Controlling blood sugar: medical tips

Blood sugar is the proportion of glucose in the blood. Glucose (grape sugar) supplies the muscles, brain and other organs with energy.

“The body tries to keep the blood sugar level in balance at all times,” explains Dr. Nikki Ramskill, GP at Med-Healths. With central heating, the thermostat is set so that if the temperature is too cold, the heating will turn on until it has the right temperature again. Your body has a similar system: when blood sugar levels are too low or too high, certain hormones go to work to correct them.

Normally, the sugar level regulates itself. However , this does not work properly in the case of diabetes . Those affected must ensure that their blood sugar levels are properly adjusted.

How does diabetes affect blood sugar?

“Diabetes is a serious condition in which the body’s system for regulating blood sugar levels does not work properly,” explains Dr. ram skill

“The hormone insulin helps the body to use blood sugar for energy. Insulin ensures that the sugar gets from the bloodstream into the cells,” says Dr. ram skill “In the more common type 2 diabetes, the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin. The sugar builds up in the bloodstream – this leads to higher blood sugar levels.”

Blood sugar disorders are common. In Germany, around 7.2 percent of adults between the ages of 18 and 79 have diabetes .

What are the different types of diabetes?

“Treatment is different for each type of diabetes. That’s why it’s important to know which type you have,” explains Dr. ram skill The main types of diabetes are:

• Type 1 diabetes: In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Therefore, those affected must regularly inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar.

• Type 2 diabetes: In this type of diabetes, the body still produces insulin, but it no longer responds to it. The blood sugar level is controlled here by adjusting certain lifestyle habits, such as diet and exercise or medication.

• Prediabetes: The precursor to diabetes does not yet cause any symptoms. However, if blood sugar begins to rise above normal levels, this can be a first sign that diabetes is developing.

• Gestational Diabetes: If you have high blood sugar during pregnancy. High blood sugar levels need to be lowered to keep you and your baby healthy.

What are the normal blood sugar levels?

In people without diabetes, fasting (before meals) blood glucose is between 60 mg/dl and 100 mg/dl (3.3 and 5.5 mmol/l).

“Even in healthy people, blood sugar rises slightly after eating carbohydrates until hormones bring it back into balance. In people with diabetes, however, the fluctuations are much larger,” explains Dr. ram skill

What is the target blood sugar level for people with diabetes?

If you have diabetes, you should make sure that your blood sugar is usually within a certain range:

• Fasting blood glucose: 100 to 125 mg/dl (5.6 to 6.9 mmol/l)
• 90 minutes after meals: 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L)

“These areas are reference values,” explains Dr. ram skill The ideal blood sugar level always depends on the individual case. Your doctor will help you set personal goals that are achievable for you.

If you have diabetes, your blood sugar can sometimes be outside of the target range. In the table below you can find some factors that cause high or low blood sugar:

Some people need to measure their blood sugar to make sure it’s not too high or too low.

When should I measure my blood sugar?

“Usually you only have to measure your blood sugar level yourself if you are taking medication that can cause hypoglycaemia. These include insulin or sulfonylureas,” explains Dr. ram skill How often you need to measure your blood sugar levels depends on your type of diabetes, your lifestyle and the medications you take.

This can be 1 time a day or up to 7 times a day. Your doctor will tell you how often and how you should measure your blood sugar.

What happens if my blood sugar is too low?

A low blood sugar of less than 65 mg/dl (3.6 mmol/l) is called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. The following symptoms may occur with low blood sugar levels.

• Hunger
• tremors
• Sweat
• dizziness
• tachycardia
• Confusion, restlessness or anxiety

When your blood sugar level is low, it is very important to do something about it quickly. For example, you can eat a sugary snack or drink something sweet. Then you need to keep an eye on your levels until they rise again.

In the case of severe hypoglycaemia, those affected can become unconscious and no longer take countermeasures themselves. People with type 1 diabetes can have a glucagon emergency kit prescribed for these cases . Anyone who does not have an emergency kit should be treated quickly by an emergency doctor.

What happens if my blood sugar is too high?

Symptoms of high blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia or “high blood sugar”, can include:

• strong thirst
• frequent urination
• blurred vision
• susceptibility to infection

Clarify with your doctor what needs to be done to lower your blood sugar level again.

A severely elevated blood sugar level can lead to a medical emergency : diabetic ketoacidosis occurs almost exclusively in type 1 diabetes and should be treated immediately by a doctor. Possible warning signs can include severe thirst and urination as well

• loss of appetite,
• muscle cramps,
• nausea , vomiting and abdominal pain ,
• deep breathing and
• muscle cramps

be.

Over time, even slightly elevated blood sugar can lead to complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage, and stroke. Lowering blood sugar levels into the target range helps reduce the risk of such sequelae.

7 tips for blood sugar control

Good blood sugar control ensures that diabetes does not interfere with your life. Here are some tips:

1. Stick to your treatment plan

“You should follow your doctor’s advice,” advises Frau. dr ram skill This can include, for example, taking your medication correctly, exercising more or eating healthier.

Getting diabetes can be a big life change. Therefore, you should be honest with your friends, family and colleagues. Tell them that you have diabetes and therefore need special consideration. They should support you to make it easier for you to stick to the treatment plan.

2. Keep an eye on your values

“Depending on the type of diabetes, you may need to measure your blood sugar regularly or have an HbA1C test done,” explains Dr. ram skill For some patients, the “time in range” is also determined. This is a value that shows the total highs and lows in blood sugar levels.

Regardless of the type of blood glucose test, it is important that you write down the values. This gives you an overview of how your values ​​are changing and you can discuss possible lifestyle or treatment changes with your doctor.

3. Understand which foods affect your blood sugar

“Simple carbohydrates consist of a few sugar building blocks that together form a small molecule. They get into our bloodstream quickly and cause a sharp spike in sugar,” explains Dr. ram skill You should therefore avoid sugar, wheat flour, fruit juices, pasta and rice.

“Other carbohydrates are more complex and take longer to break down, so the blood sugar level doesn’t rise as much.” B. Carbohydrates in whole grain products, legumes, potatoes, nuts and vegetables.

To better predict how different foods will affect your blood sugar levels, you need to consider two basic things:

• How many carbs are you eating?
• How long does it take for the meal to digest?

“These two factors affect what’s called the glycemic load of the meal — a measure of how much it raises blood sugar. When you eat foods with a high glycemic load, it’s harder to control blood sugar,” explains Dr. ram skill

In the table below you can find examples of the glycemic load of different meals.