Blood sugar is one of the essentials in the work mechanism of our body. It feeds the cells, muscles, and organs with energy; it fuels everything from the activity of the brain to everyday physical activities.
On the other hand, it is important to take good care of normal blood sugar levels in order not to develop chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and others. The following post outlines in detail the intricacies of blood sugar; it discusses what is high blood sugar, the symptoms of low blood sugar, and practical ways how to lower blood sugar.
Table of Contents
The Basics: What is Blood Sugar?
Glucose refers to the level of glucose in the bloodstream. Glucose- what comes from digestion and absorption of carbohydrates-is the major energetic substance of life. After eating, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and then absorbed by the intestinal cells and blood. It travels to the liver, then on to the cells of the body where it is utilized for energy immediately or stored for later use.
To have this under control, the pancreas secretes an insulin hormone. Insulin creates the opportunity for cells to take up this glucose from the blood and maintain stable levels there. A good balance is kept where a little over or under can lead to a lot of health disorders.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels: What’s Considered Healthy?
Blood glucose is one aspect of the body that must fall within a normal range for a person to be considered optimally healthy.
There are fluctuations in Glucose throughout the day for healthy people depending on the time of day, recent activities that involved exercising, and types of foods ingested. Health professionals do define normal levels, though, within certain parameters.
Fasting Glucose Levels: A test of blood sugar levels will be conducted after the person has not eaten for at least eight hours. Normal levels in the case of a person who has been fasting are between 70 and 100 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). Whereas, levels that are between 100 to 125 mg/dL could be considered as pre-diabetes levels, and those over 126 mg/dL indicate a person is suffering from diabetes.
Glucose Levels: This level of Glucose is post-meal, approximately after two hours of eating. The normal postprandial blood sugar level is less than 140 mg/dL. Ranging from 140 to 199 mg/dL is considered prediabetes, while above 200 mg/dL may simply suggest diabetes.
A1C Levels: A test for A1C measures the average blood glucose over a two- to three-month period. The ideal A1C should be below 5.7%. When it is between 5.7% and 6.4%, it is considered prediabetes, and if the numbers are above 6.5%, it indicates diabetes.
Glucose levels either way over or under these ideal levels might be a health concern, hence requiring periodic Glucose checkups, especially in those belonging to the high-risk category for diabetes.
What is High Blood Sugar? (Hyperglycemia)
Hyperglycemia means high Glucose level, which is a condition of the blood arising when an individual produces too little insulin or cannot utilize available insulin effectively. Excessive glucose in the blood can further lead to the damage of the blood cells as well as organs in the body, thereby giving rise to long-term complications.
Causes of High Blood Sugar
1-Diabetes: This is the most common cause of high Glucose levels. In diabetes type 1, the body doesn’t produce insulin; in diabetes type 2, the body develops insulin resistance.
2-Diet: Consuming a diet with excessive carbohydrates or sugary food raises Glucose levels, especially in cases of insulin resistance.
3-Physical Inactivity: Exercise allows your cells to use glucose efficiently. Another outcome of such a sedentary life could be high Glucose.
4-Stress: Stress usually caused by physical or emotional stress stimulates the release of hormones like cortisol, which acts to raise blood glucose levels.
5-Sickness or Infection: If someone is sick or infected, their body normally produces hormones involving stress. As a result, it can increase the level of Glucose.
Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
Recognizing the symptoms of hyperglycemia is important in order not to develop complications. Listed below are common signs and symptoms:
. Frequent urination
. Increased thirst
. Blurred vision
. Fatigue or weakness
. Headaches
. Slow healing of cuts and bruises
If left untreated, high Glucose can lead to serious complications like DKA, particularly in diabetes type 1. In this condition, the body starts breaking down fat for use as fuel due to the negligible amount of insulin. The result of this is toxic blood acids.
Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
While high Glucose has long been the mainstream concern, low Glucose, or hypoglycemia, has equally frightening complications. Hypoglycemia is described as less than 70 mg/dL. The brain uses glucose for fuel, and if levels get too low, it can impair the functioning of the brain and even cause life-threatening complications.
Causes of Low Blood Sugar
1-Diabetes Medications: The most common cause of hypoglycemia involves taking too much insulin or other diabetes medications that lower blood glucose.
2-Skipping Meals: The most common cause of hypoglycemia occurs when a person has skipped either breakfast or lunch and taken their medication.
3-Physical Activity: Exercise is one of the great challenges for those with diabetes. When you exercise, your body uses glucose. And if you don’t give it enough fuel, it makes your blood glucose go low.
4-Alcohol Consumption: Consuming alcohol, more so on an empty stomach, leads to diabetes because of the potential to cause blood glucose to plummet.
Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar
Knowing what symptoms are caused by low Glucose will help attempt to avoid any further complications. Some of the more common symptoms include:
. Shakiness or trembling
. Sweating
. Irritability or mood swings
. Confusion or difficulty concentrating
. Dizziness
. Racing heartbeat
. Blurry vision
Severe hypoglycemia can even cause a person to faint, seizures, or coma. Hence, there is a dire need for the treatment of low Glucose without any further delay by using fast-acting carbohydrates such as glucose tablets or juice that help increase the levels of Glucose.
How to Lower Blood Sugar: Practical Strategies
Whether one is suffering from diabetes or just having the desire to live a healthy life, it’s vital to understand how to bring down Glucose. The following are evidence-based ways of maintaining ideal levels of body sugar:
1. Change Your Diet
Dietary style changes do offer the most significant impact on improving Glucose control. Following are the key diet habits that one should adopt:
Reduce carbohydrate intake: Generally, carbohydrates are the nutrients that tend to have the most profound effect on Glucose. High consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined, may lead to spikes in glucose. One is encouraged to focus on the intake of complex carbohydrates because they include whole grains, vegetables, and legumes, which are digested slowly and, as such, actually put a lighter load on the blood sugar.
Increase Fiber: Consuming fiber slows sugar digestion into the bloodstream. Vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains should be used to reach at least the daily goal of 25–30 grams of fiber.
Choose Low-GI Foods: The Glycemic Index is a measure of a food’s potential to raise Glucose. Foods low on the GI scale-lentil varieties, and a range of non-starchy vegetables and fruits such as berries tend to raise blood sugar levels more slowly and gently.
Healthy Fats: Stock up on healthy fats through avocado, nuts, and olive oil. These maintain your blood sugar levels because they slow down the absorption of carbohydrates in the body without spiking glucose levels.
2. Exercise Regularly
Exercise decreases blood sugar by making the tissues in your body more sensitive to insulin, which allows your cells to use glucose more effectively. At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise like walking, swimming, or cycling are recommended in a week. Besides that, strength training will help build muscle and improve insulin sensitivity.
3. Hydrate Your Body
Drinking enough water helps in maintaining good blood sugar levels. Lack of water within your body heightens your blood sugar through concentration. Drink at least eight glasses daily to be sufficiently hydrated, helping your kidneys excrete sugar in the urine.
4. Manage Stress
Chronic stress tends to heighten blood sugar levels because of the high levels of hormones involved, like cortisol, which create insulin resistance. Meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and even spending time outdoors can reduce cortisol levels and eventually help balance blood sugar levels.
5. Quality Sleep
Poor sleep can further render you insensitive to insulin, which might affect your blood sugar. Get a good quality of sleep of about 7 to 9 hours each night, as that might also facilitate the blood sugar level in a healthy range. Teaching your body to have a sleeping pattern, avoiding screen time before bedtime, and practicing relaxation skills right before bed will improve sleep quality in turn.
6. Check Your Blood Sugar Level
In the future, if you already have diabetes or are at risk of developing this condition, regularly checking your blood sugar level will be important. If you can eat better and get more physical activity, you may do this to find a pattern, which will help you adjust, maybe even with medicine, in what you eat and the exercise you do.
Conclusion
Understanding the ways to maintain normal blood sugar levels and also being aware of the symptoms of high and low blood sugar can be the keys to long-term health.
By eating with attention to hunger fullness, exercising regularly, managing stress, and being hydrated, it would not be quite as challenging to maintain a range of blood sugar and, therefore, avoid complications from both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia.
With these simple life changes, you will be able to guard your health from diabetes and fill your life with energy and vitality.
If blood sugar stays out of order for a long period, it is necessary to start treatment and get personal recommendations on nutrition from the very beginning, according to a doctor’s prescription.
The proactive approach to health could help in controlling blood sugar to aid the body’s natural mechanism, which will help an individual to live long and healthily.
Disclaimer
In this article, information related to a particular topic has been collected from various sources, the purpose of which, is only to increase the knowledge of the readers and it does not confirm the existence of any disease, particular statement, explanation, appropriateness, congruity, and information or any kind of treatment. Health Alpha does not take any responsibility for any such information.
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