Understanding your blood glucose level

We all have sometimes wonder what is high to be high for us to be considered as having high blood sugar or what is low to be low enough to be considered as having low blood sugar. Some individuals may not know they have high or low blood sugar because they are asymptomatic until a sudden event happens that will take them to the emergency department. Knowing which we have will make us know what to expect and how to act when we have signs of hyper/hypoglycemia.

 What is blood glucose?

It is the sugar contained within the body that provides energy for everyday to day activity.

Where is the blood glucose gotten from?

It is gotten from the breakdown of the food we eat that are rich in carbohydrate, protein, and fat.

Which of the macromolecules those the body mostly use as supply for glucose?

The body mostly use carbohydrate as the major form of glucose supply for the body.

What is the normal blood glucose level?

•  Fasting Plasma/blood Glucose (FPG ) : <100mg/dL (< 5.6mmol/L). Fasting is defined as no caloric intake for at least 8 hours.
• 2-hours Postprandrial Glucose (PPG) / Random Blood Glucose : < 140mg/dL (< 7.8mmol/L) during Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). The test should be performed as described by the WHO, using a glucose load containing the equivalent of 75g anhydrous glucose dissolved in water.

When to say one is having high blood sugar?

• Fasting Plasma/blood Sugar : > 126mg/dl (>7mmol/L).
• 2-hours Postprandial Glucose/Random Blood Sugar : > 200mg/dl ( > 11.1mmol/L )
• Having these values in 2 separate occasions classifies the person as to have diabetes mellitus.

What is prediabetes?

It is blood sugar that does not fall within the range of high blood sugar and also does not fall within the range of normal blood sugar as above.

When to say someone is prediabetes? 

• Fasting Plasma Glucose ( FPG ) levels : 100 to 125mg/dL ( 5.6 to 6.9mmol/L)
•  2-hours Plasma Glucose ( 2-HPG ) levels during 75-g OGTT : 140 to 199mg/dL ( 7.8 to 11.0mmol/L ) 

When to say someone is having low blood sugar?

• Level 1 Glucose Level : 54mg/dL (3.0mmol/L ) - 70mg/dL (<3.9mmol/L)
• Level 2 Glucose Level : < 54mg/dL (<3.0mmol/L )
•  Level 3 : A severe event characterized by altered mental and / or physical status requiring assistance for treatment of hypoglycemia, irrespective of glucose level.

How do I know that I am having signs and symptoms of high blood sugar level? 

• Having excessive urge to drink water ( Thirsty)
• Urinating frequently (enuresis)
• Unexplained weight loss

When you have all the signs and symptoms as above have a visit to your doctor for proper assessment and get a glucometer to keep monitoring your blood glucose at home.

What Are The Risk Factor or Common Causes Of High Blood Sugar?

• Genetics
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Infection 
• Medication

How do I reduce high blood sugar?

The first step of reducing ones high blood sugar is to consult a medical practitioner, as the patient will be placed on one or more glucose lowering medication depending on the patient's blood glucose level.

Exercise: 30 - 60 minutes of moderate - intensity aerobic exercise per day. It can be walking, running, swimming, or cycling. You can start slowly as a beginner with walking and progressing to light running.

   Advantages Of Regular Exercise

1. It upregulate important receptors in the body that increases the uptake of glucose from the blood stream.
2. It will reduce the number, dosage, and frequency of glucose lowering drugs intake.
3. It will help in reducing weight, which is an important risk Factor in developing diabetes mellitus.
4. It will help in regulating the body metabolism helping to adapt to different temperature.

Diabetic diet : One can have a regular meal plan. Regular Meal plan is your guide for when, what, and how much to eat. Your plan will help make sure you get the nutrition you need while keeping your blood sugar levels on target. A good meal plan will consider your goals, tastes, and lifestyle, as well as any medicines you take. Below is a 7 day meal plan that you can follow on a day to day basis

To summarize blood sugar maintenance at a targeted normal level for diabetic patients, one should have a combination of exercise and low calorie diet along with glucose lowering drugs.

Advantage of Lowering Blood Sugar to Normal Level

• Reduces rate of infection.
• Prevents development of diabetic neuropathy.
• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular event.
• Reduces the risk of developing kidney failure.

How do I know that I am having low blood sugar level? 

• Sudden rise in body temperature 
• Profuse sweating 
• Headache
• Feeling of passing out
• Sudden loss of consciousness
• Feeling of hunger
• Feeling anxious
• Increase in breathing
• Increase heart rate 

What are the common causes of low blood sugar?

• Low calorie intake: This can be as a result of illness, when you have loss of appetite, not able to get the food you normally eat in new far away country, social economic factor, always in a busy work schedule. These factors can influence the amount of calories you consume, exposing you to low blood sugar.
• Medication : Some diabetic medications are prone to causing low blood sugar such as injectable insulin, sulfonylureas, and megliginide.
• Not having a regular meal schedule pattern, making you to eat only when you feel to eat or hungry.
• Those who are obsessed at Lossing weight can restrict themselves to a very low calorie intake making them susceptible to low blood sugar.

What to do when you are having low blood sugar episode?

• Fast-acting carbohydrates at the hypoglycemia alert value of 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) or less should be given. It can be chocolate bar, or simply mix 6 table spoon of sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 1L of water and consume. Individuals should be counseled to recheck their glucose 15 min after ingesting carbohydrates and to repeat carbohydrate ingestion and seek care if the hypoglycemia persist. 

• 15 g carbohydrates should be ingested. Individuals using automated insulin delivery systems are recommended to ingest 5–10 g carbohydrates (except for hypoglycemia with exercise or with significant overestimation of carbohydrate/meal bolus).