Product Description
This accessible, informative book answers the most frequently asked questions about blood glucose levels. The authors address a wide range of concerns, correct common misconceptions and set out to educate how best to monitor and control blood glucose levels to maintain optimum health. Among the questions they address are: What is a normal blood glucose level? What is the glycaemic index? What can I do to bring my blood glucose levels down? Which carbohydrates will raise my blood glucose the least? There are times when I crave something sweet. What should I have? Also included is a handy AZ table of glycaemic index vales for hundreds of foods and beverages. This is a indispensable guide for everyone seeking clear, scientifically based information about the links between food, exercise, weight and blood glucose levels.

What Makes My Blood Glucose Levels Go Up…and Down?

Product Description
This accessible, informative book answers the most frequently asked questions about blood glucose levels. The authors address a wide range of concerns, correct common misconceptions and set out to educate how best to monitor and control blood glucose levels to maintain optimum health. Among the questions they address are: What is a normal blood glucose level? What is the glycaemic index? What can I do to bring my blood glucose levels down? Which carbohydrates will raise my blood glucose the least? There are times when I crave something sweet. What should I have? Also included is a handy AZ table of glycaemic index vales for hundreds of foods and beverages. This is a indispensable guide for everyone seeking clear, scientifically based information about the links between food, exercise, weight and blood glucose levels.

What Makes My Blood Glucose Levels Go Up…and Down?: And 101 Other Frequently Asked Questions About Your Blood Glucose Levels

Whenever our glucose level rises or at low level, it may indicate of a medical condition. It is greatly affected
by the regulation of our insulin and glucagon in our body. Whenever one of the two are dominant, then
it will rise to an alteration of our blood sugar. As nutritional aspect greatly affects this condition,
hereditary aspect also plays role in behind this phenomenon. It is believed that the diabetic condition
of a parent can be passed down to the next generation. Even if the child eats minimal amount of
composition of sugar in the intake of food.

However, maintaining a normal blood glucose level is like playing a seesaw. If you want to normalize the
level of your glucose in blood, then you must be able to keep the both ends of the seesaw in parallel with
each other. So when glucagon is playing hard, the blood sugar will rise, so insulin needs to double up in
order to have equal pace with glucagon. Also, whenever insulin is dominant, then the glucose level will
deplete, letting glucagon strive hard to make up with the level of insulin.

So, it is usually advised that when glucose level decreases, the patient is advised to intake maximum
amount of sugar required by the body. He needs to supply coke, candy, chocolates, or any other sweets
around the corner so as to avoid lethargy, irritability, shaking, weakness in arm and leg muscles and also
sweating. And also, if glucose in blood increases, then the patient is advised to inject prescribed dose of
insulin to equalize the amount of glucose in blood back to its normal value and to maintain a low carbohydrate
diabetic diet to avoid convulsions, shock, severe liver disease and risk for obesity.

Thus, there are tests available to check for glucose levels.
1. “Fasting blood sugar” test. This evaluates blood glucose levels after a fast — typically 8 hours long. Usually
taken first thing in the morning when their blood sugar in not impacted by eating or drinking.
2. “2 hour postprandial” blood glucose test. This evaluates blood sugar levels two hours after eating, and if
the result is ranging from 70 and 99, then the patient has normal blood sugar level.
3. Random blood glucose testing. This tests sugar levels all through the entire day — regardless of
consumption of food, activity, exercise or sleeping. Blood sugar should be in between 70 and 135.
4. Glucose tolerance test. This test is performed where patient is advised to drink a liquid that is mostly made
up of glucose. This is to see the reaction of blood immediately after a high amount of sugar is consumed
and then released into the blood.

Glucose is the primary compact of energy stored in the body and it is the main source of energy intended for the body cells, lipids and fats. The glucose is then transported from the liver towards the body cells through the bloodstream and being absorbed with the body cells through the involvement of insulin. Insulin is the hormone that is normally produced by the body through the pancreas.

The normal blood glucose level is 10mM or 140mg/dL. Though the sugar levels may fluctuate in day time, it rises once you finished taking a meal for about one-two hours with little grams. Sugar level is at the lowest point at the morning prior to the first meal for that day and it is termed as the “fasting level”. For the total sum of glucose to the blood is about 3.3 to 7g by presuming the normal volume of an adult blood of 5 liters.

Once the blood glucose level is beyond the normal level range, it is an indication of a problem with the health. The persistent high sugar level is hyperglycemia and the below normal level is referred to as hypoglycemia. The term diabetes mellitus is illustrated by a continual hyperglycemia at any possible causes, it is tagged as the major disease which is related to the failure of blood sugar guidelines. Some transitory hyperglycemia was resulted from severe pressures such as stroke, trauma, surgery or heart attack.

Normal Values
There have been several factors that may affect an individual’s blood glucose levels. The bodies’ homeostatic mechanisms once working normally can reinstate the blood glucose level to a fine range at around 4.4- 6.1mmol/L or 82-110 mg/dL.

In spite of some widely changeable intervals among meals, otherwise the irregular eating of meals with considerable carbohydrates loaded, blood glucose levels will still remain to its normal level range. On the other hand, soon after eating, blood sugar levels might go up temporarily at the height of 7.8 mmol/L or 140 mg/dL.
The post-mealglucose level that is lesser than 10mmol/L or 180mg/dL and the pre-meal glucose level that is of 5 to 7.2mmol/L or 90 to 140 mg/dL was recommended by American Diabetes Association.

The definite amount of sugar within the blood along with the body fluids was very little. To a healthy male adult with 75kg or 165 lbs within a 5 liters or 1.3 gal volume of blood, the blood sugar level is 100 mg/dL or 5.5 mmol/L that corresponds to around 5g of sugar in blood and 45g within the body water.

Normal blood sugar levels may not be normal for you if you have had high blood sugar for a long period of time. High blood sugar or hyperglycemia may go undetected especially if it rises gradually, because you don not notice the symptoms. Or, if you do notice them, you may attribute them to something else.

Some people are not diagnosed with diabetes until they are hospitalized for one reason or another. That reason may be a heart attack or stroke and often is. One reason for this is long-term problems associated with hyperglycemia include heart disease and stroke (as well as blindness, kidney disease, impotence, nerve disease and loss of limbs).

So, you can see that bringing your blood sugar levels down to normal, if they have been elevated, is very important. To complicate the situation, normal blood sugar levels depend on when the test was taken. A fasting blood sugar or blood glucose level is taken after one has not eaten for 8-12 hours and the normal for a fasting blood sugar is lower than after one has eaten.

A nondiabetic will have a normal fasting blood sugar level somewhere between 70 and 100 mg/dL. The a normal fasting, or just prior to a meal, blood sugar level for a diabetic is less than 110 or 120 mg/dL.

Blood sugar levels 1- 2 hours after a meal are less than 140 mg/dL in a nondiabetic. Diabetics will often have higher after meal blood sugar levels with the goal (depending upon the diabetic group or organization) being 140-180 mg/dL or less.

How much a diabetic’s blood sugar levels will increase after a meal depends upon the kind and amount of carbohydrate consumed, if they are producing insulin and if so, how much, and how sensitive their insulin is to the carbohydrate consumed. The rise in blood sugar is also related to the amount, kind and level of physical activity. Physical activity helps to utilize the glucose in the blood, letting it enter the cell where it can be used for energy.

Diabetic medications along with lifestyle changes like physical activity and consistent carbohydrate intakes are used to help bring blood sugars to normal. The goal is blood glucose control to help prevent the complications and symptoms of diabetes, whether the diabetes is type 1, 1.5, 2 or 3 diabetes. The diabetic should work with their health care provider to determine their goal range for blood sugar. The goal, then, is to reach and keep blood glucose in that range on a normal or usual basis. This often requires lifestyle changes in the areas of physical activity, food intake and medication regime.

Short-term problems include high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Long-term problems include blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, impotence, nerve disease and loss of limbs. Nerve disease can affect the feet and legs as numbness, pain or a burning, tingling sensation. Loss of limbs is the result when amputations are needed because of poor circulation, infection or nerve disease.

Normal blood sugar levels depend on when the test was taken. A fasting normal blood glucose level is taken from a person who has not eaten for 8-12 hours. A person who does not have diabetes will have a normal fasting blood glucose level somewhere between 70 and 100 mg/dL. The goal for people with diabetes for a fasting blood glucose level is less than 110 mg/dL or in some cases 120 mg/dL. This is also the goal for normal blood sugar levels just prior to meals.

Blood sugar levels after meals, specifically 2 hours after one starts eating (2 hour postprandial blood glucose level), are less than 140 mg/dL in a person who is not diabetic. Poorly controlled diabetics will often have higher 2 hour postprandial (after meal) blood sugar levels depending upon how much carbohydrate they have consumed, how much insulin they are producing and how responsive their insulin is to the carbohydrate consumed. Other diabetic medications they may be taking and the effectiveness of that medication regimen are also an important factor in controlling blood glucose levels. Your health care team will help you set the blood glucose target range that is right for you. These guidelines apply to many people. Your target range may be higher or lower than these guidelines.

Another test your doctor may run is hemoglobin A1C (Hgb A1C) or sometimes just referred to as A1C. Hemoglobin A1C results give a number followed by a % sign. The test results of a person who is not diabetic will be less than 6%. Good control for a diabetic is often less than 6% as well. The initial goal for a diabetic person is to lower hemoglobin A1C to between 6 and 7%.

Hemoglobin A1C gives a 2 to 3 month perspective of what your blood glucose or blood glucose has been. It basically gives a 2 to 3 month blood glucose average. It gives it in a percentage based upon how many sugar molecules attach to the hemoglobin molecules (2 to 3 month life) in your red blood cells. That percentage then equates to blood glucose ranges. For instance, an A1C level of 6% is equal to a daily glucose testing average between 115 and 150 mg/dL, an A1C level of 7% equates to a daily glucose testing average of 150-180 mg/dL.

In summary, in a person who is not diabetic normal blood sugar levels are considered to be less than 100 mg/dL fasting or before a meal and less than 140 mg/dL 2 hours after the start of a meal. Blood glucose levels of diabetics can run too high causing short-term problems like hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Long-term complications can be serious and include blindness and kidney, heart and nerve disease.

• ISBN13: 9781569243022
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Product Description
Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller and Kaye Foster-Powell — authors of the New York Times best-seller The New Glucose Revolution,— and David Mendosa, a leading diabetes journalist, answer the most frequently asked questions about blood glucose levels. They address a wide range of concerns, correct common misconceptions, and educate how best to monitor and control glucose levels. Among the questions addressed are:

• What is a normal blood glucose level? • What can I do to bring down my blood glucose levels when they’re high? • Can being stressed really have something to do with my high blood glucose? • Which carbohydrates will raise my blood glucose the least? • What is the glycemic index? • When I crave something sweet, what should I have?

This book is for everyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, those who experience blood sugar lows (or highs) during the course of a day, people clinically diagnosed with hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, those with the metabolic syndrome or Syndrome X, and everyone interested in taking preventative measures to preserve good health. An indispensable guide, this book is for those who want clear, scientifically-based information about the connection between food, exercise, weight, and blood glucose levels.

The New Glucose Revolution What Makes My Blood Glucose Go Up . . . and Down?: 101 Frequently Asked Questions About Your Blood Glucose Levels