called “Strike the Spike” at the American Association of Diabetes Educators’ (AADE) 2013 conference to a room packed with diabetes educators. The point was to help CDEs understand why managing/avoiding post-meal blood glucose spikes is important – and to learn new techniques for how to do so. I was there because I am constantly struggling with post-meal spikes. I appear to digest food quickly and absorb insulin slowly — that’s why I’m on Symlin, which helps slow down the emptying of my stomach so I’ve got some chance of having my insulin start working by the time my food makes it to my blood. (I love my Symlin.) But I wanted to hear what other tips Gary might have, and what the responses might be. Gary started with a seemingly simple question: why should anyone care about post-prandial (i.e. post-meal) spikes? At first this question made me furrow my brow — I can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t care about post-meal blood glucose spikes — but I guess that in some cases, health care providers stress the A1c average more than they do the swings in between. Anyway, the audience slowly warmed up, and reasons started pouring in, mostly having to do with complications. Gary nodded along, affirming each one. I was still struggling with the whole concept of not caring, and so I was caught off guard — as was most of the audience — when he pointed out a very important reason that post-prandial spikes matter, one that none of the certified diabetes educators in the room had pointed out (and, oddly, which I myself hadn’t even thought of): because th Continue reading >>
How To Recognize And Manage A Blood Sugar Spike
Blood sugar spikes are caused when a simple sugar known as glucose builds up in your bloodstream. Most of the food you eat is broken down into glucose. Your body needs glucose because it’s the fuel that makes your muscles, organs, and brain work properly. Glucose can’t be used as fuel until it enters your cells. Insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, unlocks cells so that glucose can enter them. Without insulin, glucose would keep floating around in your bloodstream with nowhere to go, becoming increasingly more concentrated over time. When glucose builds up in your bloodstream, your blood glucose, or sugar, levels rise. Blood sugar spikes occur in people with diabetes because they’re unable to use insulin effectively. Untreated high blood sugar can be dangerous, leading to a serious condition called ketoacidosis. Chronic high blood sugar increases the likelihood of serious diabetes complications like heart disease, blindness, neuropathy, and kidney failure. Learning to recognize the symptoms of hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose, can help you keep your diabetes in control. Some people with diabetes immediately feel the symptoms of high blood glucose, but others go undiagnosed for years because their symptoms are so mild. Symptoms of hyperglycemia typically begin when your blood glucose goes above 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Symptoms get worse the longer you go untreated. Learn more about blood sugar tests » Symptoms of a blood sugar spike include: frequent urination fatigue increased thirst blurred vision headache Keep reading: What does high blood sugar feel like? » It’s important to know the symptoms of hyperglycemia. If you suspect that you have high blood sugar, perform a finger stick to check your number. Exercising and drinking water Continue reading >>
20 Reasons For Blood Sugar Swings
Upswing: Caffeine Your blood sugar can rise after you have coffee -- even black coffee with no calories -- thanks to the caffeine. The same goes for black tea, green tea, and energy drinks. Each person with diabetes reacts to foods and drinks differently, so it's best to keep track of your own responses. Ironically, other compounds in coffee may help prevent type 2 diabetes in healthy people. Many of these will raise your blood sugar levels. Why? They can still have plenty of carbs from starches. Check the total carbohydrates on the Nutrition Facts label before you dig in. You should also pay attention to sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and xylitol. They add sweetness with fewer carbs than sugar (sucrose), but they may still have enough to boost your levels. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who switched to a vegan (or all vegetable-based) diet had better blood sugar control and needed less insulin. A boost in fiber from whole grains and beans might play a role, by slowing down the digestion of carbs. But scientists need more research to know if going vegan really helps diabetes. Talk to your doctor before you make major diet changes. Blood sugar can dip dangerously low during shut-eye for some people with diabetes, especially if they take insulin. It's best to check your levels at bedtime and when you wake up. A snack before bed may help. For some people, blood sugar can rise in the morning -- even before breakfast -- due to changes in hormones or a drop in insulin. Regular testing is important. One option is a continuous blood glucose monitor, which can alert you to highs and lows. Physical activity is a great health booster for everyone. But people with diabetes should tailor it to what they need. When you work out hard enough to sweat and raise your h Continue reading >>
Reducing Post-meal Blood Sugar Spikes By Eating More Food? Yep. I Went There.
Sometimes, I eat a completely normal healthy meal, take insulin or meds as usual, only to discover that 1 hour after eating, my blood sugar has shot up to 250 or 300. Gah! Blood-boiling rage doesn't even begin to describe my emotional state when this happens. Why does this happen, anyway? Well, one theory is that I took the wrong amount of insulin/medication. Another theory is that I screwed up my carbohydrate counting. A third (and more satisfying) theory is that my blood sugar is an asshole. But, what if I didn't mess anything up? Is it possible for my blood sugar to spike after meals, even though I've gotten everything else right? Yes. Yes, it is totally possible. Why? Sometimes, carbohydrates metabolize and turn into glucose quite quickly after you eat them. This can cause a blood sugar spike in people with diabetes. The insulin (whether you take injectable insulin or whether it comes from your pancreas) just can't keep up with the glucose absorption, so your blood sugar spikes high, and then eventually comes back down to normal once the insulin has had a chance to work. When carbohydrates metabolize more slowly, this blood sugar spike is much less severe. Now, there is a bunch of information on the web about glycemic properties of foods, and if you have a bunch of time and want to learn more about these properties, you can go online and spend days reading articles about the glycemic index. There's also a bunch of stuff you can do with insulin, if you take it, that can help with blood sugar spikes. We cover that topic pretty thoroughly in BootCamp for Betics. But. If you don't have a bunch of time to go prowling the internet, let me give you a quick solution that will help mitigate post-meal blood sugar spikes. How? Well, wouldn't it be nice if we could FORCE ou Continue reading >>
Reactive Hypoglycemia
Reactive hypoglycemia, postprandial hypoglycemia, or sugar crash is a term describing recurrent episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia occurring within 4 hours[1] after a high carbohydrate meal in people who do not have diabetes.[2] The condition is related to homeostatic systems utilised by the body to control blood sugar levels. It is variously described as a sense of tiredness, lethargy, irritation, or hangover, although the effects can be less if one has undertaken a lot of physical activity within the next few hours after consumption. The alleged mechanism for the feeling of a crash is correlated with an abnormally rapid rise in blood glucose after eating. This normally leads to insulin secretion (known as an insulin spike), which in turn initiates rapid glucose uptake by tissues either accumulating it as glycogen or utilizing it for energy production. The consequent fall in blood glucose is indicated as the reason for the "sugar crash".[3]. A deeper cause might be hysteresis effect of insulin action, i.e., the effect of insulin is still prominent even if both plasma glucose and insulin levels were already low, causing a plasma glucose level eventually much lower than the baseline level[4]. Sugar crashes are not to be confused with the after-effects of consuming large amounts of protein, which produces fatigue akin to a sugar crash, but are instead the result of the body prioritising the digestion of ingested food.[5] The prevalence of this condition is difficult to ascertain because a number of stricter or looser definitions have been used. It is recommended that the term reactive hypoglycemia be reserved for the pattern of postprandial hypoglycemia which meets the Whipple criteria (symptoms correspond to measurably low glucose and are relieved by raising the glucos Continue reading >>
Short Term Spikes In Blood Sugar – Q&a
by Richard K. Bernstein, M.D., F.A.C.E., F.A.C.N., C.W.S. Diabetes Interview Question: I cannot find any information on the effect of short-term spikes in blood sugar (i.e., 115 before breakfast, 170 one hour after breakfast). How dangerous are swings? Currently, I am not on any medication and I am simply trying to control my blood sugar through diet and exercise. I am not overweight (6 feet tall, 175 pounds), and I walk four miles about four to five times a week. Even with all of this, I still cannot control my blood sugar into the nondiabetic range. Any suggestions? Dave, Internet Answer: Your question brings up two points. The first is whether there is a long-term hazard in pre-breakfast (i.e., fasting) blood sugars of 115 mg/dl? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) appears to have answered this when it created a new diagnostic category known as “impaired fasting blood glucose” for individuals who display fasting values greater than 110 mg/dl on two occasions. Your second point relates to transient spikes. I see many non-diabetic obese people whom I help to lose weight. A number of these individuals have normal fasting glucose levels (about 90 mg/dl) but HbA1c values that are slightly elevated at around 5.5%. This corresponds to a four-month average blood sugar of about 120 mg/dl at my lab. I suspect that such mild elevations have been present for years. Inevitably, I’ll find some early diabetic neuropathic complications on physical examinations. These may include (not in any order): somewhat diminished heart rate variation on deep breathing (parasympathetic neuropathy) dry skin on the feet (sympathetic neuropathy) the intrinsic minus foot deformity with claw toes and high arch (motor neuropathy) diminished sensation in the feet (sensory neuropathy) double v Continue reading >>
Lately My Blood Sugar Has Been Spiking Alot. I Am…
Q: Lately my blood sugar has been spiking alot. I am talking almost 300....for no reason what so ever. I eat right and exercise and usually I am really good about keeping my BS in the zone of 80-120. But as I said its been spiking lately for no reason. I am not doing anything I havent dont hundreds of times before and even though I am tempted with lots of cookies and things at work I do NOT eat any...but yet I spike. Can BS levels spike for no reason? Help!! This is stressing me out and I know that stress will also raise BS level.s A: Blood glucose levels can spike for a number of reasons, the most common of which are eating more carbs than usual, exercising less than usual, not taking enough medication, or illness. I cannot tell from your description how long your blood glucose levels have been high. If they have been high for a while, such as for a few weeks, it could be that you need more medication. It may be a good idea to check the numbers more often at different times of the day and keep a log of what you are eating and your physical activity. Take this to your medical appointment so your healthcare provider can take a look at it and discuss treatment options. If your blood glucose levels have been high just for a few days, it could be that you are coming down with some kind of infection, or it could mean that there may be a problem with your blood glucose strips. Check the quality of your blood glucose strips using the meter’s control solution. If you do not have control solution at home, most pharmacies carry it. The control solution is used instead of a drop of blood and will let you know if your strips are still good. Strips can get ruined if they are frozen, overheated, exposed to excessive moisture or expired. If you are high just occasionally for no appa Continue reading >>
Strike The Spike Ii
Dealing With High Blood Sugar After Meals Eleven years ago, I wrote an article for Diabetes Self-Management about the management of high blood sugar after meals. It was called “Strike the Spike” and no article I’ve ever written has led to greater reader response. To this day, I still receive calls, letters, and e-mails thanking me for offering practical answers to this perplexing challenge. I’ve even been asked to speak on the topic at some major conferences. So when presented with the opportunity to readdress the issue, I jumped at the chance. A lot has changed in the past eleven years: we know more than ever about the harmful effects of after-meal blood sugar spikes, but we also have a number of potent new tools and techniques for preventing them. Now that I know how important this topic is to so many people, I’ll do my absolute best to bring you up to date. What’s a spike? After-meal, or “postprandial,” spikes are temporary high blood glucose levels that occur soon after eating. It is normal for the level of glucose in the blood to rise a small amount after eating, even in people who do not have diabetes. However, if the rise is too high, it can affect your quality of life today and contribute to serious health problems down the road. The reason blood glucose tends to spike after eating in many people with diabetes is a simple matter of timing. In a person who doesn’t have diabetes, eating foods containing carbohydrate causes two important reactions in the pancreas: the immediate release of insulin into the bloodstream, and the release of a hormone called amylin. The insulin starts working almost immediately (to move glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells) and finishes its job in a matter of minutes. The amylin keeps food from reaching the sm Continue reading >>
Could You Be Missing The Spike In Your Blood Sugar Levels?
A spike in blood sugar levels is the highest peak your blood sugar levels reach after eating or drinking. But could you be missing the spike? Depending on your test times, then you could be missing the spike and depending on your target level it can be confusing what is deemed as a spike or high level. When excess glucose in the bloodstream passes through to the baby it causes excessive growth and other possible related complications. Targets for measuring blood glucose are given and being below that target level is deemed as being a safer level for fetal growth, minimising the risks associated with diabetes in pregnancy. There has been uncertainty if it is the overall glucose control or the spikes in blood sugar levels that influence the baby's growth but the HAPO (Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes) 2008 study suggests that both fasting and postprandial glucose levels influence fetal growth and so this is why the majority of ladies will be testing both fasting levels and pre or post meal levels. How do you know when to test your blood sugar levels and at what time? You get diagnosed with gestational diabetes. You go to your hospital appointment, get given a blood glucose test monitor, shown how to use it and then you're given your test times and targets. But this is where it can be VERY confusing, especially when you compare your targets with mothers from other hospitals... Although there are National guideline recommendations which are backed by research as to what targets should be used for the best outcomes with gestational diabetes, hospitals and Trusts do not have to follow them. This means that ladies in the UK & ROI can be given all sorts of different blood glucose monitoring targets and test times. Some may be very strict, others can be very lenient. Continue reading >>
What To Do When Blood Sugar Spikes
It can be frustrating trying to keep blood sugar levels under control. Day by day, they can fluctuate widely, and they’re not always predictable. Although the greatest danger to people with diabetes is when blood glucose gets too low, it’s also important to take action when blood glucose is high. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to help prevent and treat these unexpected spikes. High blood sugar, also called hyperglycemia, often develops in response to too little insulin or other glucose-lowering medication, or too much food. It’s important to address hyperglycemia. Not only can it cause problems like impaired thinking in the short term, it can increase the risk for serious problems like heart disease, kidney damage, and blindness over time. Here’s what you can do about hyperglycemia. On top of tracking your diet and blood sugar, regular exercise is a key part of managing your diabetes. And while any exercise is better than none, certain activities have specific benefits for people with diabetes. 2017 Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or reprinted without permission from Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. Use of this information is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Know Your Body Estimating how much your blood sugar will rise or fall in response to a specific meal or snack isn’t always easy. But you can better predict these fluctuations by investigating how your body reacts to food. Closely monitor your food intake, including your favorite foods and meals, for a week or two. If possible, check your blood glucose both before and after you eat. Keep a log of your results and review them to learn when your blood sugar is most likely to spike. Recognize the Symptoms Regularly monitoring your blood Continue reading >>
Blood Sugar Spikes: Causes, Symptoms, And Prevention
Diabetes is a disease that causes a person's blood sugar to become too high. This can lead to various complications. A person with diabetes must be careful to keep their blood sugar levels under control. Glucose comes from the food we eat. It is the main source of energy for the body. The pancreas secretes substances, including the hormone insulin, and enzymes. Enzymes break down food. Insulin makes it possible for body cells to absorb the glucose we consume. With diabetes, either the pancreas is unable to produce insulin to help the glucose get into the body cells, or the body becomes resistant to the insulin. The glucose stays in the blood instead. This is what raises blood sugar levels. High blood sugar is known as hyperglycemia. Contents of this article: Causes of blood sugar spikes People with diabetes have to be especially careful about keeping their blood sugar levels under control. There are several reasons why blood glucose levels may spike. These are: Sleep: A lack of sleep can be especially bad for people with diabetes, because it can also raise blood sugar levels. One study performed on Japanese men found that getting under 6.5 hours of sleep each night increases a person's risk for high blood glucose levels. Prioritizing healthy sleep and promoting sleep hygiene are good habits for everyone, but especially for people with diabetes. Stress: When under a lot of stress, the body produces hormones that make it difficult for insulin to do its job, so more glucose stays in the bloodstream. Finding a way to keep stress levels down, such as yoga or meditation, is essential for people with diabetes. Exercise: Having a sedentary lifestyle can cause blood sugar levels to go up. In addition, exercise that is too difficult can cause stress and blood glucose levels to ri Continue reading >>
High Blood Sugar After Exercise?
back to Overview Markus, one of our great German-language authors, wrote about struggling with high blood sugar after exercise. I know it's a common problem, and one I've struggled with personally, so I want to make sure you get to see it, too. From Markus Berndt: It’s one of the first recommendations you get after being diagnosed with diabetes. “Get active, do more exercise, it’s good for you!” And since we’ve been a child we’ve heard that exercise is healthy. If we do it consistently we’re rewarded, literally, with an awesome beach body. Adding exercise into our day is also good for our diabetes. We’re taught that exercise lowers blood sugar, right? But can the opposite also be true? Can you have high blood sugar after exercise? Up close We now know that physical activity usually lowers blood sugar because it reduces how much insulin is needed to move sugar into the cells. While, in the past, most experts advised frequent training intervals at moderate intensity, but recent studies have shown that even short, intense workouts are very effective. For example, a 15-minute intense weight training lowered blood sugar even more than what’s seen in some endurance training. So activity lowers blood sugar – but not always! Personally, I experienced this very early on and was extremely irritated! I just learned that exercise lowers blood sugar, but an intense 45-minute run consistently resulted in higher blood sugars than when I started! What in the world? At first, I was confused and felt like I didn’t understand the world anymore. Then it was more of a “would you look at this?” kind of thing. And finally, I was determined to figure out what was happening. I knew there had to be an explanation. Why does exercise sometimes raise blood sugar? Exercise Continue reading >>
How To Prevent Blood Sugar & Triglyceride Spikes After Meals
Previously, I’ve covered the effect adding berries to a meal has on blood sugar responses in If Fructose is Bad, What About Fruit? That raises the question: How Much Fruit is Too Much? In addition to the all-fruit jam question, in my next video I’ll cover The Effects of Avocados and Red Wine on Postprandial Inflammation. Vinegar may also help: Can Vinegar Help with Blood Sugar Control? Maybe this explains part of the longevity benefit of nut consumption. See Nuts May Help Prevent Death. I also talked about that immediate inflammatory reaction to unhealthy food choices in my recent video, Best Foods to Improve Sexual Function. Surprised by the chicken and butter reaction? Same thing happens with tuna fish, and other meat. Check out Paleo Diets May Negate Benefits of Exercise. If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here. Continue reading >>
