Blog - Page 4 of 4 - Dealing With Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a type of condition that leads to the persistent elevation of the level of blood sugar. Increased sugar levels in the body can be very dangerous since it can lead to several health problems that are linked with diabetes. To learn more about the effects and causes of blood sugar elevation, read on. Understanding Insulin Reactions and Diabetic Shock Diabetic shock can also be considered as severe hypoglycemia. This problem is a serious health risk that is common in people with diabetes. This condition is also known as insulin reaction since it is a result of too much insulin in the body. Diabetic shock also occurs whenever there is an imbalance between the insulin level in the body and the amount of food the person eats. Aside from this, severe hypoglycemia can also happen without any warning. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of diabetic shock are very mild at first, which makes it difficult for the person to detect or notice. Learning More about Diabetes and the Normal Blood Glucose Level in the Body Nowadays, doctors would diagnosis prediabetes and diabetes based on the arbitrary cut off point of the normal level of blood sugar. The standard normal blood sugar level should be less than 100 mg/dL. However, this rate varies depending on the instrument used in getting the results. Some also consider 60 as the normal, while others use 90. Nevertheless, anything that is less than 100 mg/dL is recognized as normal if the person is fasting. ******************Low sugar level also varies depending on several factors. Normally, people’s blood sugar leve does not go below 60 mg/dL even if he or she is fasting. This is caused by the liver, which turns fat and muscle into sugar in order to compensate for the low glucose intake of the body. This makes it difficult to drop the sugar levels to the unsafe point without using any diabetes drug or experiencing any uncommon medical problems. More Facts about Glucose Levels and Diabetes Sugar levels that are higher than the normal rate can be considered an indication for diabetes or prediabetes. There are actually several ways in order to diagnose or determine diabetes. Here are some of the examples. • Fasting Plasma Glucose Test — Diabetes can be identified using the Fasting Plasma Glucose Test. When the blood sugar level of a person is higher than 126 mg/dL even after fasting for 8 hours, the person may be considered diabetic. • Oral Glucose Tolerance Test — This method involves the provision of a special sugary drink to a person after 8 hours of fasting. If the person has a sugar level of more than 200 mg/dL after drinking the beverage, he or she can be considered diabetic. • Random Blood Sugar Level — If the person experiences symptoms such as increased urination, weight loss, and thirst, with a blood sugar level or more than 200, he or she is said to be diabetic. However, random blood tests will require fasting sugar level or the oral tolerance test in order to confirm the results. Information about Prediabetes Diabetes is a very difficult condition to control. Because of this, proper management and diet is necessary in order to retain the blood sugar level within the normal range. There are also instances where in the blood glucose level of the person is above the normal rate, but the full blown symptoms are not manifested. This condition is commonly called as prediabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are more than 79 million Americans who are prediabetic. Prediabetic individuals are most likely 5 to 6 times at risk of developing diabetes in the near future. Aside from this, prediabetes can also increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. With the help of regular diet and exercise, it is easy to prevent prediabetes from turning to diabetes. The Bad Effects of High Blood Sugar Levels High sugar level in the body can be considered as a slow acting poison. In other words, the hazardous effects of diabetes to health are slow but continuous. Here are some common effects of hyperglycemia in the body. • Hyperglycemia or high sugar levels can prevent the pancreas from making insulin. Whenever the pancreas over compensates for the high blood sugar level in the body, it can get damaged, which can affect the health of the person. • High sugar levels can cause other diseases such as atherosclerosis. This type of problem is described as the hardening of the blood vessels. Aside from the blood vessels in the body, high blood sugar can also affect other organs. Some of the complications that can be brought about by diabetes include the following: • Stroke • Heart Attack • Erectile Dysfunction • Immune system suppression and increased risk for infections • Kidney problems and diseases • Poor circulation of blood in the lower extremities • Blindness or poor vision • Neuropathy or nerve damage • Poor wound healing that can lead to amputation Keeping the blood sugar level normal is very helpful in preventing the complications of diabetes. It is important that the sugar level in the blood is within 70 to 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after eating.