Managing glucose levels
It’s no harm to regularly recap over what we know (or don’t know) about the basics around diabetes and managing our glucose levels.
Diabetes and glucose levels
When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates, the digestion process turns them into sugars. These sugars release into the blood and move to the cells. The pancreas, a small organ in the abdomen, releases a hormone called insulin to meet the sugar at the cell.
Insulin acts as a “bridge,” allowing the sugar to go from the blood into the cell. When the cell uses the sugar for energy, blood sugar levels go down. If you have diabetes, there’s a problem with the pancreas producing insulin, the cells using insulin, or both.
The different types of diabetes and diabetes-related conditions include:
type 1 diabetes, which is when the body stops making insulin
type 2 diabetes, which is usually a combination of the pancreas not making enough insulin and the cells not using insulin well (insulin resistance)
prediabetes, which is when blood sugars are above their typical levels but not high enough for diabetes diagnosis
gestational diabetes which is when you develop diabetes in your second or third trimester of pregnancy
When to check blood glucose levels
Talk with your GP or healthcare professionals about the best times to check your blood glucose. Optimal times vary for each person. Some options include:
after fasting (after waking or not eating for 8-12 hours), or before meals
before and after meals, to see the impact that the meal had on your blood sugar
before all meals, to decide how much insulin to inject
at bedtime
Bring a record of your blood sugar results to appointments with your GP so you can review it and make changes to your treatment if necessary.
What does a high glucose level mean?
Blood glucose levels can fluctuate throughout the day. When taking blood glucose readings, it’s important to know what factors may affect the result. However, if your blood glucose levels are high, you may have hyperglycaemia. Symptoms of hyperglycaemia include:
thirst
fatigue
blurry vision
headaches
frequent urination
Consistently high blood glucose readings indicate your diabetes management plan isn’t working.
How to check
You’ll need a blood sample to check your blood glucose levels. You can do this at home in several ways. Either by investing in a home blood glucose monitoring kit or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). More recognisable brands are Dexcom & Freestyle Libre, although many others are also available.
Recommended blood sugar targets
People measure blood glucose in milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL). However, it’s important to talk with your GP to learn more about your own individualised blood glucose targets. Your GP can help you determine which guidelines to target. Or they can work with you to set your glucose targets.
What should I do if my glucose levels are too high?
You should establish a treatment plan with your doctor. You may be able to manage your glucose levels through diet and other lifestyle changes, like improved sleep quality, reducing chronic stress levels, improved gut health, managing other health conditions and related medications, etc. Exercise can also help lower your glucose levels, whilst a combination of lifestyle changes can improve overall insulin sensitivity.
Let your GP know if your glucose levels are consistently high. This could mean you must take regular medication or make other changes to your diabetes treatment plan. Working with your GP to get your glucose levels under control is important. Consistently high levels can lead to serious complications, like diabetic neuropathy or kidney failure.
Medication
Doctors may add medications to your treatment plan if needed. Most people with type 2 diabetes will start on metformin as their first medication. There are many different types of diabetes medications that act in different ways.
Insulin
Injecting insulin is one way to quickly reduce your glucose levels. People with type 1 diabetes will need to inject insulin multiple times per day to keep blood glucose levels in check. However, injecting insulin is not solely confined to Type 1 patients. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition. People living with long-term Type 2 diabetes may eventually be encouraged to inject insulin as part of their successful diabetes management. Your GP will determine your dosage and discuss with you how to inject it and when.
Diabetes eating plan
The foods you eat can have a big impact on your glucose levels.
Foods to include
Include healthy carbohydrates, fibre-rich foods, and lean proteins in your diet. Healthy carbohydrates include:
fruits
vegetables
whole grains
beans and other legumes
Manage the amount of healthy carbohydrates you eat at meals and snacks. Add protein and fat to slow digestion and avoid blood sugar spikes. Healthful fats are important to include in a diabetes diet. It’s generally encouraged to prioritise monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats rather than saturated and (in particular) trans fats.
Healthful fats can lower a person’s cholesterol levels, risk of heart disease, and other complications associated with diabetes. Especially those essential fats such as Omega 3s. Options include:
oily fish
nuts
seeds
avocados
olives
olive oil
In fact, some studies show that including fatty fish in meals may reduce blood glucose levels.
Foods to limit
To best manage diabetes, people should limit food and drinks that elevate blood sugar. These include:
highly refined carbohydrates such as white bread and pasta
foods with high sugar content, like candy
sugary soft drinks
Meal planning
Avoid skipping meals. Irregular eating patterns can cause spikes and dips in your blood glucose and make it difficult to stabilise.
Cook healthy foods in bulk and then store them in single serving size containers in the refrigerator or freezer. Having easy-to-grab, healthy choices can help you avoid choosing less healthy options when you’re in a hurry or really hungry.
Other considerations
In addition to eating healthy foods, remember to include regular exercise in your daily routine. Being more active can make your body more sensitive to insulin, which helps you manage blood glucose levels.
If you’re new to exercise, check with your doctor before starting. Then start slowly and work your way up to more vigorous routines.
You can also add more exercise through small changes, including:
taking stairs instead of an elevator
walking to the local shops or a walk around your office during breaks
parking further from store entrances when shopping
Over time, these small changes can add up to big wins for your health.
Extracts taken from Adam Bernstein, MD, ScD & Kimberly Holland &Tom Rus from https://www.healthline.com