Consistently controlling blood sugar (glucose) levels is one of the challenges of managing diabetes. Even with care, certain circumstances can result in high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, while others can result in low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia.
After all, if you have type 2 diabetes, factors other than carbohydrate intake can affect how much glucose is circulating in your blood. According to Dr. Soumya Hullanavar, DRC, a medical scientific liaison for diabetes reversal in Bangalore, India, emotional stress, some drugs, and an increase in exercise can all raise your blood sugar levels, but they can fall when you stop using them. The “dawn effect,” a brief burst of hormones that happens as the body gets ready to wake up, can occasionally cause people to suffer a spike in their blood sugar in the early morning.
Managing blood glucose levels is crucial for diabetics, according to Dr. Soumya. “Levels that are too low or high can cause issues that impair your kidneys, heart, and vision, reduce your quality of life, require costly interventions, or even be fatal,” according to the CDC.
The better equipped you are to swiftly and easily put them back within a desired range and maintain health, the more prepared you will be to recognise the indicators of both high and low levels.
Which range is ideal for you? Everyone’s answer is a little bit different, and your doctor can help you identify yours. Generally, we advise attempting to maintain these blood sugar targets:
Before meals, take between 80 and 130 milligrammes per deciliter (mg/dL)
Two hours after eating, less than 180 mg/dL
Monitoring your blood sugar levels using a glucose metre is the first step to remaining within these ranges and correcting high and low blood sugar levels along the way.
We also advise everyone taking insulin to check their blood sugar as often as possible—up to 12 times daily—at least four times. Additionally, those who have trouble maintaining good blood sugar levels or who are pregnant should test their blood sugar more frequently. According to Dr. Soumya, factors that raise the recommended testing frequency include the type of insulin, previous glucose control levels, and symptoms. Continuous glucose monitoring, a gadget that lets you get readings without finger pricks every five minutes, can be helpful for some diabetics.
Blood Sugar Level
Concerning High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia)
According to Dr. Soumya, high glucose levels happen when the body lacks adequate insulin or uses it improperly to transport glucose from the bloodstream to the body’s muscles, organs, and tissues for sustenance. The effect is an increase in blood sugar levels.
According to her, hyperglycemia often occurs when a person consumes more carbohydrates or larger amounts of food than normal, doesn’t take the recommended amount of insulin or other diabetic medications, or reduces their level of physical activity. Blood sugar levels can rise as a result of elevated stress. She says that numerous mental health medications, beta-blockers, birth control pills, and steroids are among the non-diabetes-related medications that have a reputation for raising blood sugar levels.
According to Dr. Soumya, symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, weariness, dry or itchy skin, thirst, increased frequency of infections, and increased food consumption without an increase in weight.
High blood sugar levels can result in these symptoms through a number of different ways. For instance, blood vessels and nerves all over the body are harmed by high blood sugar levels. Additionally, they may deprive organs of energy and result in fluid buildup in the eyes. Additionally, your body frequently produces more pee as a means of lowering blood sugar.
According to Dr. Soumya, high blood sugar can cause these symptoms if it is detected at a level that is above 180 milligrammes per deciliter (mg/dL), although it is also possible to have high blood sugar without any symptoms.
If you have two or more readings above 300 mg/dL in a row, it is advised that you notify your doctor right away because a reading above that level can be harmful. In extreme circumstances, blood sugar levels that are far above 300 mg/dL might cause coma. Go to the ER or a nearby hospital if you feel queasy, dizzy, or mentally confused.
Treatment options for high blood sugar include:
As prescribed, take your meds. According to Dr. Soumya, taking insulin or other diabetes-managing drugs incorrectly or skipping doses can cause significant changes in blood sugar levels.
Consume carbs in moderation. We advise everyone with diabetes to keep track of their own daily carb intake. Lower amounts can cause hypoglycemia, whereas higher intakes can cause hyperglycemia. Include your intake of carbohydrates. It’s not just for people following the ketogenic diet; using the free version, you may keep track of your food intake, calories consumed, and weight reduction as well as document your workouts.
When exercising, follow your doctor’s advice. Through the use of glucose as fuel, exercise can temporarily lower blood sugar levels. By improving insulin health, it can also assist you in managing your blood sugar over the long run, according to Dr. Soumya.
Concerning Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
When there is not enough glucose in the bloodstream to keep giving energy to your muscles, organs, and tissues, low blood sugar levels result. According to Dr. Soumya, it most frequently happens when you don’t eat enough meals, particularly carb-containing foods, given your blood sugar-lowering drugs and degree of physical activity. Levels may drop out gradually or abruptly.
The body responds by releasing epinephrine, often known as adrenaline or the “fight or flight” hormone, when the amount of glucose in the blood falls to dangerously low levels. Your heart rate increases with epinephrine, which can also make you sweat, shake, anxious, and irritable. Concentration problems, unclear thinking, and slurred speech could result from inadequate glucose delivery to the brain. According to her, in severe situations, a lack of glucose in the brain might cause convulsions, coma, and even death.
The “15-15 Rule,” recommended by the ADA, instructs people to eat 15 g of carbohydrates, wait 15 minutes, and recheck their glucose levels if it is below 70 mg/dL in their blood. Repeat the process if the reading is still low until it reaches at least 70 mg/dL.
15 g of carbohydrates are included in:
one piece of bread
1 little piece of fruit, fresh
yogurt, 2/3 cup
juice, skim milk, or regular soda in between half and a cup
We advise eating your next planned meal or snack as soon as your blood sugar levels are back to normal because this will help keep them from falling further.
Call your doctor or go to the hospital if your symptoms persist. Inform your doctor and go over your treatment plan if you experience more than two blood sugar readings below 70 mg/dL in a single week.
A Few Last Words on Maintaining Blood Sugar Stability
Your quality of life and general health depend on you managing your blood sugar levels actively and purposefully, according to O’Neill. Staying within your target range will help you feel your best and achieve everything you want to do in life, she says. Avoiding too-high or too-low blood sugar levels will help you prevent negative symptoms and health concerns.
Regularly check your blood sugar, pay attention to your body, and never be afraid to contact your doctor.
The author is a Lead Ayurveda Specialist at Diabetes Reversal Clinics & EliteAyurveda Clinics. With over 15 years of experience in treating endocrine & diabetes cases
Visit diabetesreversal.clinic for additional details.
