Keep Your Blood Sugar Level Under Control

Keep Your Blood Sugar Level Under Control

Author: Scott Michaels

Controlling blood sugar (glucose) levels is one of the most
important aspects of diabetes management. It will make you feel
better in the short-term and it will help you to stay fit and
healthy in the long term.

The National Committee on Prevention Detection Evaluation, the
chromium and many interesting articles. People who do not have
diabetes keep their blood glucose levels within a narrow range
for most of the time. The beta cells in the pancreas are able
to produce just the right amount of insulin at the right time
and they are constantly fine-tuning the blood glucose level.
People with diabetes do not have this fine control over their
blood glucose levels.

This might be because the beta cells have been destroyed and
there is no insulin production at all, as in Type 1 diabetes.
Alternatively, it may be that the body does not respond to the
insulin and/or not enough insulin is produced when it is
needed, as in Type 2 diabetes. The approach to managing Type 1
and Type 2 diabetes is slightly different, but whichever type
of diabetes you have, you will still need to step in and take
over that fine-tuning of your blood glucose level.

Controlling blood glucose levels is a bit like trying to lasso
an unruly animal. Blood glucose is dynamic; it changes
constantly and it is influenced by a host of factors including
your choice of food, how much you eat, the timing of your
medication or insulin, your emotions, illnesses, your weight,
and your body’s resistance to insulin.

Some of these factors are relatively constant from day to day
and are quite easily accounted for; some factors are more
variable. No two days are ever exactly the same, or entirely
predictable, and this makes it difficult. So, blood glucose is
not easily lassoed.

In practical terms, you will need to learn about those things
that raise your blood glucose level and those things that lower
your blood glucose level. Then you will need to balance these
factors on a day-to-day and possibly even hour-by-hour basis.
This means coordinating medication, food and activity levels,
whilst making appropriate allowances for stress, illness or
changes in your daily activities.

You will be aiming to avoid the extreme highs and lows, trying
to manipulate your blood glucose toward the normal range. You
will be doing regular finger-prick blood glucose tests and
using these results to help balance those things that make your
blood glucose rise with those that make it fall. When you have
evened out your blood glucose level you will still need to keep
an eye on it and continue to make adjustments.

Controlling blood glucose is a continuous process and it will
require your attention from now on, for the rest of your life.
Don’t worry! It may sound daunting to you right now, but it
will soon become second nature.

People who do not have diabetes have blood glucose levels
between 4 and 8 mmol/l for most of the time. In general, people
with diabetes should try to aim for test results between 4 and
10 mmol/l most of the time. Some people - pregnant women, for
example - will need to aim for tighter control. Other people -
young children, the elderly, or those at risk of severe
hypoglycemia, for example - will need to aim for higher levels.

Your diabetes team will give you individual guidance on the
blood glucose levels that you should be aiming for.

In the short term, controlling blood glucose levels is
important in order to avoid diabetic emergencies - very high or
very low blood glucose levels. Both of these conditions are
unpleasant and can be dangerous, so they should be avoided if
at all possible.

High blood glucose levels in Type 1 diabetes, if caused by a
lack of insulin, can lead to a condition known as diabetic
ketoacidosis or ‘DKA’ which can be fatal if it is not treated
in time.

About The Author: Learn the facts about controling your blood
sugar level. http://www.bloodsugar.diabetic-source.com/

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