Diabetic Blood Sugar
Online Resource for Diabetes Sufferers
What Is Hypoglycemia
Anyone who has diabetes can be affected by this condition; however, it is more prevalent in those who take medications for high blood sugar. If you are on a daily regimen of insulin therapy, it can be very easy for your blood sugar to drop too low.
The most important goal of controlling diabetes should be maintaining a balanced blood sugar level. Anytime you have a before meal reading below 80, it is considered low blood sugar; on the other hand, anything above 120 before a meal would be high.
However, these levels are not correct for everyone; your doctor should tell you where yours should be. This will be based on your current level of complications and your response to treatment. You should be taking these levels with some type of blood glucose meter.
This meter will tell you whether you have a low blood sugar reading or a high. When your body is functioning correctly and producing its own insulin, it knows how to regulate the amount released. However, if you have diabetes and are on insulin therapy, you will receive whatever dose you take, whether it is needed or not.
If you do not correctly calculate how much insulin to take, you can end up with too much in your blood stream. If you take more insulin than you have glucose to process, you can end up with a low blood sugar level. Hypoglycemia can also occur if you exercise along with taking insulin. Exercise can often cause low blood sugar levels.
If you have taken your insulin and then exercise instead of eating, you can end up with a very low blood sugar level. If you have type two diabetes and your body still produces insulin, you can end up with nocturnal hypoglycemia. This can happen after you take your nightly insulin medication.
Your body can then produce more insulin, but there will not be enough glucose to use it all. This can result in a very low blood sugar level, and unfortunately you will not be awake to realize the symptoms. When you have low blood sugar, you can also end up with insulin shock.
As your blood glucose drops, your brain will begin to suffer, since glucose is your major source of energy. Once your brain stops receiving the energy it needs, there are many thing that could happen: you may begin to have seizures, permanent brain damage, or the effect could even be deadly.
If you are diabetic, you can take certain measures you can take to prevent hypoglycemia. The first step you should take is to check your blood glucose levels often. Talk with your physician and set specific insulin doses based on the number of carbohydrates you consume.
Make sure you adjust your insulin dose if you will be eating fewer carbohydrates. You can also check you blood sugar levels before bed or even during the night. If you keep track of when you have low blood sugar levels, you can often prevent the severe effects that can occur.
When you realize you are experiencing hypoglycemia, you can eat something high in sugars and carbohydrates. This can often quickly restore a normal blood sugar level. If you continue to experience low blood sugar, consult with your physician for suggestions. Your physician may want to lower or adjust your insulin medication dosage.
Related topics about Hypoglycemia
What Causes Diabetes
Only Fat People Develop Diabetes. Obesity does play a large role in whether or not you will develop diabetes. But it is not what causes diabetes.
Hyperglycemia
Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia are very common when compared to other conditions. Most often, if you have high blood sugar you will experience a frequent need to urinate, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss, or outrageous hunger, even after you have just eaten. A frequent need to urinate and excessive thirst are often a result of your blood sugar being too high for a very long time.
Diabetic Diet
The rate your plate method is recommended in conjunction with a more detailed diabetes diet plan. With this diabetic diet plan, you don't have to eat specific diet foods or diabetic recipes. You simply divide your plate into three specific categories.