10 Surprising Things That Can Rocket Your Blood Sugar


You checked your blood sugar frequently when you first learned you had diabetes. You gained a better understanding of how several factors, including diet, exercise, stress, and illness, could affect your blood sugar levels. You've largely figured it out by this point. And then, bang! Something causes a spike in blood sugar. When you try to control it with food, exercise, or insulin, it dips dramatically. You're on a roller coaster that diabetics avoid riding.

Are all these blood sugar triggers familiar to you?

The power of knowledge! Be on the lookout for these unexpected factors that can cause your blood sugar to soar:

1. Sunburn: Pain makes people stressed, and stressed people have higher blood sugar levels.

2. Artificial sweeteners—although additional investigation is required, several studies have found they can increase blood sugar.

3. Coffee, even devoid of sugar. Caffeine can make some people's blood sugar extremely sensitive.

4. Losing sleep—even one night of insufficient sleep can affect how well your body uses insulin.

5. Forgoing breakfast can cause blood sugar levels to rise after both lunch and dinner.

6. —whether they have diabetes or not, everybody experience an increase in hormones in the morning. Diabetes patients may have blood sugar spikes. The later it gets in the day, the tougher it might be to control blood sugar levels.

7. The dawn effect

8. Dehydration: When your body lacks water, your blood sugar concentration increases.

9. Nasal spray—some of these contain substances that cause your liver to produce more blood sugar.

10. Gum disease raises blood sugar levels and is a consequence of diabetes.

Keep an eye out for additional factors that could cause your blood sugar to drop. For instance, high temperatures might enlarge blood vessels (widen). As a result, insulin absorbs more quickly, which may cause low blood sugar. Check your blood sugar levels before and after a novel activity or snack to see how you react.

Testing Your Blood Sugar at Home

Most diabetics should check their blood sugar (also known as blood glucose) levels on a frequent basis. Knowing the outcomes enables you to modify your disease-control strategy.

Regular testing can also assist you in preventing the development of long-term health issues that may result from the disease, such as:

•             Heart disease

•             Stroke

•             High blood pressure

•             High cholesterol

•             Blindness

•             Kidney disease

•             Skin problems

According to research, maintaining your target HbA1c and blood sugar levels reduces the risk of problems in patients with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Methods for Checking Blood Sugar

Typical blood glucose monitoring at home

To check your blood sugar levels, you prick your finger with a lancet, dispense a drop of blood onto a test strip, and insert the strip into a metre. Make a note of the test results so you can give your doctor access to them. The two of you might change your diet, exercise routine, or medication depending on the results.

The features, mobility, speed, size, price, and readability of metres vary (with larger displays or spoken instructions if you have vision problems). Results are delivered by devices in less than 15 seconds, and they also save this data for later use.

Averaging blood sugar levels over a period of time is another feature that some metres offer. Additionally, some have software kits that use data from the metre to show graphs and charts of your previous test results. You may get blood sugar metres and strips from your neighbourhood pharmacy.

Meters that test other parts of your body

You can test your upper arm, forearm, thumb's base, and thigh using some tools.

These findings could be different from blood sugar readings obtained by sticking a fingertip. Fingertip levels display changes more quickly. This is particularly true when your blood sugar is rapidly changing, such as after a meal or an intense workout.

You shouldn't rely on test findings from other sections of your body if you have low blood sugar symptoms.

Continuous glucose monitoring system

A few of these gadgets pair with insulin pumps. They are not as precise as glucose findings from a finger stick. However, they can assist you in identifying patterns and trends in your blood sugar levels. These are sometimes referred to as "interstitial glucose monitoring devices" by clinicians. Your doctor will use a tiny sensor under your skin to check your blood sugar every five minutes if you choose this option. For a few days, it transmits data to a monitor that you wear like a pager.

Continuous glucose monitoring does not replace the requirement that you check your blood sugar levels frequently throughout the day. It provides your doctor with additional knowledge about patterns that self-checking might not reveal.

When Should I Test My Blood Sugar?

Every person is unique. When and how frequently you should check your levels will be determined by your doctor.

Experts advise monitoring your blood sugar three times a day or more if you use an insulin pump or more than one dose of insulin each day.

What Can Affect My Results?

If you have gout or anaemia, they might not be accurate. The results may also be affected by the temperature, humidity, or altitude. So too may vitamin C.

Check the strips and adjust your metre if you frequently get unexpected results.

The optimal blood sugar ranges for most adults, excluding pregnant women, are shown in the chart below. Consult your doctor for your optimal range because it may be different from someone else's and fluctuate throughout the day.

Time of Test

Ideal for Adults With Diabetes

Before a meal

70-130 mg/dL

1 to 2 hours after beginning a meal

Less than 180 mg/dL

Home Blood Sugar Monitoring and HbA1c

Checking your HbA1c level is also important. Many home glucose monitors can display an average blood sugar reading, which correlates to the HbA1c test.

Average Blood Glucose Level (mg/dL)

HbA1c (%)

125 mg/dL

6

154 mg/dL

7

183 mg/dL

8

212 mg/dL

9

240 mg/dL

10

269 mg/dL

11

298 mg/dL

12

 

When Should I Call My Doctor?

Inquire with your doctor about the ideal blood sugar range. Work together to determine when to call your doctor and how to address blood sugar readings that are excessively high or low. Learn the symptoms of high or low blood sugar and what to do if you start to experience them.

Track It Over Time

Keep track of the outcomes of each test. Most glucose monitors have that kind of memory as well. Your records can let you know about any issues or patterns.

These test results also assist your doctor in making any adjustments to your medication, diet, or exercise regimen that may be required. At every checkup, bring these records with you.

How to Test Your Blood Sugar at Home

Follow these steps:

1.            Wash and dry your hands well.

2.            Insert a test strip into your meter.

3.            Prick the side of your fingertip with the lancet provided with your test kit.

4.            Gently squeeze or massage your finger until a drop of blood forms.

5.            Touch and hold the edge of the test strip to the drop of blood.

6.            The meter will display your blood glucose level on a screen after a few seconds.

 

Why You Should Check Your Blood Sugar

Testing blood glucose can help you manage diabetes by showing you:

•             How well your diabetes treatment plan is working

•             How exercise and food affect your blood sugar levels

•             How things like stress and illness affect your levels

•             How well your diabetes medication is working

•             When your blood sugar levels are too high or too low

Who Should Check Their Blood Sugar?

You’ll need to test your levels if you’re:

•             Taking insulin

•             Pregnant

•             Having a hard time controlling blood glucose levels

•             Having low blood glucose levels, especially without warning signs

•             Have ketones from high blood glucose levels


When Should You Test Your Blood Sugar?

It depends on which type of diabetes you have:

• Diabetes type 1. Your doctor will decide. They can advise you to test four to ten times every day. You may test, for instance, before meals and snacks, before and after physical activity, before bed, and even while you're asleep. If you're ill, making adjustments to your regular schedule, or starting a new medication, you might also need to check more frequently.

• Diabetes type 2. Depending on the diabetic medication you're taking:

• Insulin. Depending on the kind and quantity of insulin you take, the doctor may advise you to test several times per day. If you take many daily injections, you'll usually test before meals and before night. If you only use long-acting insulin, you might only need to test twice a day, before breakfast and dinner.

• Medications. Your doctor will advise you on how frequently to check your blood sugar if you take medication to manage your diabetes.

• Shifts in lifestyle. It's possible that you won't need to test your blood sugar every day if you're relying on healthy food and exercise.


DISCLAIMER; - The information on this blog stie is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  All content including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this blog site is for general information only.  NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS BLOG SITE




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