How Much Insulin To Lower Blood Sugar – Recognizing the signs of high blood sugar and knowing how to reduce them can help you avoid these complications and improve the quality and length of your life.
The signs and symptoms of high blood sugar are the same for types 1 and 2. The signs usually appear more quickly in people with type 1 due to the nature of their diabetes. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to completely stop producing insulin. Type 2 is caused by lifestyle factors when the body stops responding to insulin, resulting in a slow rise in sugar. People with type 2 can live longer without showing any symptoms because their body still produces enough insulin to help control it.
Our body needs sugar to produce energy for cells. Without it, we cannot perform basic functions. When we eat foods that contain glucose, insulin binds to it to allow it to enter the cell wall. If insulin is not there, the glucose molecule cannot cross the wall and cannot be used. Excess glucose hangs in the bloodstream literally causing high blood sugar.
Having too much sugar in your bloodstream can be very harmful to your body’s blood vessels, as well as some major organs. Complications of diabetes include and are not limited to:
These complications are not caused by high blood sugar. They are caused by an increased number of hyperglycemic events over a period of time. Don’t think that one or two high blood sugars will make you go blind. However, it is important to know what caused this high sugar so that you can prevent it from happening again. Hemoglobin A1C levels are checked to see what the average blood sugar has been over the past 120 days. Your doctor will check this to see if your blood sugar has changed.
It is important that you check your blood sugar regularly. This is the only way to check and see if what you are doing is working or if changes need to be made in your lifestyle. Don’t think of checking your sugar as a pass-or-fail type of test. It’s like any other numerical value you get, like your weight. You may not like what you see, but you can do everything you can to improve it.
Keeping a blood sugar diary is a great way to learn more about your body and how it responds to foods and events. To start, check before and after each meal, as well as check between meals. It is important that you keep a record of these blood sugars, as well as all the food you eat, the activities you do, and any insulin or medications you take. Do this for a week and see if you can recognize any patterns. Take this journal to your doctor and tell him about your findings.
There are times when our health is out of our control. Checking your blood sugar is one way to stay in control. Take this control and use it to improve your health and life.
You need to be careful if you try to lower your blood sugar quickly. This can cause you to fall too fast or too low, which is dangerous. There are a few things you can do to reduce it quickly.
With any of these quick remedies, it’s important to have a snack in case your blood sugar drops too low. Always discuss any plans you have with your doctor.
As I mentioned above, diet and exercise are the two ways to lower blood sugar. Did you know that losing just 5 pounds can reduce your need for medication or insulin?
The foods you should eat should include plenty of lean meats, fruits, and vegetables. Read on for more details on how exercise and a healthy diet can lower your sugar levels.
It is very important that you know your sugar level during exercise. Because your sugar may drop, always make sure you have a snack on hand. Exercise not only improves your diabetes, but it also has a big impact on other aspects of your life, such as:
When choosing types of exercise, choose activities that you enjoy. When you do activities you enjoy, you’re more likely to stick with them. You can sometimes change the exercises you do to avoid getting tired of following the same routine. Good examples of fun exercise are swimming, walking with a friend, or a dance class.
There is an exception to exercise with diabetes. If your blood sugar is too high (eg, over 240) and you are excreting ketones in your urine, exercise will only raise your blood sugar. You can buy a urine dipstick test to check for ketones, but the best thing to do is talk to your doctor about what you can do safely.
Diet is key when trying to lower blood sugar. The foods you eat are the direct source of glucose that raises your blood sugar. Choosing the right foods may be the best way to keep your blood sugar levels consistent and within a healthy range. Please note the following important tips:
There are no magic foods that will quickly lower your blood sugar. Drinking plenty of water and eating protein can help lower it, but it won’t be as fast as giving insulin. Please check your blood sugar often if you are trying to lower it quickly. It can be dangerous and bad for your health.
Carbohydrates are eventually broken down into glucose. Many people believe that carbs are bad for people with diabetes. False. Carbohydrates are fuel for the body, so they must be consumed. You just have to be smart about which ones you eat and how much you eat. Choosing foods high in carbohydrates but without any other nutrients is unwise. Examples of such foods include:
Carbohydrates should be consistent. You don’t want to eat all of your daily carbs in one meal. This will cause your blood sugar to rise and then drop with other foods. Giving your body a steady amount of carbs will provide a steady amount of energy. It will also help your body make enough insulin to keep your blood sugar at a healthy level.
The easiest way to make sure your carb intake is adequate is to count carbs. This is a simplified way to rate foods based on their nutritional value. A good starting point to calculate is to aim for 45-60 grams of carbs per meal and about 15-30 grams for each snack between meals. You may need to adjust this based on your individual needs and blood sugar readings. It’s easier to calculate carbs when you have food labeled, but many foods don’t. Check the serving size on the label to make sure you’re counting correctly. The US Department of Agriculture has a website that lets you type in any food and it will give you the nutritional values. Check it out at https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/. Some examples of 15 grams of carbs include:
It is important that you also pay attention to nutrients other than carbohydrates. Make sure you’re getting enough protein and fiber, while keeping excess fat to a minimum.
I could go on for days about how good nutrition can control your blood sugar. To receive the most effective information, make an appointment with a dietician to review your specific needs and latest sugar measurements. They can give you recipes and tools that let you know exactly what you’re putting into your body. 40 states in the US require insurance companies to cover a meeting with a dietitian for people with diabetes. Check with your insurance to see if this service is available to you.
An excellent educational fact sheet on carbohydrates and counting them is listed here: http://professional.diabetes.org/pel/all-about-carbohydrate-counting-english. This is a fantastic reference where you can learn a lot of information.
Just over 9.2% of pregnant women suffer from gestational diabetes. It is very common for all women to be tested during pregnancy. If you haven’t already done so, bring it to your doctor’s attention. The reason is really unknown, but doctors think it’s because the extra hormones released during pregnancy inhibit insulin sensitivity and increase the need for more insulin. It is very important to control blood sugar, because high blood sugar can lead to complications.
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