The cells that make up our bodies depend on sugar for their energy, and normal blood sugar levels help us stay healthy and active. But sometimes too much of a good thing can be harmful. Type 2 diabetes is a perfect example of this. People who have it are faced with having blood sugar (also known as “blood glucose”) levels that are higher than normal, which can cause damage to the body.
When undergoing treatment for diabetes, the goal is obviously to keep your blood sugar under control. But first you have to understand what normal blood glucose levels are, so you know what you should be aiming for. Since your blood sugar levels are always changing, there are different methods for evaluating them, depending on different factors:
The first reading is the fasting blood glucose level. This test is usually done first thing in the morning because it requires you to go without food and any beverage but water for at least eight hours. A normal fasting blood sugar reading is 70 to 100 mg/dL. A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is made when your reading is higher than 126 mg/dL.
Your blood sugar levels will naturally rise after you eat while your body absorbs that food, but when your blood sugar rises dramatically after a meal, you are said to be experiencing a blood sugar spike. This level is known as the postprandial (which means after eating) reading, because it is taken two hours following a meal. There is a bit of argument as to what constitutes a normal postprandial reading, but it is widely considered to be between 70 and 140 mg/dL. Some doctors prefer to use 120 mg/dL as an upper guideline due to recent research indicating that what was previously accepted as normal is indeed too high. It’s also unhealthy to have blood sugar levels below 70 mg/dL, which is called hypoglycemia.
If it turns out that you do not have normal blood sugar levels, keep in ind that it’s not the end of the world. Type 2 diabetes is a very common disorder that can be effectively treated using a variety of methods. You are not alone in being diabetic. In fact, millions of people all over the world are in a similar boat; it’s one of the fastest rising conditions in the developed world. Lifestyle and diet adjustments can usually solve the problem. Those can take some time to show effects, though, and sometimes blood sugar needs to be brought down quickly. In those cases, medication is necessary to bring down very high blood sugar.
If you have any further questions about diabetes or how to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, be sure to consult with your health practitioner.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar