How To Lower Morning Blood Sugar
It seems strange to be able to keep blood sugar levels in control throughout the day and have morning blood sugar high, right? I mean, it doesn't seem logical. After all, you haven't eaten anything so it should be lower shouldn't it? It's a common assumption and it would seem logical, but it is common for people with type 2 diabetes to have high blood sugar in the morning. Why? Because your body continues to produce glucose even when you don't eat. It's called gluconeogenesis. This is a natural process for all of us. But in diabetes many people have increased gluconeogensis. Another reason is that cortisol (our stress hormone) is the hormone that slowly increases in levels from around 3 am onwards to reach it’s peak early in the morning. Cortisol has a direct influence on blood sugar levels too – elevating them. Still, there are practical things you can do to lower morning blood sugar levels, here's how… How to Lower Morning Blood Sugar Lowering morning highs has a lot to do with your overall health, diet, and lifestyle and usually incorporates a number of different factors. Put some of the following things into practice, give it some time, and no doubt you will start seeing an improvement. Just remember, the number you're aiming for with fasting blood sugar is between 90-110 (5-6.1). Try Apple Cider Vinegar & Cheese Before Bed One small study found that having 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 1 oz (28 g) cheese (which is just 1 slice cheese) before bed reduced morning glucose by 4% compared to 2% when the participants only had cheese and water. People that had a typical fasting glucose above 130 mg/dl or 7.2 mmol/l had an even better result of 6% decrease in morning blood sugar levels. It’s not fully understood why vinegar has such a beneficial effect Continue reading >>
Healthy Snack Ideas For People With Type 2 Diabetes – Small Snacks
If you have type 2 diabetes, a snack can help you manage your blood glucose levels. If your Registered Dietitian suggests that a small snack fits into your diabetes meal plan, you’ll find many healthy ideas below. What is a healthy snack? Your snack choices should be based on the four food groups in Canada’s Food Guide. The amount of carbohydrate in your snack is very important since carbohydrate-rich foods make the biggest difference to blood glucose levels. Smaller snacks should have about 15 grams of carbohydrate. This is the amount found in one slice of bread or one small apple. Carbohydrates are also found in sugary sweets like pastries, chocolate bars and candy. Because they are not very nutritious, they should be chosen less often, if at all. Here’s a good rule to remember when choosing carbohydrate-rich foods: Choose more vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains like oats, barley, brown rice and whole wheat. Choose fewer products that are made from sugar, white flour and white rice. The smaller snacks listed below have about 15 grams of carbohydrate each. They each have 85-150 calories. Mid-day snacks Your eating plan may include a snack in the morning or the mid-afternoon. Here are some delicious options. 1 slice whole grain bread with 10 mL (2 tsp) peanut butter 1 small orange and 175 mL (¾ cup) edamame (green soybeans in the pod) 250 mL (1 cup) latte, cappuccino, unsweetened cocoa or chai tea made with skim milk 250 mL (1 cup) cantaloupe with 125 mL (½ cup) low fat cottage cheese 15 baby carrots with 30 mL (2 tbsp) hummus On-the-go snacks These snacks can be left in your briefcase, knapsack, car or your desk drawer. They will come in handy when you have a very busy day and need to grab a quick snack. 2 whole grain rye crispbread crackers 1 single-s Continue reading >>
Tips Or Tricks For Lowering Fasting Morning Glucose Levels Without Resorting To Insulin? May 15, 2006 10:05 Am Subscribe
Tips or tricks for lowering fasting morning glucose levels without resorting to insulin? Yes, yes, I know ... see my doctor, etc. etc. etc. I'm getting quality medical care, I just want more opinions, and maybe some non-traditional approaches. Short form: I may or may not have gestational diabetes. My 1 hour and 3 hour glucose tollerance tests were extremely high, but there is some debate as to whether the after effects of a recent severe illness may account for some of that. My blood glucose levels are fine during the day (always below 120 tested 2 hours postprandial, provided I don't eat anything stupid) but when I test in the morning my levels are between 102 - 115 (most often 107). If I'm not able to drop those morning fasting levels down to about 95 in the next few days, I'm going to have to start taking insulin in the evenings, with the end result that I'll have to leave my current midwife's practice and get an OB and give birth at a hospital rather than at the birth center where I'm currently a client. I'm pretty desperate to avoid this if at all possible. My diabetes councelor has advised me to try eating a snack directly before bed that is mainly protein (peanut butter or chicken, etc), and exercising right before bed. I'm going to do both of these, but was wondering if any diabetic or medical type metafilter folks had any other suggestions, either for diet suppliments or other diet-related approaches that have worked for them. I am currently adding 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to my diet daily as seen in this study and it does seem to help... I'm no doctor, but I am diabetic, and I'd second-guess some of what you're being told. Your blood glucose levels are a little high for a non-diabetic, but they're very low for a diabetic. You seem to be borderline. I'd say you Continue reading >>
Controlling The Dawn Phenomenon
Do you wake up with a blood glucose level that’s higher than when you went to bed? You might wonder how this could be. Is this “dawn phenomenon” serious, and what can you do about it? Our reader Mishelle commented here, “I don’t eat [much] during the day. [I take metformin morning and night.] My blood sugar is still too high in the morning…sometimes 125–140ish.” How can Mishelle’s glucose levels go up if she didn’t eat anything? She probably has a mild case of dawn phenomenon. Her glucose is going up from sources other than digested food. Some of it is produced by the liver from stored starch and fatty acids. Livers that produce too much glucose are one of the main ways diabetes causes high blood glucose levels. Other organs also produce small amounts of glucose. This is called “gluconeogenesis” for you science freaks out there. Organs do this to keep blood glucose from going too low at night or other times of not eating. From about 2 AM to 8 AM, most people’s bodies produce hormones, including cortisol, glucagon, and epinephrine. All these hormones increase insulin resistance and tell the liver to make more glucose. The idea is to get you enough glucose to get out of bed and start the day. The whole process is apparently started by growth hormones. Everyone has a dawn phenomenon. Otherwise they’d be too weak to get breakfast. But in people without diabetes, insulin levels also increase to handle the extra glucose. People with diabetes can’t increase insulin levels that much, so their early morning blood glucose levels can rise dramatically. Experts disagree on how many people have a dawn phenomenon. Estimates range from 3% to 50% of Type 2s and from 25% to 50% of Type 1s. Is dawn phenomenon a serious problem? It can be serious. According t Continue reading >>
Sugar Highs Explained
You're taking your medications as prescribed and you're keeping an eye on your carbohydrates, yet there still may be times when your blood sugar is too high. There are many reasons for blood sugar surges--I'd like to zero in on two common issues: high morning sugar and sugar that's high after exercising. Waking up to high sugar You'd think that your blood sugar should be lower after a night's sleep. After all, you haven't eaten anything for many hours. But the body needs glucose 24 hours a day, and if you're not getting it from food, your body will turn to stored glucose in the liver. Your pancreas needs to make insulin to deal with this glucose, just as it does for glucose derived from the food you eat. Unfortunately, in many people with diabetes, insulin production during periods of fasting is as meager as (or worse than) during eating. Therefore, the sugar may rise overnight because glucose being produced by the liver is not matched by adequate insulin from the pancreas. Also, certain medications, including glyburide (brand name Micronase or DiaBeta), glipizide (brand name Glipizide) and glimepiride (brand name Amaryl), improve meal-related insulin production more than fasting insulin production. As a result, many people who take these medicines have higher glucose levels in the morning than before bed at night. Sometimes a bedtime snack will actually help lower morning blood glucose, because the sugar (from the carbohydrates in your snack) that hits your bloodstream causes the body to release more insulin than the sugar your liver releases during the night while you're fasting. Ideally, your snack should contain protein, some healthy fat and a slowly absorbed carbohydrate, such as two teaspoons of peanut butter on a half-slice of stone-ground whole-wheat bread. If t Continue reading >>
High Fasting Levels
High fasting levels are a huge problem for many ladies. Fasting blood sugar levels, levels taken first thing in the morning when you wake up, are the hardest thing to control with gestational diabetes. But why is that? When we're sleeping we are not eating and drinking and we are not active and so the body is left to it's own devices with regards to controlling blood sugar levels. Impacts on fasting blood sugar levels Many things can impact fasting levels: what you've eaten earlier in the evening when you last ate hydration levels how well you've slept the dawn phenomenon the Somogyi effect What you ate earlier in the evening Bearing in mind how much of each food group converts to glucose in the bloodstream and the time taken, your fasting levels may be impacted by this. Too much carbohydrate in your evening meal or as a snack before bed can contribute to high fasting levels, as your body can only produce or use so much insulin, so if you raise your blood sugars too high by eating too much carbohydrate, your body can spend the night battling to try to lower your blood sugar levels. A high fat meal such as takeaway food can also cause higher blood sugar levels and so eating a well paired evening meal is important. When you last ate The key to stabilising blood sugar levels is to eat small amounts, often. We obviously cannot do this throughout the night, but if you eat your evening meal early and do not eat again until breakfast the following day, it can be an extremely long time to go without eating. Likewise, if you eat a large meal just before going to bed, this too can have a detrimental effect on your fasting levels. Hydration levels Dehydration will cause higher blood sugar levels. Water helps to flush excess sugar from the body and so it is important to stay well h Continue reading >>
My Experience With Gestational Diabetes
Explanation of gestational diabetes & personal reflection of what to expect if you are diagnosed during your pregnancy. Not to worry, it’s can be managed! When you’re pregnant many people love to say “Now you can eat for two!” or “Your pregnant, this is the time you can eat what you want!” Unfortunately, these words of wisdom are not entirely accurate. Every mom-to-be dreads the glucose tolerance test, which involves ingesting a high concentration of glucose (a form of sugar) mixed with water to see if you have gestational diabetes. It’s a grueling test because you have to sit in a doctor’s office or clinic for a few hours while they take blood samples before and 2-3 times after you drink the solution. Before the test, you have to fast for 8 hours and this alone makes mamas pretty aggravated but then with the drink solution you have to deal with a sugar high! Waiting for the results, you cross your fingers and hope that the last 24-28 weeks you’ve had a balanced, healthy diet. I knew that I had increased my carbohydrate and sweet intake more than before I was pregnant, but I was hoping the test would still be negative. Unfortunately, when I got the call from my doctor who then said I had gestational diabetes, my first reaction was guilt. How could I have done this to my baby? Gestational Diabetes 101 I want to make sure I disclose this up front, I am not a doctor, I’m just sharing my experience with gestational diabetes. My daily pregnancy routine consisted of exercising five times a week and eating healthy on most days. However, I knew I could have eaten healthier in the last trimester, but I didn’t (those darn cravings and ravishing bouts of hunger!). As I learned more about gestational diabetes, I realized that our bodies change so much during p Continue reading >>
Try These 8 Best Snacks For Blood Sugar Control
1 / 9 Snack the Smart Way to Help Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check If you have type 2 diabetes, smart snacking can be an important part of your healthy eating plan. Hunger can lead to dips and spikes in blood sugar that can cause dizziness, irritability, and weakness — and it can increase your risk for a host of other diabetes-related problems as well. One of the best ways to avoid the roller coaster? Eat nutritious snacks at regular intervals throughout the day, even if you're on the go. New types of insulin are better at matching the insulin your body needs at specific times, which has made snacking to prevent a blood sugar drop less necessary for some. But whether you still have to snack to keep your blood sugar levels steady, or just plain want to snack, it’s necessary to make healthy choices. That means that simple carbohydrates, which are digested quickly and turned into sugar that elevates your blood glucose levels, should be avoided. But there are other ways to satisfy those mid-afternoon or mid-morning cravings than a trip to the vending machine. It might take a little more advance preparation and a little more slicing and dicing than it does to rip open a bag of potato chips. But the snacks shown here, suggested by Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, an Everyday Health contributor, are quick, simple, made with ingredients that are either easily portable or easily kept in an office kitchen, and finished with dashes of flavor from ingredients you probably already have on hand, like lime, olive oil, and cinnamon. And when you control your ingredients, which you can’t do when you’re reaching for a processed food, it’s easier to control your condition, which can be empowering when you’re trying to manage this disease. So what makes a high-quality, high-satisfact Continue reading >>
Late-night Eating: Ok If You Have Diabetes?
Are late-night snacks a no-no for people who have diabetes? Answers from M. Regina Castro, M.D. If you have diabetes, late-night snacks aren't necessarily off-limits — but it's important to make wise choices. Late-night snacks add extra calories, which can lead to weight gain. And if you snack after your evening meal — especially if the foods contain carbohydrates — you may wake up the next morning with a high blood sugar level. If you're hungry after dinner, choose a "free" food, such as: One sugar-free frozen cream pop Five baby carrots One cup of light popcorn A small handful of goldfish-style crackers A can of diet soda Or swap the snack for a piece of gum or small hard candy. These "free" foods have few, if any, carbohydrates and calories, so they won't contribute to weight gain or increased blood sugar. If you take insulin or other diabetes medications and feel that you must snack before bedtime to prevent low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during the night, talk to your doctor. He or she may recommend adjusting the dose of your medications to prevent the need for a late-night snack. Continue reading >>
A1c Tip: What You Eat…before Bedtime!
Unfortunately, the time of day when many people (whether or not they have diabetes) want to veg-out and eat some kind of junk food is at the very end of the day. There’s no mystery: it’s comforting to sit down with something delicious and perhaps less-than-ideal for a person with diabetes after long day at work. As the days get shorter and winter approaches, that urge can only grow stronger. But how is it affecting your overnight blood sugars and your blood sugar the next morning? Personally, I’ve found that when I have a really indulgent treat, like a slice of gluten-free blueberry pie, for example–something really high in both carbs and fat–that even if I manage my blood sugar tightly before bed and am “in-range” throughout the night, I actually see my blood sugar rise between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. the next morning! Normally, my blood sugar is extremely steady during the morning hours, but what I ate before bed can impact my blood sugar nearly 12 hours later. What are you eating before bed? How is it affecting your blood sugars not only through the night but the next day, too? What You Eat Before Bed: Things to Consider Here are just a few of things to consider if you think this particular time of day may be impacting your blood sugar levels and thus impacting your A1C goals, too: One of the biggest reasons people tend to over-eat at night is because they didn’t get enough food in during the day. Take a closer look at what you’re eating throughout the day: hardly anything? Are you starving by the time you get home? If you are struggling with your blood sugar throughout the night, or you’re simply waking up at 5 a.m. to find that you’ve been well above 200 mg/dL all night long, think about what proportion of the day that means your blood sugar was hig Continue reading >>
Good Snack Before Bed For Low Blood Sugar
Good Snack Before Bed for Low Blood Sugar by Ashley Ritzo, R.D. Snacking before bed is often said to be detrimental to your health, but a small bite to eat before hitting the hay can actually help stabilize your blood sugar levels while you sleep. Long periods of fasting -- like overnight -- can result in body processes that lead to suboptimal blood sugar levels. 1. Basic Physiology The level of sugar in your blood is regulated by hormones -- primarily insulin and glucagon. Insulin’s job is to pull the sugar out of circulation in your blood and deposit it into your cells, which can then use it for energy. Glucagon’s job is to pull sugar out of your body’s stores when not enough is circulating in your blood to provide adequate fuel to your brain and muscles. If these hormones aren't working properly or if you run out of stored sugar and your blood sugar level falls under the normal range of 70 mg/dL you can experience symptoms of low blood sugar. Signs of low blood sugar include shakiness, dizziness, sweating, extreme hunger and sleepiness. 2. The Somogyi Effect Sometimes people with diabetes experience the Somogyi effect, or rebound hyperglycemia. This occurs when the blood sugar dips too low – often in the middle of the night – and the glucagon hormone triggers a release of stored sugar to correct the low blood sugar. The result is a high blood sugar reading the following morning. Having a snack before bed can help keep the blood sugar from dipping too low during the night and provides a more desirable blood sugar level the next morning. 3. Carbohydrates A good bedtime snack should contain carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for your brain and muscles. Including them in your snack is important for preventing low blood sugar. When selec Continue reading >>
Foods To Lower The Rise Of Blood Sugar At Night
Controlling high blood sugar levels at night is an important part of overall health for people with diabetes. But, it does not have to be a complicated process. Simple lifestyle changes including a healthy, well-balanced snack before bed can improve blood sugar levels even during the long hours between bedtime and breakfast. Video of the Day Protein is a key to preventing high blood sugar during the night. When digested, protein does not spike blood sugar or insulin levels, making it the best choice in food options before bedtime. A serving of protein should be eaten one to two hours before bedtime to help stabilize blood sugar levels before the extended fasting period during sleep. Good sources of protein include poultry, lean meats, fish, eggs and soy products. Fats also play an important role in controlling blood sugar levels. A small amount of healthy fats, like monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids, can be added to the evening snack to help the body process the protein being consumed. Examples of healthy fats are low-fat cheeses, seeds, nuts, avocado, and olive oil. Avoid trans fats and saturated fats, which can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease. Carbohydrates are often thought to be the enemy when it comes to high blood sugar. But, the right carbohydrates during an evening snack can actually be beneficial. Adding vegetables, whole-grain breads, or legumes not only provides important nutrients, but also provides fiber. Fiber decreases the risk of heart disease and helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Avoid simple carbohydrates that provide little to no nutritional value and spike insulin and blood sugar levels such as cookies, cakes, white breads and pastas, and sweetened soft drinks or juices. One to two hours before bedtime enjoy a smal Continue reading >>
Nighttime Snack- A Blood Sugar Must
Over and over again, I have heard people say “Don’t eat after 8pm, its bad for your health” with no evidence to back up this supposed claim. Your body will not magically turn all calories into fat if you eat a piece of fruit, a cracker or even your dinner the second the clock strikes 8pm, but for those with type 2 diabetes, not eating a nighttime snack may actually be contributing to high blood sugars in the morning. Medications for diabetes-especially insulin – work by helping glucose enter the cells and lowering blood sugar values. This medication is adjusted specifically for each individual in order to make sure that blood sugars don’t stay too high or drop too low. However, insulin may act in your body for an extended period of time, depending on the type. During the day, we are constantly providing our body with sources of carbohydrates either by eating three distinct meals every several hours or grazing throughout the day. For those who choose not to eat anything between dinner and breakfast the next morning, this provides a window of potentially twelve hours with no carbohydrates entering the bloodstream. As mentioned before, insulin often works over an extended period of time, and may still be helping lower your blood sugar at night when you are sleeping and will cause a low blood sugar at night. You might be wondering how this will lead to high blood sugars in the morning right about now. Our bodies have a unique system of storing some extra glucose in our liver, and these stores are called glycogen. When we eat foods that are turned into glucose as they are digested, a limited amount of this glucose is stored in the liver for emergency purposes in case we need a boost of energy to run away from a bear that is about to eat us. For the average American Continue reading >>
6 Ways To Prevent Low Blood Sugar At Night
Nighttime dips in blood sugar levels are common among people with diabetes. Authors of a study published in June 2013 in Quality of Life Research noted that people with diabetes — type 1 or type 2 — experience low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) during sleep more frequently than many doctors realize. Nighttime hypoglycemia can be caused by a number of different factors, from exercising too close to bedtime to drinking alcohol in the evening. If untreated, low overnight blood sugar levels can lead to headaches and loss of sleep — and in extreme cases, seizures or even death. The good news is that preventing low blood sugar while you sleep can be achieved with a few simple steps: 1. Check Your Blood Sugar Before Bed “For everybody with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, it’s absolutely critical that they check their blood sugar before going to bed to make sure they’re not going to have an episode of low blood sugar during the night,” says Helena W. Rodbard, MD, medical director of Endocrine and Metabolic Consultants, a private practice in Rockville, Maryland, and past president of the American College of Endocrinology. If your blood sugar levels are low at bedtime, eat a healthy snack before going to sleep. The size of the snack should be in proportion to the dip in blood sugar. For instance, a small drop in blood sugar requires only a small snack. If you use an insulin pump, consider temporarily reducing the active dose of insulin. 2. Know the Signs of Low Overnight Blood Sugar Symptoms of hypoglycemia usually develop when blood sugar levels drop below 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). They include shakiness, sweating, confusion, erratic behavior, headache, and lightheadedness. With nighttime hypoglycemia, you may wake up with these symptoms or with a higher blood su Continue reading >>
How Can I Fight Morning Highs?
My morning blood glucose is quite elevated (190 to 260 mg/dl). Is there a certain time before bed that I should eat to help lower my blood sugar? Are there certain foods I should eat after dinner? Continue reading >>
