Blood Glucose Levels

Blood Glucose Levels are important to monitor regularly

Healthy blood glucose levels are key to keeping a healthy body. Blood glucose levels represent the amount of sugar present in the blood stream, your body uses these sugars also known as polysaccharides to repair and maintain itself. When this becomes unbalanced it can cause serious medical conditions, because our cells communicate with these polysaccharides and when you have too much of the wrong kind of sugars and your body can not communicate with it self that is when your blood glucose levels go out of control.

Maintaining normal blood glucose levels is essential to living healthily with diabetes.

Normal blood glucose levels are 4mM, but this fluctuates throughout the day. In the morning, these blood glucose levels are lower; once your body digests it is first meal of the day your blood glucose levels will raise, thus making breakfast the most important meal of the day. Eating a proper diet and exercising is important in order to maintain proper blood sugar levels. When a person has high blood sugar levels it is called hyperglycemia and when they have low levels, it is referred to as hypoglycemia.

Persistent hyperglycemia can result in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is and results in insulin resistance and is related to insulin deficiency. Insulin is a hormone that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body and essentially, blood glucose levels. What insulin does is cause cells in the liver, muscles, and fat tissues to intake glucose from the blood and stores it as glycogen in the liver and muscles. When these cells do not respond to circulating insulin, blood glucose levels rise. People with type 1 diabetes have problems with insulin deficiency and is treated by using insulin shots. Type 2 diabetes is the result of insulin resistance, insulin resistance is a condition where insulin becomes less effective at lowering blood glucose, and it is normally treated with medication. At times, if not treated properly, people with type 2 diabetes will have to take insulin injections in addition to the medication. For temporary hyperglycemia, there are no real signs to indicate when someone is experiencing it, but over a long period of time there is a long list of complications that can occur, including kidney damage, neurological damage, cardiovascular damage, damage to the retina, and etc.

Learning about insulin, how it affects blood glucose levels and its role in a diabetics life is just as important as any other issue.

A little more information about insulin is important to understanding why it is important to the human body and how it affects blood glucose levels.

Insulin cancels the use of fat as an energy source by stopping the release of glucagons. When there is an absence of insulin, glucose cannot be taken in by the body's cell and then the body starts to use fat as a source of energy, this is also known as gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis can be caused by people fasting, starving themselves, low-carb diets, and/or intense exercising. However, Gluconeogenesis can also be used as a therapy in treating type 2 diabetes, by using an oral anti-diabetes medicine such as metformin. Metformin stops glucose formation and stimulates glucose intake by cells. Insulin also is important in other body functions for example the brain. Insulin in the brain can enhance learning and memory and in particular verbal memory. Hypoglycemia can be just as bad as being hyperglycemic.

Hypoglycemia or low blood glucose levels in the blood stream can be cause by fasting, starvation, dieting, and extensive exercising. Most common symptoms of hypoglycemia are shakiness, dizziness, and altered mood and thinking. When hypoglycemia persists it can result in seizures, unconsciousness, and rarely permanent brain damage and/or death. Most commonly, hypoglycemia occurs due to complications with treatment of diabetes, but it can happen to anyone at any age. If someone is experiencing hypoglycemia eating foods with high sugars, such as fruits, fruit juices, and candy, can alter the condition.

In America, hyperglycemia and diabetes are at an all time high. In order for people to protect themselves against hyperglycemia, diabetes, and hypoglycemia, they need to maintain healthy eating habits, remember that refined sugars and foods are your worst enemy. Fresh vegetables are the best not fruits. In order to monitor blood glucose levels people can either go to the doctor or invest in a at home monitoring system. Monitoring your own blood glucose levels is a simple and straightforward process. Once it is part of your daily routine to manage your blood glucose levels, you will find that you can live a much less restricted and therefore happier life as a diabetic.