Articles | Diabetes Healthy Solutions

Low Blood Glucose Levels

For an ever increasing number of people low blood glucose levels are a real concern. The number of people diagnosed with heart disease, hypertension, and many forms of cancer, has been fairly steady or even slightly declining in recent years, but the number of people with diabetes continues to skyrocket. For those with diabetes low blood glucose levels can be just as much of a concern as high blood glucose levels due to the simple fact the for the body to operate at optimum levels the blood glucose generally needs to stay somewhere between 60 and 10 mg/dl. Diabetes is the number one cause of abnormal blood glucose levels due to the way it affects the way the body is able to metabolize the glucose that is taken in as food.

Glucose is a type of sugar that the body gets from carbohydrates, sugars, and fatty foods that are consumed. Glucose is important because it is used by each cell of the body as a source of fuel, and when glucose levels fall the body begins to shut down just as surely as a car shutting down when the fuel tank is empty. For most diabetics there is a fine line between too much and too little glucose, and they must check their glucose several times a day in order to balance their medication dosage and diet to keep glucose within healthy levels. All it takes is one misjudgment in insulin dosage, or one forgotten meal or snack to cause blood glucose levels to plummet to the point that the diabetic will lose consciousness and could even die without prompt treatment.

If you or someone you know is a diabetic the only way to keep from suffering from low blood glucose levels is by staying on top of your glucose checks, keeping your diet right, and following your doctors recommendations. You surely don’t want to be on a long trip when your car runs out of gas, and you don’t want to allow your body to suffer from lack of fuel.

Diabetes Symptoms in Men

Though many diseases seem to exhibit different symptoms depending on which sex has the disease, many times diabetes symptoms in men differ little from diabetes symptoms in women. Whether type 1 of type 2diabetes, men suffer from most of the same diease symptoms as women, as far as the diabetes itself is concerned. The secondary diseases that often accompany diabetes, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney problems affect diabetic males in much the same way as they affect males without diabetes.

One of the chief reasons that a person should be familiar with the symptoms of diabetes, regardless of their sex, is that diabetes rates are on the rise even as the rates of diagnosis for heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer continue to decrease.

The three classic diabetes symptoms in men, and in women, are increased thirst, increased hunger, and increased urination. The best way to remember these symptoms is by understanding just a little bit about how diabetes works. Diabetes begins when either the pancreas ceases to produce a hormone called insulin, or the cells of the body become resistant to the action of insulin.

Insulin must be properly metabolized due to the fact that it is only through the action of insulin that the glucose that we get from out food can pass into the cells and be used for energy. If the glucose cannot pass into the cells it builds in the bloodstream where it can, in high levels, begin to cause damage to many body systems. Since the glucose molecule is so large it attracts water molecules to itself, this more fluid that normal out of the body during urination and leads to increased thirst.

This is compounded by the fact that when the body recognizes a glucose increases it tries to rid itself of excess glucose through the kidney and this leads to increased urination. Because the insulin is either not present or the cells are resistant to it, the cells do not get the glucose needed as fuel and this leads to increases hunger even though there is an excess of glucose already in the blood.

Diabetes symptoms in men and women have very little variance between the sexes, if you or someone you know begins to have constantly increased hunger, increased thirst, and increased urination, especially if they have a family history of diabetes, it is probably time to talk to a doctor to make sure that they aren’t developing diabetes.

Diabetic Testing Meters

Diabetic testing meters are a device usually referred to as a glucometer. Diabetic testing meters are designed to read the level of glucose, or sugar, in a drop of blood so that the blood sugar level can be tracked.

The use of diabetic testing meters is pretty simple and straight forward. To use the machine a special test strip is placed in the machine, then a drop of blood is collected by pricking the skin (usually on the finger) with a lancet, the drop of blood is placed on the test strip and the machine “reads” the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

Though there is a huge variety of different makes and models of diabetic testing meters on the market, they all work in virtually the same way, some may require a little smaller drop of blood and some may “read” the sugar level quicker than the others, but the basic principal remains the same.

Diabetes testing meters have become quite common since one of the chief concerns in the proper management of diabetes is to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. With the use of the glucometer the diabetic patient can check their blood sugar quickly, and almost painlessly in the convenience of their own home. The ease of use of the diabetes testing meters makes it possible for the blood sugar to be tested many times per day so that the blood sugar levels can be manipulated via dietary changes or medication administration.

The key to the proper treatment of diabetes lies in the ability to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. While insulin and other medications and dietary changes can be used to manipulate blood sugar levels, without the humble diabetes testing meterss this would be an impossible task.

What is a high blood sugar level?

What is a high blood sugar level? That is a tough question to answer, because everyone is different, everyone has different body types and there are many factors to take into consideration such as age.

Determining what is a high blood sugar level or a normal blood sugar level can be tricky and often times difficult.

The blood glucose level is the amount of glucose or sugar in your blood. The sugar comes from what we eat and also from what has been stored inside the body. Our energy comes from this sugar or glucose and is carried to the rest of our body through the bloodstream.

What is a high blood sugar level reading is considered to be known as hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. When our bodies cannot make enough insulin or can’t respond to the amount of insulin that one takes then they body will be hyperglycemic.

If hyperglycemia goes untreated for long periods of time then it can result in serious health problems such as risk, heart disease, vision problems and nerve problems or damage. Kids are not as likely to suffer from this because normally they are newly diagnosed diabetic patients or patients who have just been diagnosed with diabetes. Long term damage from high blood sugar normally results from an older person who has let this problem go or not spoke out about the symptoms that they have been having.

What is a high blood sugar level? A high blood sugar level is normally considered high when the readings fall above your target range. A target range can occur when you have monitored your sugar levels for long periods of time and the doctor takes that into consideration with other factors such as age, gender and medical history. Your doctor or physician can help you determine what is a high blood sugar level for you?

Diabetic Foot Massager – Essential Item!

Is there anything else that can feel better after a long hard day at work than a 20 minute session relaxing with your feet on a diabetic foot massager?

Using a foot spa or a diabetic foot massager are both great ways to relieve and pamper your tense muscles, sooth those aches and pains associated with long periods of standing, walking, or just daily activities that cause discomfort for the feet.

Diabetics are more susceptible to foot problems than healthy people which in turn means if they get a cut, ulcer or blister it can lead to infection which if left untreated can cause permanent life threatening problems, lead to amputation and in the worst case, even death!

Diabetic Foot Massager – So Many Varieties!

A diabetic foot massager is available in all shapes, sizes and price ranges and make a great gift for anyone who is diabetic. One of my favorites I must admit, is the ‘Electric Muscle Stimulation’ variety. You just sit and relax, place your feet on the device where indicated and tiny pulses of electricity stimulate the nerves in the feet and legs. Of course there are adjustments so you would have it on a very mild pulse to start out with while you are getting used to the sensation. The action of nerve stimulation improves your blood flow and which then improves your circulation.

Other benefits of the Foot Massager…

Improves muscle strength
Reduces swelling
Slows down muscle wasting
And improves flexibility

Manual Diabetic Foot Roller

This is a cute little device I love also, because you can take it everywhere with your. Small and compact, doesn’t take up much room, perfect for traveling and even better when you sit back and get your partner to use it on your feet!

It’s very important to realize that it is quite common that even increasing age, does bring about issues with poor circulation and blood flow. Diabetes or not! We are probably all going to experience some level of the problems outlined above at some stage. We can all improve our circulation by more regular exercise and taking a closer look at what you eat.

Read more about how to treat diabetic foot pain treatment for Diabetic Neuropathy. HERE