The Danger Of High Blood Sugar
Having a high blood sugar means there is too much sugar in the blood because the body is lacking in insulin. This can happen for many reasons, including not taking enough insulin exogenously, too little exercise, eating too much, or even stress, hormonal changes, or lack of sleep.
High blood sugar is dangerous, but its important to remember that high blood sugar is mostly dangerous over prolonged periods of time .
This means that, for the most part, your blood sugar at diagnosis will not cause long-term complications, and the spike you saw last week from eating an ice cream sundae wont impact you over the long term.
But chronic, prolonged high blood sugars will cause diabetes complications in most people.
Why You Should Keep An Eye On It
When your blood sugar is high, you can get symptoms like a foggy-headed feeling that makes it hard to focus or think clearly. Your energy may also take a dive, and you may feel nervous or moody.
If your levels go too low, you could even pass out. In the long run, if your blood sugar stays up, you could be at risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, or other problems.
Normal Blood Sugar Range After Meals
Glucose is a main source of energy for the body, and some amount of glucose, or sugar, always needs to be present in the blood to ensure this energy reaches all of the body cells. But a problem in both prediabetes and diabetes is that too much sugar stays in the blood, and over time these abnormally high levels can harm the body. To reduce the risk of health problems, blood sugars need to be kept as close to a normal range as possible. Monitoring your own blood sugar is the only way to tell if you are keeping your day-to-day readings — both before and after meals — within an acceptable range.
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How Can I Quickly Lower My Blood Sugar
A number of factors can affect your blood sugar levels. These include what and when you eat, how much physical activity you get, whether or not you smoke cigarettes, your medications, alcohol intake and stress level. So its important to know the basics about diabetes so that if symptoms arise , then youll know what might be going on with your body.
Blood Sugar Level After 2 Hours:
Another crucial time to check blood glucose level is about an hour and a half after a meal. Generally, around this time the process of digestion and absorption is near its end. So, high blood sugar during this time generally means that the body cant process sugar properly.
In case of a normal individual, blood glucose level at this time is below 7.8 mmol/L. If the sugar level is 11.1 mmol/L or more, then the individual is considered to be diabetic.
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Expected Blood Glucose After A High
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Blood glucose levels normally rise after a high-carbohydrate meal and drop back to normal levels within a few hours. But if your glucose levels rise higher than normal and recover more slowly, you might have diabetes. Your doctor can administer tests that measure your blood glucose levels immediately before you consume a high-carbohydrate meal and for several hours afterward. If you already have diabetes, your doctor might want you to check your blood glucose levels after meals, to make sure you’re keeping your glucose within the expected range.
Blood Sugar Levels After Eating Normal High & Low
Diabetes is a condition in which the bodys ability to produce or react to the hormone insulin is impaired. The pancreas in people with type 1 diabetes does not contain insulin. People with type 2 diabetes have insulin-resistant cells in their bodies or a pancreas that delays or avoids producing enough insulin . Glucose levels can be elevated in all forms of diabetes and are always found higher than the normal blood sugar 1 hour after eating, 30 minutes after eating or even before eating.
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Medical Approaches To Spike Control
A common approach to lowering after-meal blood glucose spikes is to take more insulin. But unless blood glucose levels remain high for three to six hours after eating, taking more insulin is not going to solve the problem. In fact, increasing mealtime insulin will most likely result in low blood glucose before the next meal.
Here are some strategies that may work better:
How Long After Eating Does Blood Sugar Return To Normal
The blood sugar level falls back to a normal level around 1-2 hours after taking food. During this time digestion slows down and the sugar is absorbed by the tissue.
In diabetics, there can be a sudden spike in blood sugar after eating causing headache, dizziness and discomfort. This is called a post-prandial reaction. Normally, taking prescribed insulin medication can help mediate this problem.
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Diagnosing And Treating Hyperglycemia
Diagnosing hyperglycemia is done by assessing symptoms and performing a simple blood glucose test. Depending on the severity of the condition and which type of diabetes the patient is diagnosed with, insulin and a variety of medication may be prescribed to help the person keep their blood sugar under control. Insulin comes in short, long and fast-acting forms, and a person suffering from type 1 diabetes is likely to be prescribed some combination of these.
Individuals who are either diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or are considered at risk for the disease are recommended to make alterations to their diet, lifestyle habits and exercise routine in order to lower blood sugar and keep it under control. These changes generally help to improve blood glucose control, individuals with type 2 diabetes may require medication eventually. These can include glitazones, acarbose, glucophage or sulphonylureas.
How Can I Check My 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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Maintain A Healthy Weight
Losing weight helps control blood sugar levels. Being overweight is linked to increased incidents of diabetes and greater occurrences of insulin resistance.
Studies show that reducing weight by even only 7 percent can reduce the chances of developing diabetes by 58 percent.
It is important to note that a person does not need to achieve ideal body weight to benefit from losing 1020 pounds and keeping it off. Doing so will also improve cholesterol, reduce the risk of complications, and improve a persons general sense of well-being.
Eating a healthful diet full of fruits and vegetables and getting enough exercise can help a person lose weight or maintain their currently healthy weight.
What Are The Symptoms Of Low Blood Sugar
- Confusion
- Difficulty speaking
- Muscle weakness
If you are experiencing an extremely low blood sugar, which is anything less than 40 mg/dL, that is not responding to fast-acting glucose or glucagon, and you have taken fast-acting insulin within the previous 2 hours, call 911 and seek immediate emergency medical attention.
This condition can be life-threatening if not treated.
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Knowing Blood Sugar Levels
If you have diabetes, the frequency of testing your blood glucose level depends on your treatment plan, so follow your doctors advice on the appropriate times for you.
Common times to check are in the morning, before and after meals, before and after exercise, at bedtime, and if you feel sick. Some people may not need to check their blood sugar daily.
What you eat and what you do for physical activity affect your blood sugar. But theres no way to know what effect they have unless you test your blood sugar.
Blood glucose meters are used to test blood sugar levels so you can see if your levels are within the target range. Your doctor will also work with you on your individualized range.
A High Sugar Level After A Meal
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It’s normal for your blood sugar level to rise after you eat, especially if you eat a meal high in refined carbohydrates. But if your blood sugar rises more than most people’s, you might have diabetes or pre-diabetes, a condition that indicates a strong risk for developing diabetes in the future. If you already have diabetes, you doctor will recommend keeping your blood sugar within a prescribed range. A glucose tolerance test, done one to three hours after you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, can check your blood sugar levels.
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Techniques To Manage Your Blood Sugar In The Morning
Based on your glucose levels and trends, there are a few things you can do to manage your glucose levels so they dont run high in the morning. Some of these strategies focus on adjusting medications to better suit your needs. Other strategies include adjusting your exercise routine, as well as what and when you are eating before bed.
If your glucose levels are in range before bed, they may rise throughout the night without enough insulin. This can be especially true for people who take long-acting insulin in the morning, since it may be wearing off before your next dose.
Consider changing the time of day when you take your long-acting insulin. You may also benefit from switching to either twice-daily basal insulin or ultra-long-acting insulin, or from starting on an insulin pump. Read our article, Are You on the Right Kind of Insulin, to learn more.
Check your blood glucose during the night between 3 am and 8 am. If you are running high during these hours, you may be experiencing the dawn phenomenon.
Talk with your healthcare team about finding the best nighttime insulin regimen for you. If you take basal insulin, you may need to delay the timing of your dose to as close to bedtime as possible. Another option is to try an insulin pump or automated insulin delivery system. AID systems will automatically adjust your basal insulin doses throughout the night to help keep your glucose levels stable.
Normal Blood Sugar 1 Hour After Eating
The ideal blood sugar level can vary from person to person. Ask your doctor what your ideal level is, although the ideal goal would be to achieve blood glucose levels similar to those without diabetes.
Ideal blood sugar levels are usually found between these numbers:
- 80 120 mg/dl, upon waking and before eating
- 180 or less, two hours after eating
- 100 140 mg / dl, at bedtime
Ask your doctor or healthcare professional when to get tested.
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High Blood Glucose: Diabetic Ketoacidosis
If your insulin level is too low, your blood glucose could become so high that it is unsafe. You might develop a serious problem called diabetic ketoacidosis . This usually happens in people with Type 1 diabetes and those with glucose levels over 500.
If you have DKA, chemicals called ketones start to make a lot of acid in your body. The acid and high blood glucose can make you very sick. You might also become dehydrated . You can prevent DKA by carefully giving yourself the correct insulin dose every day.
If you have any of the following symptoms of DKA, get to your local emergency department right away. You need to be treated with insulin and fluids that are given to you through an IV :
- Blurry vision
- Dry mouth, eyes or skin
- Fast breathing
- Feeling very weak or tired
- Fruity-smelling breath
- Stomach pain, nausea or vomiting
What Should Glucose Levels Be 2 Hours After Eating
A rise in blood glucose levels is normal after eating a meal, particularly a meal loaded with carbohydrates. People who have diabetes will have higher spikes in blood glucose–and for longer periods. Function Carbohydrates convert to glucose in the bloodstream. The pancreas secretes insulin, which bonds with the blood glucose to supply the body with energy. Someone with diabetes either has an insufficient supply of insulin or the body does not process the insulin efficiently, resulting in too much glucose in the bloodstream. Normal Levels Normal blood glucose levels are 70 mg/dl to 120 mg/dl . A blood glucose level above 120 mg/dl could result in a condition known as hyperglycemia–high blood sugar. Postprandial Levels Postprandial blood glucose levels, or blood glucose levels after eating a meal, should be 120 mg/dl two hours after the start of a meal for healthy people. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse states that someone with diabetes could see blood glucose levels as high as 180 mg/dl one to two hours after the start of a meal. Cause The rise in blood glucose levels after eating is directly related to the amount and types of carbohydrates included with the meal. Implications If postprandial blood glucose levels are consistently higher than 120 mg/dl two hours after the meal, diabetes, pre-diabetes or insulin resistance might be indicated. Consult your physician for testing and diagnosis.Continue reading > >
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Choose Low Glycemic Index Foods
The glycemic index measures and ranks various foods by how much they cause blood sugar levels to rise. Research shows that following a low glycemic index diet decreases fasting blood sugar levels.
Low glycemic index foods are those that score below 55 on the glycemic index. Examples of low glycemic foods include:
- sweet potatoes
- fruit
Blood Sugar Level Immediately After Eating:
Blood sugar level changes rapidly according to the intake of the meal. The normal blood sugar level before eating or during fasting is between 3.5 to 6.1 mmol/L.
Normal blood sugar right after eating rises drastically as the digestive tract acts quickly to digest the food through mechanical actions, digestive enzymes and different hormones. So the blood glucose rises sharply during this time. The rate at which the blood sugar rises depends on the type of food, the amount is taken, the metabolic condition of the individual, etc.
The Danger Of Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia, can become a lot more dangerous more quickly. Hypoglycemia, if left untreated, can quickly result in diabetic coma and death.
Low blood sugars will not lead to permanent complications in most cases but cause frequent, short-term complications in the form of being physically unable to function when experiencing a low. They require fast-acting glucose as treatment.
Symptoms of low blood sugar can hit different people at different times, and some people may not feel their low blood sugars at all , which can be very dangerous.
Continuous glucose monitoring systems and diabetes alert dogs can help people detect their lows earlier, before they become extremely dangerous.
Hypo unawareness occurs in about 40% of people with type 1 diabetes, and less frequently in people with type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, one study showed that the average person with type 1 diabetes experiences two episodes of low blood sugar per week!
Low blood sugars can happen for many reasons, all of which result from too much insulin in the bloodstream and not enough glucose for the body to function properly.
Reasons can be anything from taking too much insulin for food, to accidentally over-bolusing with an insulin pump, to not finishing a meal, to drinking alcohol in excess, or even after physical exertion and exercise while not reducing basal insulin settings appropriately.
Exercise And Blood Sugar
Exercise can have a big effect on your blood sugar levels because blood sugar is used for energy. When you use your muscles, your cells absorb sugar from the blood for energy.
Depending on the intensity or duration of exercise, physical activity can help lower your blood sugar for many hours after you stop moving.
If you exercise regularly, the cells in your body may be more sensitive to insulin. This will help keep blood sugar levels within normal ranges.
Are Low Blood Sugar Levels After Eating Dangerous
Yes, low blood sugar symptoms may include hunger, nervousness, sweating, dizziness, and even confusion if left untreated, low blood sugar may lead to unconsciousness, seizures, coma, and death. 70 mg/dL or less are considered low blood sugar levels. Hypoglycemia may occur in people with diabetes who take too much medicine or take the recommended amount but then eat less or exercise more than normal. Hypoglycemia can occur in people without diabetes who take someone elses medicine, drink too much alcohol, have extreme hepatitis, or develop a rare pancreatic tumour . Oral glucose consumption is used to treat hypoglycemia. It is recommended that you monitor your blood sugar levels 15 minutes after treatment.
What can you do to manage your blood sugar levels after eating?
Avoid high-carbohydrate, high-sugar foods such as buttered potatoes, fried foods, sweets, and sugary desserts such as cake with frosting. Dietary improvements are an important aspect of diabetes management. To help you control your type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, keep a blood sugar logbook with the date, time, and values of your or your doctors blood sugar levels after eating, and use a blood glucose home test kit to get glucose test results. Often, keep track of any changes in symptoms over time. The logbook will help you and your doctor to change treatments and activities to achieve the best diabetic management possible.