Blood sugar: What you need to know
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Feb 14, 2019
- 2 min read
Introduction:
Blood sugar is the amount of sugar in the blood after carbs digestion. When pancreas work properly it secretes insulin into the blood which control blood sugar by storing glucose as glycogen storage. When pancreas don’t work properly or you will have insulin resistance the result will be high blood sugar: a major indicator for diabetes.
Patients who have diabetes should check their blood sugar regularly by using portable glucose meter and it is done easy by pricking needle into a finger and then placing the blood sample into the lancet.
According to the American Diabetes Association, physicians recommend blood glucose tests for pregnant women, as well as people who are overweight, prone to hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), have a family history of diabetes, or are over the age of 45.
What blood sugar level is considered normal?
It is difficult to define normal blood sugar as it differs between diabetes and non-diabetes.
For non-diabetic people a normal blood sugar is considered below 200 mg/dl after meal and 100 mg/dl on fasting state. Abnormal level could be below 70 mg/dl and above 200 mg/dl.
Symptoms of High and Low Blood Sugar:
Symptoms of high blood sugar as increased urination and thirst (especially for ice water), fatigue, and unintentional weight loss.
Symptoms of low blood sugar include headache, dizziness and shakiness, nausea, and slurred speech.
People who have diabetes can develop "hypo-glycaemia unawareness," where they show no symptoms of low blood sugar because they're using insulin. "Their body is so accustomed to living at low blood sugars that there are no symptoms until the sugar drops to a drastically low number, like less than 50 mg/dL sometimes," she said. "The body thinks that that low blood sugar is normal and no longer releases counter-regulatory hormones to raise the blood sugar until the value drops
How to maintain blood sugar throughout the day
If you are a normal person without diabetes your body will control your blood sugar.
Healthy eating habits like increasing intake of complex carbs and decreasing intake of refined sugar is important to have steady level of glucose in the blood. Have a space between meals matter also, as it help your pancreas to rest.
Complex carbs, such as fruits and veggies, beans, brown rice and quinoa, have more nutritional value and affect your blood sugar at a slower rate than simple carbs because they take longer to digest. Moreover,they keep you fuller for longer too.)
Don’t forget to add healthy protein and fat sources that keep you feel full for longer period as they need more time to be digested.
Sources:
http://www.naturalcures.news/2019-01-24-the-hypoglycemic-potential-of-kigelia-african-fruit.html
Comments