Causes of high blood sugar
Keeping your blood sugar levels in the optimal range is very important. Lower your blood sugar naturally with food, medication, and exercise.
Keeping your blood sugar levels in the optimal range is very important. If your blood sugar levels are too high or too low, they can lead to health problems, like kidney diseases, vision loss, and heart disease.
There are many quick and natural ways to lower your blood sugar levels. However, you'll have to make some lifestyle changes to ensure your sugar levels don't go above or below the standard range.
Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar levels can be due to many reasons. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body lacks the ability to use its natural insulin properly. As a result, there will be a high concentration of sugar in your blood since the body's insulin is not breaking it down at the required rate.
Likewise, if you're eating too many carbs and your body isn't producing enough insulin, you may experience hyperglycemia. If you're not as active as you used to be, that can also be the reason behind high blood sugar levels.
Besides this, physical and emotional stress can also lower your body's sugar levels. For instance, if you have an infection or the flu, your blood sugar levels may be lower than average. Likewise, emotional stress from personal problems or family conflicts can also impact your blood sugar levels.
Some symptoms of high blood sugar include blurred vision, headaches, frequent urination, and increased hunger or thirst. You may also experience skin infections, weight loss, and tiredness.
However, symptoms can differ from one person to another. Thus, it's important to keep track of your symptoms. Even if you don't have any symptoms but feel your blood sugar levels might be high, take a test to just be sure.
A sharp change in blood sugar levels needs immediate attention. Otherwise, it can be very dangerous to your health.
Easy ways to lower blood sugar levels naturally
You can lower your blood sugar levels by focusing on your food intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and some other factors.
Food
What you eat plays the most crucial role in determining your body's sugar levels. If you eat a large amount of carb-rich foods, your blood sugar levels can spike. Similarly, if you're not eating enough carbs, you can have low blood sugar levels.
An essential part of diabetes management is to watch your carb intake. For example, if you take insulin, you should track the number of carbohydrates in your food. Otherwise, taking a higher dose of insulin can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).
You should also try to balance each meal well. Eat a mix of nutrients, such as proteins, vitamins, and fats. Even when eating carbs, try to eat unprocessed foods, like whole grains. These foods have a high fiber content, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Medication
Some medicines can cause a spike in blood sugar levels. For instance, if you're taking steroids or diuretics, they may increase your blood sugar levels. Therefore, you should speak with your physician if you're experiencing any of the high blood sugar level symptoms mentioned above.
They may lower your dose or recommend an alternative. If you take mealtime insulin for diabetes management, you should store your medication properly. If insulin is not stored properly or has expired, it is no longer effective.
A change in temperature can also affect the effectiveness of insulin. Therefore, you should correctly store insulin in the refrigerator.
Moreover, if you have high blood pressure or similar health conditions, ask your doctor if a new medication they're prescribing will impact your blood sugar levels.
Regular physical activity helps maintain your blood sugar levels. If you're unsure where to start, talk to your healthcare provider. They will help you create an exercise plan.
On average, adults should get 150 minutes of aerobic activity every week. However, if you've led a sedentary or inactive life for too long, your physician will conduct a medical exam before making recommendations for physical activity.
They will also help you find the right balance of exercise to strengthen your muscles and heart. It's also important to talk to your doctor about the optimal blood sugar levels for exercising. You should know how much your blood sugar levels must be before you can exercise. Otherwise, you may feel tired or dizzy and end up hurting yourself during a workout.
Emergency treatments to lower blood sugar levels
If you have diabetes or a history of hyperglycemia, it's essential to know how to instantly manage high blood sugar levels. For example, if you notice symptoms of high blood sugar levels, you might have to go to the emergency room.
The physicians may use different emergency treatments to bring your sugar levels back to optimal.
Fluid replacement
You might receive fluids intravenously (through a vein). It will help hydrate you. Since one of the symptoms of high blood sugar levels is excessive urination, you lose a lot of water in hyperglycemia.
Intravenous fluid administration will replace the fluids you lost. It will also dilute the excessive sugar volume in your body.
Insulin therapy
Depending on your condition, you may also get insulin therapy. It will replace fluids and electrolytes in your blood.
Electrolyte replacement
If your body does not have enough insulin, that can also lower the levels of electrolytes. These minerals are essential for proper tissue functioning. Therefore, when you go to the emergency room, the physicians may also give you Intravenous electrolytes.
Electrolyte replacement ensures that your nerves, muscles, and heart function optimally.
When should you check blood sugar levels?
Checking your blood sugar levels regularly can help you track your symptoms and prevent any serious problems. You should check your sugar levels as soon as you wake up and on an empty stomach.
Also, check the sugar levels before eating, two hours after eating, and when you go to bed. People with diabetes who take mealtime insulin should check their blood sugar as advised by their physicians.
