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How To Reduce Blood Sugar Levels

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How Can I Treat Low Blood Sugar

3 Ways to Lower Blood Sugar. Fast and Safe.

If youve had low blood sugar without feeling or noticing symptoms , you may need to check your blood sugar more often to see if its low and treat it. Driving with low blood sugar can be dangerous, so be sure to check your blood sugar before you get behind the wheel.

Carry supplies for treating low blood sugar with you. If you feel shaky, sweaty, or very hungry or have other symptoms, check your blood sugar. Even if you dont have symptoms but think you may have low blood sugar, check it. If your blood sugar is lower than 70 mg/dL, do one of the following immediately:

  • Take four glucose tablets.
  • Drink four ounces of fruit juice.
  • Drink four ounces of regular soda, not diet soda.
  • Eat four pieces of hard candy.

Wait for 15 minutes and then check your blood sugar again. Do one of the above treatments again until your blood sugar is 70 mg/dL or above and eat a snack if your next meal is an hour or more away. If you have problems with low blood sugar, ask your doctor if your treatment plan needs to be changed.

Glycemic Index And Glycemic Load

When it comes to assessing foods based on how they increase your blood sugar, there is a tool for that called the glycemic index. The glycemic index assigns a number value to foods based on how quickly and how high they raise your blood sugar. Foods with a high glycemic index increase blood sugar quickly.

Glycemic load accounts for both the glycemic index and the quantity of carbohydrates in a serving. While it is generally best to eat low-glycemic foods to manage blood sugar, glycemic load might be a better indicator when making food choices. For example, while watermelon is considered a high-glycemic food, it is low on glycemic load.

Natural Remedies To Lower Blood Sugar That Need More Evidence

Asterino-McGeean says to be careful about natural remedies promising to lower blood sugar. Unfortunately, when you read into a lot of them, theres no research backing their effectiveness and safety, she notes. Plus, it can be dangerous to take supplements or herbals said to lower sugar when youre on diabetes medications. Talk to your provider before starting any medications or natural remedies to be safe.

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What Is Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Continuous glucose monitoring is another way to check your glucose levels. Most CGM systems use a tiny sensor that you insert under your skin. The sensor measures glucose levels in the fluids between your bodys cells every few minutes and can show changes in your glucose level throughout the day and night. If the CGM system shows that your glucose is too high or too low, you should check your glucose with a blood glucose meter before making any changes to your eating plan, physical activity, or medicines. A CGM system is especially useful for people who use insulin and have problems with low blood glucose.

How Can I Check My Blood Sugar

Diabetes Fact: how quickly can exercise lower blood sugar

Use a blood sugar meter or a continuous glucose monitor to check your blood sugar. A blood sugar meter measures the amount of sugar in a small sample of blood, usually from your fingertip. A CGM uses a sensor inserted under the skin to measure your blood sugar every few minutes. If you use a CGM, youll still need to test daily with a blood sugar meter to make sure your CGM readings are accurate.

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High Blood Sugar Levels: An Overview

The amount of sugar or glucose in your blood is called blood sugar. If your blood sugar is over 126 mg/dl before eating or over 200 mg/dl two hours after eating, its called high blood sugar or hyperglycemia.

If its not treated promptly and properly, high blood sugar can cause a build-up of glucose content, which increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

You will know that you are suffering from high blood sugar with the following symptoms:

  • Frequent urination
  • Difficulty in concentration

The ranges for high blood sugar differ for each person, depending on age, how long diabetes has been present, and if other health issues are present. Therefore, keeping blood sugar levels within the range set by your healthcare team is vital.

Leave Sugary Beverages On The Shelf

Sugar-sweetened beverages are a one-way ticket to high blood sugar. Eliminating or drinking fewer of them can lower blood sugar, as well as helps with weight loss and maintenance, says Asterino-McGeean. Save soda pop and juice for when you need to treat low blood sugar.

Drinks high in sugar include:

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Vitamin C Shown To Improve Blood Sugar Levels And Reduce Blood Pressure In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that fully one third of the American population is prediabetic, with elevated blood sugar levels that can if untreated lead to full-blown type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, which currently affects over 30 million Americans, causes the risk of heart disease to skyrocket and can feature serious complications such as nerve damage, kidney disease and retinal damage.

Now, a brand-new Australian study shows that vitamin C can lower elevated blood glucose in type 2 diabetics, helping to control dangerous after-meal surges and spikes.

Easy Ways To Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally

How to Bring BLOOD SUGAR DOWN quickly. SUGARMD

High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, is associated with diabetes and prediabetes. Prediabetes is when your blood sugar is high, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.

Your body usually manages your blood sugar levels by producing insulin, a hormone that allows your cells to use the circulating sugar in your blood. As such, insulin is the most important regulator of blood sugar levels .

However, multiple factors can impair blood sugar management and lead to hyperglycemia.

Internal causes for high blood sugar include when your liver produces too much glucose, your body makes too little insulin, or your body cant effectively use insulin. The latter is known as insulin resistance (

2 ).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 13% of U.S. adults live with diabetes and that another 34.5% have prediabetes. This means that close to 50% of all U.S. adults have diabetes or prediabetes .

Blood sugar management is especially important for people with diabetes, as chronically high blood sugar levels can lead to limb and life threatening complications (

Increased insulin sensitivity means your cells can more effectively use the available sugar in your bloodstream.

Exercise also helps your muscles use blood sugar for energy and muscle contraction .

Whats more, researchers recommend doing so-called exercise snacks to lower blood sugar and prevent the damage that sitting all day can do .

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Risks Of Very High Blood Sugar

Hyperglycemia can be dangerous, especially for people with type 1 diabetes. It can lead to a deadly condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis .

The risk for DKA starts at 240 mg/dL, but is more likely in much higher blood sugar levels.

Signs of DKA include nausea or vomiting, fruity-smelling breath, extreme thirst, and frequent urination. You can test for ketones at home using a urine test. If you have high ketones, call your doctor or go to the emergency room.

In people with type 2 diabetes, high blood sugar can cause hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome . HHS is potentially fatal and can occur after several days or weeks of sustained high blood sugar.

In people with diabetes, high blood sugar is caused by things like:

  • Eating too many carbohydrates
  • Not getting enough physical activity
  • Stress from an illness or infection
  • Taking a corticosteroid, like prednisone
  • Skipping or not taking enough glucose-lowering medication

How To Treat A Low Blood Sugar Level Yourself

Follow these steps if your blood sugar level is less than 3.5mmol/L or you have hypo symptoms:

  • Have a sugary drink or snack like a small glass of fizzy drink or fruit juice, 4 to 5 jelly babies, 3 to 6 glucose tablets or 1 to 2 tubes of glucose gel.
  • Test your blood sugar after 10 minutes if it’s improved and you feel better, move on to step 3. If there’s little or no change, treat again with a sugary drink or snack and take another reading after 10 to 15 minutes.
  • You may need to eat your main meal if it’s the right time to have it. Or, have a snack that contains a slow-release carbohydrate, such as a slice of bread or toast, a couple of biscuits, or a glass of cows’ milk.
  • You do not usually need to get medical help once you’re feeling better if you only have a few hypos.

    But tell your diabetes team if you keep having hypos or if you stop having symptoms when your blood sugar level is low.

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    India The Land Of Diabetes

    In the latest report, the Indian Council of Medical Research , has stated that India is home to the world’s second-largest adult diabetes population and every sixth person dealing with diabetes in the world is an Indian. Data has also shown that in the past three decades the country has witnessed a jump of 150 per cent in the number of people suffering from diabetes.

    Tips To Lower Blood Sugar Naturally

    Pin on Blood Sugar High or Low

    Experts agree that individuals living with type 2 diabetes can improve their symptoms with a few simple lifestyle tweaks.

    Getty Images

    Its the Holy Grail for people with diabetes: Checking your blood sugar and seeing the numbers right in line. Can lifestyle changes help? Yes, says Jill Weisenberger, RDN, a diabetes nutrition expert based in Newport News, Virginia.

    If you have diabetes, lowering blood sugar isnt just a short-term goal according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , it helps prevent or delay diabetes complications, including heart, kidney, eye, and nerve diseases. It can change the course of the disease entirely.

    It’s 100 percent important that try and lower their blood sugars through dietary approaches first, says Jessica Crandall Snyder, RD, CDCES, with Vital RD in Denver. For some people, it not only can be preventive, but it can also help with reversal of the actual disease.

    Crandall Snyder says making a few key lifestyle changes can sometimes eliminate the need for medication. Poking yourself with insulin isn’t fun, she says. Diabetes is a progressive disease, and you really have to figure out how to take control.

    Here are 10 ways to do it, no prescriptions required.

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    How To Lower Morning Blood Sugar Without Medication

    Diabetes causes high blood sugar levels . Even if you have good control of your levels most of the time, morning blood sugars can be a problem.

    But you have options for lowering your morning blood glucose levels. And they don’t involve more medications or insulin.

    This article looks at why mornings are a problem and several strategies for starting your day off better.

    Verywell / Julie Bang

    High morning blood glucose is common. It’s called the dawn phenomenon or dawn effect.

    It happens because:

    • Your body releases a surge of hormones as it prepares to wake up.
    • Those hormones can counter the effects of insulin.
    • Insulin regulates blood sugars, so this can make levels rise.
    • In people without diabetes, the body naturally releases more insulin to maintain things.
    • When you have diabetes, your body may not be able to compensate this way.

    You can improve your morning readings despite this. It just takes some work and forethought.

    What If Home Remedies To Lower Blood Sugar Dont Work

    When attempting to lower your blood sugar naturally, take the long view. You are talking about a lifestyle change, not a quick fix, says Asterino-McGeean. It may take a few weeks or months to see results.

    What if youve been trying home remedies to lower blood sugar for a few months, and your blood sugar levels still wont budge? Asterino-McGeean says you should also schedule an appointment with your doctor. At this point, its time for a conversation with your healthcare provider to see whats going on and discuss your options. Together, you and your doctor can determine the next steps in caring for your health.

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    Blood Sugar Level Rises Every Time You Eat

    Your blood sugar level rises immediately after eating a meal or snack . In a healthy person, insulin then starts working, and the blood sugar level returns to the pre-meal level 2 hours after eating. In untreated diabetes patients, the blood sugar level does not return to the pre-meal level of its own accord. Some people’s blood sugar level remains high two hours after eating, even though on an empty stomach it would be at a normal level. As a result, the risk of developing diabetes increases as insulin is not properly secreted, or does not work properly in the body. In order to make sure insulin works properly, it is important not to overeat and to avoid becoming obese. Knowing which foods will not cause a sudden and extreme spike in blood sugar level and using this knowledge in your daily life will help you to prevent obesity and diabetes, and maintain good health.

    Manage Your Stress Better

    Acupressure for Diabetes – How to Lower Blood Sugar Level

    Stress, whether physical, mental or emotional, has been proven to contribute towards changes in blood sugar levels. Dont let work stress follow you home. Similarly, dont let a stressful relationship worsen your diabetes symptoms. One of the best ways to manage stress is to practice yoga and meditation regularly.

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    Keep An Eye On Portion Sizes

    Eating a large meal puts a sugar load on your already struggling body. Overeating causes further damage to diabetics. An easy way to lower blood sugar levels naturally is to eat smaller portions. Dont worry we are not going to ask you to starve yourself! In fact, portion control comes naturally when you choose the right grains, proteins and fats. Strive to eat in moderation. To achieve satiety, eat slowly and chew your food, so your brain has a chance to let you know when youre full. If you wolf down your food mindlessly, you eat a lot more than you need which stresses out the body.

    Get A Handle On Stress

    Getty Images

    When youre stressed out, your blood sugar tends to rise, Crandall Snyder says. According to the Diabetes Teaching Center at the University of California in San Francisco, when youre stressed, insulin levels fall, certain hormones rise, and more glucose is released from the liver, which ends up in the blood stream and can cause disruptions for up to eight hours.

    How can you burn off tension? Yoga and meditation can help people lower their blood sugar levels, Weisenberger says. A December 2014 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science involving 27 nursing students and found a combination of yoga and meditation practiced for one hour once a week led to reduced levels of stress and lower blood glucose levels after 12 weeks.

    Crandall Snyder also suggests taking a few deep breaths, going for a walk, playing with your dog for a few minutes, or listening to a fun song. Basically whatever you can do to distract yourself for a few minutes and just lower your breathing rate will help, she says. Indeed, the CDC notes that less water in your body is liked with a higher blood sugar concentration.

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    How Are Low Blood Sugar Levels Treated

    Your diabetes health care team will give you guidelines for treating low blood sugar levels, depending on your symptoms. If you can, try to test your blood sugar levels to make sure that your symptoms are because of hypoglycemia. If you can’t test blood sugar immediately, don’t delay in treating your symptoms you can always check your blood sugar after you’ve taken steps to get your blood sugar back up into the normal range.

    When blood sugar levels are low, the goal is to get them back up quickly. To do that, you should take in sugar or sugary foods, which raise the blood sugar level quickly. Your health care team might suggest that you:

    • Eat, drink, or take something that contains sugar that can get into the blood quickly. Your doctor may tell you to have really sugary foods or drinks or might give you glucose tablets or gel to take all of these can help to raise your blood sugar level fast, which is what you need to do when it’s low.
    • Wait about 10 minutes to let the sugar work.
    • Recheck your blood sugar level with a glucose meter to see if blood sugar levels are back to normal.
    • Get a glucagon shot , if your symptoms are severe or get worse after you eat, drink, or take glucose.

    Sometimes, blood sugar levels can get so low that you may not be awake enough to eat or drink something to get them back up. When this happens, you may need a glucagon shot.

    Symptoms Of A Low Blood Sugar Level

    fruits that help reduce blood sugar levels ~ Blood Sugar Management

    A low blood sugar level can affect everyone differently. You’ll learn how it makes you feel, although your symptoms may change over time.

    Early signs of a low blood sugar level include:

    • a fast or pounding heartbeat
    • becoming easily irritated, tearful, anxious or moody

    If a low blood sugar level is not treated, you may get other symptoms, such as:

    • unusual behaviour, slurred speech or clumsiness
    • seizures or fits
    • collapsing or passing out

    A low blood sugar level, or hypo, can also happen while you’re sleeping. This may cause you to wake up during the night or cause headaches, tiredness or damp sheets in the morning.

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