Am I Diabetic? How To Test Your Blood Sugar To Find Out
If you have not been diagnosed with diabetes but suspect you might have something wrong with your blood sugar, there is a simple way to find out. What you need to do is to test your blood sugar after you have eaten a meal that contains about sixty grams of carbohydrates. You can ask your doctor to test your blood sugar in the office if you have an appointment that takes place an hour or two after you've eaten or, if this isn't an option, you can use an inexpensive blood sugar meter to test your post-meal blood sugar yourself at home. You do not need a prescription to buy the meter or strips. One advantage of testing yourself at home is that with self-testing you do not run the risk of having a "diabetes" diagnosis written into your medical records which might make it impossible for you to buy health or life insurance. To run a post-meal blood sugar test do following: Borrow a family member's meter or buy an inexpensive meter and strips at the drug store or Walmart. The Walmart Relion meter store brand meters sold at pharamcies like CVS, Walgreens, etc are usually the least expensive. Some meters come with 10 free strips. Check to see if the meter you have bought includes strips. If it doesn't, buy the smallest package size available. Strips do not keep for very long once opened, so don't buy more than you need for a couple tests. Familiarize yourself with the instructions that came with your meter so that you know how to run a blood test. Practice a few times before you run your official test. Each meter is different. Be sure you understand how yours works. The first thing in the morning after you wake up but before you have eaten anything, test your blood sugar. Write down the result. This is your "fasting blood sugar." Now eat something containing at 60 - 70 grams of Continue reading >>
Can Yoga Cure Type 2 Diabetes?
Answer Wiki When you leave your doctor’s office, do you ever wonder what he’s not telling you? Every appointment, he tells you to eat less sugar and go on more walks, but aren’t there other ways to get your diabetes under control? Here’s 3 tricks to manage your diabetes that your doctor won’t tell you: Eat More Fat You read that right. Eat more fat. That’s because fat helps your body absorb insulin. That means the more fat you eat, the easier it’ll be to manage your blood sugar. But here’s the kicker: It’s got to be the right type of fat. You’re looking for Unsaturated Omega-3 Fat. Here’s some great sources: 2. Fish Eggs (Any eggs labeled “enriched” have plenty of omega-3) Grass-fed beef (There’s lots of omega-3 in the grass) 3. Do Some Pushups… Or any kind of strength exercises. All the cardio your doctor tells you to do will increase your insulin absorption a little, but to really keep your body regulated you’ve got to get your entire body moving. The best way to do that is any exercise that focuses on strength. You want to avoid straining yourself, but make a habit of doing a few pushups every day, throw in some body squats, and soon you’ll be taking tighter control of your blood sugar. Not to mention it’ll get rid of stress, and give you plenty of energy. Relax Laying back and keeping cool are vital to regulating your blood sugar. Stress causes physical distress on the body which affects blood glucose levels. Not to mention, when you’re stressed out it’s easy to overeat, which obviously wreaks havoc on your blood sugar. For easy relaxation, try out simple meditation or breathing exercises. These tricks will help, but… If You Want to REVERSE your Type 2 Diabetes and never worry about your blood sugar again, here’s what you Continue reading >>
Hypoglycaemia (low Blood Sugar) In Diabetes
Hypoglycaemia is a condition where the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood drops below a certain point – usually around 4.0mmol/l. This causes a number of symptoms such as dizziness, sweating, shaking and palpitations, that usually go away 10 to 15 minutes after eating sugar. Insulin is normally produced in the pancreas and helps the body's cells absorb glucose from the blood: After a meal the glucose level rises to about 7 to 10mmol/l. One to two hours later, the glucose level starts dropping again. By the next meal, the glucose level is back to normal: about 4 to 5mmol/l. The insulin level in the blood has also returned to normal. Hypoglycaemic episodes (hypos) can be caused by: over-treatment – the dose of insulin or diabetes tablets is set too high or you accidentally take too much mismatched calorie intake versus demand – this happens when your body needs energy but can't get it from your calorie intake, for example if you eat less than usual or exercise more alcohol – alcoholic drinks tend to lower the blood sugar. What happens during a hypo? It is expressed as millimoles per litre (mmol/l). You can experience some or all of the following symptoms: paleness shaking perspiration a feeling of weakness rapid heartbeat hunger agitation difficulty concentrating irritability blurred vision temporary loss of consciousness confusion convulsions coma. A 'hypo' is the short name given to episodes of low blood sugar. Most people do get some warning that hypoglycaemia is happening. But for some, hypoglycaemia may cause few or none of the warning symptoms before the start of sudden unconsciousness or convulsions – particularly if you've had diabetes for many years. This condition is called 'hypoglycaemia unawareness'. The aim of diabetes treatment is to have as nea Continue reading >>
Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers: Use Them To Manage Your Diabetes
Checking your blood sugar, also called blood glucose, is an important part of diabetes care. This tip sheet tells you: why it helps you to know your blood sugar numbers how to check your blood sugar levels what are target blood sugar levels what to do if your levels are too low or too high how to pay for these tests Why do I need to know my blood sugar numbers? Your blood sugar numbers show how well your diabetes is managed. And managing your diabetes means that you have less chance of having serious health problems, such as kidney disease and vision loss. As you check your blood sugar, you can see what makes your numbers go up and down. For example, you may see that when you are stressed or eat certain foods, your numbers go up. And, you may see that when you take your medicine and are active, your numbers go down. This information lets you know what is working for you and what needs to change. How is blood sugar measured? There are two ways to measure blood sugar. Blood sugar checks that you do yourself. These tell you what your blood sugar level is at the time you test. The A1C (A-one-C) is a test done in a lab or at your provider’s office. This test tells you your average blood sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. How do I check my blood sugar? You use a blood glucose meter to check your blood sugar. This device uses a small drop of blood from your finger to measure your blood sugar level. You can get the meter and supplies in a drug store or by mail. Read the directions that come with your meter to learn how to check your blood sugar. Your health care team also can show you how to use your meter. Write the date, time, and result of the test in your blood sugar record. Take your blood sugar record and meter to each visit and talk about your results with your h Continue reading >>
Do People Without Diabetes Need To Care How Much Sugar They Eat?
That should be very advisable. The point’s in the fact that for the previous several hundred thousand years humans were eating low-sugar, low-starch diet. Starches were invented (and revolutionised civilisation!) some 12,000 years ago. Refined sugars are with us for about 300 years. We just need to revert to low-carb diets. And also, low-salt diets. Salts was a precious commodity and difficult to find forever. These days, probably only teas and coffees don’t have some salt. that depends... If you wish to be diabetes free for the long-term then yes you should pay attention to your sugar intake as well as other processed carb intake and try to minimize it as much as possible. The one exception would be following weight training. This is the one time it's beneficial to eat simple carbs and elicit and insulin response. Besides that eating sugar over and over causes the body to release insulin over and over and to simplify things that in time results in insulin resistance and diabetes. Continue reading >>
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Type 1 Diabetes Low Blood Sugar Symptoms
Type 1 diabetes in an autoimmune disease where a person’s pancreas doesn’t produce insulin—a hormone needed to convert food into energy. It affects children and adults, comes on suddenly, and it cannot be prevented or cured. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a common and dangerous occurance with type 1 diabetes. If your blood sugar gets too low it may lead to insulin shock, which is life-threatening if not cared for. Low blood sugar can happen when your body has too little food—or glucose—or when it produces too much insulin. Type 1 diabetes hypoglycemia symptoms So what are the low blood sugar symptoms you should look out for? It’s important to realize that the signs of low blood sugar will vary depending on the person. However, people with type 1 diabetes—whether it’s been diagnosed or not—may experience one or more of the following: -Sweating and shaking -Blurry vision -Poor coordination -Dizziness or feeling lightheaded -Difficulty concentrating -Feeling anxious or irritable -Hunger or nausea -Erratic changes in behavior What to do if you experience low blood glucose symptoms Severely low blood-sugar levels can lead to hypoglycemic seizures, unconsciousness, coma, and death if left untreated. That’s why it’s important to see a doctor if you think you have low blood sugar so he or she can check your blood-glucose levels—look into whether type 1 diabetes may be a cause—and provide the necessary treatment. Your support is more critical than ever Continue reading >>
Do Diabetic Patients Sometimes Need Some Sugar To Energize Their Body?
Diabetics who are under oral hypoglycemics or Insulin therapy, should pay extra attention to their diet and eat systematically. Taking these drugs without eating on time, will result in hypoglycemia- which needs to be corrected immediately with some sugar. If they maintain a balanced diet and eat on time, while taking the medications on time- it will be easier to avoid hypoglycaemic episodes. Continue reading >>
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Diabetic Hypoglycemia
What is it? Diabetic hypoglycemia (hi-po-gli-SE-me-uh) happens when the sugar (glucose) in your blood drops too low. This means there is not enough sugar in your blood to give your muscles and brain cells the energy they need to work. This may cause you to faint. When diabetic hypoglycemia happens, you will need treatment right away. After treatment, your blood sugar should rise to a normal level and you should feel better. Causes: Drinking alcohol. Exercising more than usual, without eating extra food. Having a high fever or an infection (in-FEK-shun). Missing a meal or eating a meal later than usual. Taking certain medicines and taking too much insulin (IN-su-lin) or oral (pills taken by mouth) medicine. Pregnancy puts you at higher risk for diabetic hypoglycemia. Signs and Symptoms: If your blood sugar is just a little low, you may have a headache, feel hungry or nervous, have trouble thinking, feel moody or weak, or sweat. If your blood sugar is moderately low, you may sweat a lot, feel very weak, or feel your heart pounding. You may also forget things, see double, be confused, or have trouble walking. Other signs are feeling numb and tingly around your mouth or your fingers. If your blood sugar is dangerously low, you may have convulsions (seizures) or pass out (faint). What can be done for diabetic hypoglycemia? Do the following if you think you have low blood sugar: If you have any symptoms of low blood sugar, check your blood sugar. If your blood sugar is 70 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dl) or below, eat or drink a source of sugar. Talk to your caregiver about low blood sugar and how it should be treated. Following are some sources of sugar that you can drink or eat to treat low blood sugar: Drink four ounces (one-half cup) of fruit juice, eat five to six pieces of Continue reading >>
Which Fruit Is Good In Diabetes.?
Answer Wiki When you leave your doctor’s office, do you ever wonder what he’s not telling you? Here’s 3 tricks to manage your diabetes that your doctor won’t tell you: Eat More Fat You read that right. Eat more fat. That’s because fat helps your body absorb insulin. That means the more fat you eat, the easier it’ll be to manage your blood sugar. But here’s the kicker: It’s got to be the right type of fat. You’re looking for Unsaturated Omega-3 Fat. Here’s some great sources: Fish Eggs (Any eggs labeled “enriched” have plenty of omega-3) Grass-fed beef (There’s lots of omega-3 in the grass) Do Some Pushups… Or any kind of strength exercises. All the cardio your doctor tells you to do will increase your insulin absorption a little, but to really keep your body regulated you’ve got to get your entire body moving. The best way to do that is any exercise that focuses on strength. You want to avoid straining yourself, but make a habit of doing a few pushups every day, throw in some body squats, and soon you’ll be taking tighter control of your blood sugar. Not to mention it’ll get rid of stress, and give you plenty of energy. Relax Laying back and keeping cool are vital to regulating your blood sugar. Stress causes physical distress on the body which affects blood glucose levels. Not to mention, when you’re stressed out it’s easy to overeat, which obviously wreaks havoc on your blood sugar. For easy relaxation, try out simple meditation or breathing exercises. These tricks will help, but… If You Want to REVERSE your Type 2 Diabetes and never worry about your blood sugar again, here’s what you need: A recent medical breakthrough at Newcastle University has revealed 3 Proven Steps to Reverse Type-2 Diabetes. Click the link below to find Continue reading >>
Diabetes-related High And Low Blood Sugar Levels
Topic Overview Diabetes-related blood sugar levels When you have diabetes, you may have high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) from time to time. A cold, the flu, or other sudden illness can cause high blood sugar levels. You will learn to recognize the symptoms and distinguish between high and low blood sugar levels. Insulin and some types of diabetes medicines can cause low blood sugar levels. Learn how to recognize and manage high and low blood sugar levels to help you avoid levels that can lead to medical emergencies, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or dehydration from high blood sugar levels or loss of consciousness from severe low blood sugar levels. Most high or low blood sugar problems can be managed at home by following your doctor's instructions. You can help avoid blood sugar problems by following your doctor's instructions on the use of insulin or diabetes medicines, diet, and exercise. Home blood sugar testing will help you determine whether your blood sugar is within your target range. If you have had very low blood sugar, you may be tempted to let your sugar level run high so that you do not have another low blood sugar problem. But it is most important that you keep your blood sugar in your target range. You can do this by following your treatment plan and checking your blood sugar regularly. Sometimes a pregnant woman can get diabetes during her pregnancy. This is called gestational diabetes. Blood sugar levels are checked regularly during the pregnancy to keep levels within a target range. Children who have diabetes need their parents' help to keep their blood sugar levels in a target range and to exercise safely. Be sure that children learn the symptoms of both high and low blood sugar so they can tell others wh Continue reading >>
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Hypoglycemia (low Blood Sugar) In People Without Diabetes - Topic Overview
Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is most common in people who have diabetes. If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes and need more information about low blood sugar, see the topics: You may have briefly felt the effects of low blood sugar when you've gotten really hungry or exercised hard without eating enough. This happens to nearly everyone from time to time. It's easy to correct and usually nothing to worry about. But low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, can also be an ongoing problem. It occurs when the level of sugar in your blood drops too low to give your body energy. Ongoing problems with low blood sugar can be caused by: Medicines. Metabolic problems. Alcohol use. Symptoms can be different depending on how low your blood sugar level drops. Mild hypoglycemia can make you feel hungry or like you want to vomit. You could also feel jittery or nervous. Your heart may beat fast. You may sweat. Or your skin might turn cold and clammy. Moderate hypoglycemia often makes people feel short-tempered, nervous, afraid, or confused. Your vision may blur. You could also feel unsteady or have trouble walking. Severe hypoglycemia can cause you to pass out. You could have seizures. It could even cause a coma or death. If you've had hypoglycemia during the night, you may wake up tired or with a headache. And you may have nightmares. Or you may sweat so much during the night that your pajamas or sheets are damp when you wake up. To diagnose hypoglycemia, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your health and any medicines you take. You will need blood tests to check your blood sugar levels. Some tests might include not eating (fasting) and watching for symptoms. Other tests might involve eating a meal that could cause symptoms of low blood sugar seve Continue reading >>
Hypoglycemia (low Blood Sugar) In Type 1 Diabetes
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1968, at the age of 8 years old. At the time, there were no fingerstick blood sugars available for use. One had to regulate diabetes by measuring urine sugars, a very imprecise way to monitor blood sugar control. I recently obtained copies of my medical records from that 12-day stay, and found the following comment in the discharge summary: “He had one mild episode of shocking without loss of consciousness or convulsion.” I remember that episode. I could not have known that it was to be the first of hundreds of low blood sugar reactions that I would experience over the next 46 years. Though a hypoglycemia episode is always disruptive and never a pleasant experience, most were mild, ones that I could treat myself. But occasionally they were severe, requiring assistance from family or co-workers, or 911 calls. I was driven to achieve ‘tight control’ and prevent the long-term complications of diabetes, which I have managed to do. But there was a high price. I felt like I was playing a game of Russian roulette with hypoglycemia. I could no longer tell when I was low. Hypoglycemia unawareness had developed. I was fortunate enough to have developed T1D at a time when treatment for it has steadily improved. I started on an insulin pump in January 1982, and that helped me to reduce my frequency of hypoglycemia. The availability of insulin glargine (Lantus) and insulin detemir (Levemir) were great advances over older basal insulins (NPH, lente, ultralente) that had more intense and less predictable peaks, a very real problem at night. While I have not used them, because they became available after I started on a pump, better basal insulins have helped many T1Ds reduce night time hypoglycemia. Faster insulins (insulin lispro/Humalog Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Low Blood Sugar: Know The Signs
Low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia, means that your blood sugar is below normal levels. Why is that a problem? Blood sugar fuels your body's cells, and if those cells don't get the fuel they need, your body may not function properly. Symptoms of hypoglycemia range from feeling dizzy and confused to more extreme symptoms such as passing out or fainting. This condition is primarily a problem for people with diabetes, but with the right prevention methods, it's a problem that can easily be managed. Causes of Low Blood Sugar Many people with diabetes are on insulin or other medications to help manage their blood sugar levels, but these medications can also cause low blood sugar. Here are some situations that may cause your levels to dip: Taking too much insulin. Skipping a meal, or eating later or less than normal (but still taking the same amount of medication or insulin). Engaging in excess physical activity without eating enough beforehand. Drinking too much alcohol or drinking on an empty stomach. Warning Signs of Low Blood Sugar Symptoms vary from person to person and can become more severe if not treated. Knowing your symptoms is important. Common early symptoms include: Shakiness, nervousness, or anxiety. Sweating, chills, and clamminess. Irritability or impatience. Confusion or dizziness. Rapid/fast heartbeat. Hunger and nausea. Weakness or feeling tired. How to Treat Low Blood Sugar Symptoms can come on quickly which means it's important to know how to be prepared. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the only way to know for sure that you are experiencing low blood sugar is to check your glucose levels. Usually, low blood sugar means you have a reading below seventy milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). If you can't check your glucose and you'r Continue reading >>
Why Do People With Diabetes Need Sugar?
Because their problem isn’t an excess of sugar but messed up metabolisation of glucose. A healthy organism self-regulates, whereas a diabetic has to approximate that regulation by controlling their blood sugar levels, taking medication and adjusting their diet. Now… there’s no magic medication that resets your blood sugar levels to “normal” values - what it does is allow your body to process glucose from your bloodstream, with the amount of glucose absorbed varying due to multiple factors such as your physical and mental activity, hydration, level of oxygen in your environment. Now, what happens if your glucose intake is not properly balanced with your medication, food, activity etc? You end up either processing less glucose than your intake, leaving you with too high blood sugar - hyperglycemia - or processing more glucose than your intake, leaving you with too little blood sugar - hypoglycemia . Neither of these conditions is desirable, both have long term consequences, but hypoglycemia is an immediate threat to your life. Not only does this state diminish your mental and physical capabilities (for reasons that should be obvious), if disregarded will lead to loss of consciousness and your body effectively starving to death in very short order as it literally lacks fuel for basic functions including heart, lung and brain activity. This isn’t something that only concerns diabetics - a perfectly healthy person that disregards their body’s energy needs can kill themselves in this exact fashion too. Continue reading >>
5 Biggest Diabetes Management Mistakes
Over seven years and millions of interactions on Diabetes Daily, we have seen many people make the same mistakes. Here are five of the most common ones along with potential solutions. What mistakes are missing from the list? Share your experience in the comments and help spare your peers some difficult days. Mistake #1: Thinking Only Food Impacts Blood Sugars Carbohydrates, and to a lesser extent fat and protein, impact blood sugars. But food is just one of many factors. Stress – whether it is caused by pain, a fight with a loved one, or intense exercise – increases blood sugars. Activity typically lowers blood sugars, but many forms of exercise can also raise your blood sugar, such as strength-training and sprinting. Exercise that is causing negative stress on your body can also raise your blood sugar. Little known fact: if a 20 minute, pain-free walk regularly increases blood sugars and you haven’t eaten recently, call your doctor and ask for a stress test. This can be an early sign of heart disease. Something is causing that stress. Sleep patterns can change your insulin sensitivity throughout the day. Not getting enough sleep can make you more insulin resistant and lead to higher blood sugars. Hormonal changes can cause your blood sugars to rise and fall. These hormones could be from things like increased stress, growth-hormones, menstruation, and menopause. As you learn about why your blood sugars change, it is critical to look at factors beyond food. Mistake #2: Guessing Your Blood Sugars People are horrible at guessing their own blood sugars. The key problem is that the symptoms of high and low blood sugars are not always consistent. Are you sweating and hungry because of a low blood sugar or because it’s 90 degrees out and you skipped breakfast? Are you Continue reading >>
