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Regulating Glucose Levels

If you are diabetic, it is important to regulate your glucose levels. Unstable blood sugar levels can lead to complications such as circulatory problems, neuropathy, liver damage, loss of sight, heart attacks, strokes and severe infections. Stable glucose levels can slow down the progression of the disease. Regulating glucose levels requires monitoring blood sugar, eating balanced meals, exercising and taking the required medication as directed by the doctor.

  1. Definition

    • Glucose is food converted to sugar. Your body requires sugar to provide energy. When you ingest food, the food turns to sugar or glucose. It enters the bloodstream, where insulin moves the sugar into the muscle cells for energy. Too much sugar in the bloodstream affects every organ in the body, because the sugar circulates throughout your system.

    Self-monitoring

    • Diabetics can monitor their sugar by using a glucose meter or glucometer. Doctors usually suggest that the diabetic test sugar at least once a day, if not three to four times a day. You test sugar before and after meals, as well as before and after exercise. A drop of blood from the finger is all you need to test the blood sugar levels. Continuous monitoring systems, worn by the diabetic, test the blood every five minutes throughout the day. Normal levels are 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter. For a diabetic, the range is 70 to 120 milligrams per deciliter.

    Doctor's Monitoring

    • Besides self-monitoring, doctors test blood as well. A fasting test allows the doctor to see how the blood sugar level is after 14 hours without food. The doctor usually requires this test twice a year. The A1C test tells the doctor what the average is over a 3-month period. The doctor usually requires the A1C every 3 to 4 months.

    Diet

    • By eating balanced meals, diabetics help control the highs and lows of sugar. Too many carbohydrates and too much fat can cause blood sugar levels to rise. Diabetics try to spread carbohydrates throughout the day to avoid sugar peaks and lows. Most dietitians suggest that a diabetic eat approximately 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal and limit saturated fats to no more than 3 grams of fat per serving.

    Exercise

    • When you exercise, your body uses sugar for energy. This helps regulate the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. Doctors suggest that diabetics exercise at least 30 minutes, five times a week for a total of 150 minutes. Diabetics should monitor blood sugar because excessive exercise can cause drops in blood sugar.

    Treatment

    • Medication helps stabilize blood sugar. Oral medications, such as Metformin, prevent the liver from releasing too much sugar. Metformin also helps the body respond better to the insulin that the pancreas produces. Insulin injections help the body move glucose or sugar into the muscle cells. Not all diabetics take medication. If the doctor prescribes medication, it is because the diabetic needs help stabilizing sugar levels.

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