Just How Low Is Low Blood Sugar

How low is low blood sugar?

Generally speaking, your blood sugar should never dip to 70 mg/dL or lower. When a person’s blood sugar dips lower than it should, this is known as hypoglycemia. It is a dangerous condition that could even be life threatening if not attended to. While hypoglycemia is more of a problem for diabetics than for non-diabetics, it should be noted that 70 mg/dL is the standard limit for what constitutes low blood sugar.

Causes and Symptoms

How Low Is Low Blood SugarHypoglycemia can be caused by one or more factors. It is often brought on if either glucose or insulin is released into the bloodstream too quickly. Taking insulin or diabetes medication at the wrong time can also cause hypoglycemia. Those who have diabetes should be sure to eat enough at mealtimes and for snack, especially if insulin has just been taken.

Skipping meals, drinking alcohol and/or changes in exercise habits can also bring about hypoglycemia if a person has diabetes type 2.

Some of the many symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

  • double vision
  • headaches
  • nervousness
  • rapid heartbeat
  • shaking
  • sweating
  • fatigue

However, there is also the danger of a person not feeling any of the above mentioned symptoms before more serious symptoms set in. Some of the most serious symptoms of hypoglycemia include fainting and seizures.

Blood Sugar Goals

Knowing how low is low blood sugar is not enough. A person needs to take action to ensure that his or her blood sugar levels remain stable. Generally speaking, a healthy person’s blood sugar levels should remain between 80 mg/dL and 160 mg/dL. While many diabetics have a higher range that what has been mentioned here, it is not impossible for a person with diabetes type 2 to attain to this healthy blood sugar level. However, those who have diabetes will want to consult a doctor, as one’s ideal blood sugar level range does vary from person to person.

An Introduction to Hemoglobin A1C Tests

Hemoglobin A1C tests can help to determine just how low is low blood sugar. These tests can be found in many doctor offices, but there are also home kits that can be used by a diabetic without professional medical help. The hemoglobin A1C home test should be used before mealtimes, after mealtimes and before going to bed. It will help one get a good idea of what his or her average blood sugar level is at various times of the day.

Ideally, a diabetic should strive for a blood sugar level of 80 mg/dL to 160 mg/dL. However, this goal may not be realistic for everyone, which is why consulting a doctor and using a Hemoglobin A1C home test kit is important. Knowing about blood sugar ranges, especially the low range will help keep you in good health.

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Just What Is Average Blood Sugar Level?

What is Average Blood SugarJust what is average blood sugar level? The answer to this question depends on various factors.

  • A person’s age and whether or not he or she has diabetes are two important determining factors.
  • The type of diabetes that one has and even the time of day that the testing is done are two more important factors to consider.

Generally speaking, your average blood sugar level should range from 4.0 mmol/L to 7.8 mmol.L. However, a person with type one diabetes will have an average blood sugar range 4 mmol/L up to 9 mmol/L; those with type two diabetes should have a normal blood sugar range of 4 mmol/L up to 8.5 mmol/L. Diabetic children will have a range of 4 mmol/L up to 10 mmol/L.

How Can This be Attained?

While the question of what is average blood sugar level is quite easy to answer, knowing how to attain this  desired level is not quite as easy. To start with, a person should get medical advice. Blood sugar levels that are either too high or too low can be an indication of not only diabetes but also liver cancer. A doctor determine the root cause of the problem and also give you good advice that can help you attain a desirable blood sugar level.

What Is Average Blood Sugar LevelDiabetics need to watch their diet, and eating enough food after taking insulin is a must. A doctor will also provide a diabetic with a list of foods and drinks that should be avoided. Keeping to a regular schedule is also important, as hypoglycemia can set in a diabetic exercises too much, or exercises at a different time than he or she is used to.

Testing and Reading Results

The answer to the question “what is average blood sugar level?”

This can also be determined by taking a hemoglobin A1C test. This type of test can and should be administered by a medical professional. A doctor will consider the results and will also take into account what a person has been eating or drinking right before taking the test. All foods will cause at least a small increase to blood sugar levels; however, some foods and drinks that are known to cause blood sugar levels to rise dramatically are potatoes, white rice, raisins and soft drinks.

average blood sugar level
Diabetes Home Test Kit

There are also home test kits that can be used by diabetics to determine their blood sugar level at any given time. These home kits do not take the place of doctor tests, but they can help a diabetic keep tabs on his or her blood sugar level throughout the day.

Keeping a steady blood sugar level is very important. There can be serious consequences if one’s blood sugar levels dip too high or too low on a regular basis. This is why knowing what your blood sugar level is at and what is considered the normal range for yourself is so vitally important!

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One Touch Blood Sugar

One Touch Blood SugarMy grandmother is a diabetic and she has been on insulin for over 16 years now. Over the years I have seen her try many different meters and always had the same looks and same experience with each one.

The idea of pain and agony and not wanting to take her blood. Around three months ago, she started using the one touch blood sugar meter or the one touch ultra mini.

This came in a large box and had the Mini Meter, a lancing device, test strips, lancets, a bottle of control solution, an owner’s manual, logbook, a quick start guide, and One Touch Management Software. She really likes the True Track system, and as she gets the test strips for free, she wanted to continue using it.

The meter is silver gray with a large display screen in the middle. To the right it has the up and down buttons. To the left is the test port, where the test strips are inserted. The meter measures four inches in length and only one inch in width. The 54 page owner’s manual explains how to set the date, time, etc., and also to ensure you have the correct code to match with the test strips. It guides you through these steps.

I love going to her house and reading the instruction manual even though I am not a diabetic myself but it allows me to gain more knowledge just about the one touch blood sugar meter but also allows me to gain more knowledge about diabetes itself so that when I am asked a question or need to help someone out then I can. Why not try the one touch blood sugar meter, one that will work for you and help you?

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Blood sugar level test

blood sugar level test
blood sugar level test

Do you have a family member who is diabetic? Do you have diabetes that runs in your family or a past medical history of diabetes? If this sounds like you then chances are you have been faced with the dreaded blood sugar level test.

The blood sugar level test can be given in various different ways such as drinking pure glucose. A lot of times your doctor will have you come into the office fasting and then ask you to drink a small bottle of pure glucose which is basically sugar water within a certain period of time and then you will be asked to either give a urine sample or a blood sample so that they can test your blood glucose level in order to see if you are a diabetic or not.

For most people hearing those dreaded words that they need to come in for a blood sugar level test is a hard thing to stomach but it has to be done in order to keep them safe, healthy and happy as well as to be able to live a long and healthy lifestyle. Diabetes is caused by insufficient insulin production or lack of responsiveness to insulin, resulting in hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels). There are 2 primary types of diabetes mellitus, type I (insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset), which may be caused by an autoimmune response, and type II (non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset).

When my grandmother was first diagnosed with diabetes many years ago, it was just a simple life changing habit of changing up some foods and diet and then knowing that she needed to monitor her sugar several times a day. When I have asked her about her trials and tribulations that she has gone through she said that the worst news she got was having her come in for a blood sugar level test which would let her know if she was a full blown diabetic or not.

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What is a blood glucose diary?

Blood Glucose DiaryWhat is a blood glucose diary? Diabetic log diary is charts used by diabetics to record each test manufactures little or none of the chemical known as insulin. The chemical/hormone Insulin is used to change the glucose (sugar) in the blood into useable cell fuel. The body’s cells can take in the sugar after the insulin as edited it. But when there’s not enough insulin hormone the glucose levels rise to dangerous levels. At high blood sugar levels the body suffers damage because of the excess sugar.

The damage caused by the hypoglycemia is severe heart disease and damage, nerve damage, eye damage, and kidney damage and failure. These effects of severe high blood sugar mean that those who have diabetes must constantly monitor their blood sugar levels so that they stay within safe limits.

Blood glucose diary is very important. They allow your diabetes doctor to monitor your sugar levels an sugar fluctuations and hone your diets and lifestyles to better control your diabetes.

1. The first use of keeping diabetic log diaryss is to monitor your blood sugars changes over time. You can also see what you were doing at that point of the day and how it affected your blood sugar.

2. Your diabetic doctor can see what your blood sugar levels for the day were and what you were doing at that time. This allows him to tell you what you should continue to do and what you should stop doing for your diabetes.

3. You can set a diabetic goal and try to keep to that goal improving your control over your diabetes. The American Diabetes Association supports the use of diabetic log books as they believe they are very helpful. So talk to your doctor about starting a blood glucose diary.

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