By Gary J. Sanders
The main problem with Diabetes Mellitus is the rising blood sugar level, which constantly tends to fluctuate, unless properly regulated. What is the effect of diabetes on blood sugar levels?
Blood sugar is the rate of sugar or glucose present in the blood. It is additionally referred to as the 'serum glucose level' and is measured in millimoles per liter or mmol/L. Blood sugar levels usually stay within the range of 4-8 mmol/L, but can also go higher immediately after meals. These levels are the lowest early in the morning, when you have yet not had your cup of coffee or your breakfast.
In the case of diabetes, the blood sugar levels record a constant high and keep rising steadily, sometimes even very sharply, unless and until treated properly. In some cases, this level can rise unexpectedly in spite of being in good control.
How is a rise in blood sugar levels harmful to health?
A sharp and steep rise in blood sugar levels is known to give rise to tremendous complications, many a time, targeting the vital organs of the body. Consistently high blood glucose over the period of a few years can even lead to severe small blood vessel damage. This can, in turn, cause serious related complications, such as the following:
- Neuropathy or nerve disorders
- Retinopathy or eye disorders
- Nephropathy or kidney disorders
- Heart disease and cardiac failure, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke.
- In the worst cases, gangrene development, which might lead to the amputation of the extremely affected part(s).
So now you can see just how bad diabetes can get if your blood sugar shoots up far beyond acceptable levels
In the case of Type 1 Diabetes, the harmful effects of the disease show up as many as 10 or 15 years after its diagnosis. But with Type 2 Diabetes, it might take less than a decade for it to show its complete range of effects on your body. This is due to the fact that the disorder might have been silently present inside your system for several years prior to the diagnosis!
Keeping your blood glucose levels stable and under control takes care of you and helps keep the adverse health developments at bay.
What are the ideal blood sugar levels?
- About 4-7mmol/L prior to meals
- Lesser than 10mmol/L about one and a half hours after meals
- About 8mmol/L at bedtime
How often should I test my blood sugar levels?
That really depends on a variety of factors, which can be broadly categorized as follows:
- Insulin dependant
In case you are insulin dependant, you should ideally test at least once or twice a day, before meals. The result will give you an idea about how much insulin you will need overnight.
- Non-insulin dependant
1. In case you have Type 2 Diabetes and are not insulin dependant, you should take oral treatment, strictly as per your physician's advice. Ideally, you should also check blood glucose levels once or twice a week, either at fasting or post-lunch.
2. You could also get a full-day profile done once a month or so, or as per your doctor's advice.
Monitoring and regulating blood sugar levels for diabetes patients is vital, as it helps prevent the onset of many other serious complications later in life.
Gary Sanders is an expert on diabetes blood sugar level and diabetes sufferer. He has dedicated the last decade of his life to mastering every aspect of diabetes including nutrition, symptoms of diabetes, diagnosis, and prevention. He has created an award winning guide that is available at http://www.DiabetesSymptomsGuide.com
