Glucose Levels


	Diabetic Test
	Blood Glucose Levels
	Blood Glucose Monitor
	Diabetic Supplies
	Diabetes Care
	Diabetic Recipes


	home mail

Blood Sugar Diabetes Diet Diabetes Symptoms Insulin Pump What is Diabetes Diabetic Recipes Glucose Levels

Glucose Levels - Understanding Glucose Levels and Using Diet to Help Control Them

Before you can truly understand glucose levels you need to have a better understanding of what glucose is and what the body uses it for.

Glucose or sugar comes from many of the foods we eat and as our food is digested it enters the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream the glucose in the normal person is broken down by the insulin produced in the pancreas and then passed to every cell in your body where it is used as a fuel to keep the cells functioning.

During the course of the day the blood sugar levels rise and fall between what are considered normal glucose levels of 70 to 125 mg/dL. For the most part the levels are low in the morning after a good night's sleep and then rise after you eat a meal or have a snack.

After you have eaten the levels in your blood are supposed to be controlled by the release of insulin from your pancreas, however in the diabetic this release of insulin either does not happen at all or only trace amounts are released.

For those who suffer from severe low glucose levels or Hypoglycemia, which can be a fatal condition the blood sugar levels consistently fall below 70 mg/dl and can lead to fatigue, mental impairment, extreme unexplained irritability and even loss of consciousness.

Often the mental impairments can be mistaken for drunkenness and if the person is operating a motor vehicle can cause loss of control and serious accidents. Conversely Hyperglycemia is when the level of glucose remains above 125 mg/dL and can lead to kidney failure, eye damage and many other physical manifestations.

Because of the possibility of these variations in blood glucose levels and the fact that many of the symptoms are not noticeable until they cause severe damage, diabetics must monitor their blood sugar levels several times each day. The most common method used to test blood glucose levels is the stick and strip method. To perform this test the patient will stick the tip of his finger with a pin and draw a drop of blood, this drop is placed on a special test strip that is place in a blood glucose monitor, which then gives an accurate reading of the patients current glucose level.

For those that suffer from high glucose levels there are several ways to bring their levels back under control, in the beginning the only way most doctors used was to supplement the body's own insulin with an injection of insulin several times each day. Today far more patients are learning to control their diabetes with the proper diet. A diet that is low in processed foods, sugar and white flour, but high in complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables has been proven to help control diabetes without the need for medication on a regular basis.

This same diet can also be used to help those with chronic low blood sugar levels and it provides the body with good carbohydrates that release sugars into the body slowly allowing for a far more stabile blood glucose level avoiding the peaks and crashes associated with Hypoglycemia.

Diabetic Test Blood Glucose Levels Blood Glucose Monitor Diabetic Supplies Diabetes Care Blood Sugar Diabetes Diet Diabetes Symptoms Insulin Pump What is Diabetes Diabetic Recipes Symptoms of Diabetes Glucose Tolerance Test Glucose Levels Gestational Diabetes Diabetes Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Contact Us Site Map

www.DiabeticTest.co.uk