Diabetes Management: Tips for Lowering Blood Sugar

Those who are diagnosed with diabetes are often given rapid-acting insulin injections that they can do themselves in case they need to regulate their blood sugar level quickly. Insulin injections are the fastest way to lower blood sugar. Another way to quickly lower blood sugar is through exercise and staying hydrated, though this isn’t always the safest option so ensure you are meeting with a doctor if your blood sugar needs to be lowered frequently to discuss the best options. There are some cases in which a dangerously high blood sugar level should just be treated at a hospital as soon as possible.

For longer-term blood sugar level regulation, having a healthy, balanced diet that has fewer carbs and more foods that promote overall health can help to optimize blood sugar levels. A healthy diet is one of the most crucial aspects of ensuring a regulated blood sugar level.

A normal, healthy blood sugar level measured using an A1C test should be below 5.7% or equal to or below 99 mg/dL (results of a fasting blood sugar test). If someone is prediabetic, their A1C test will show their blood sugar level to be slightly higher, being between 5.7% and 6.4%, and reading between 100 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL from a fasting blood sugar test. An A1C test will read at 6.5% blood sugar level or higher for those who are diabetic, and their fasting blood sugar test results will be equal to or above 126 mg/dL.

Your blood sugar level can influence quite a bit else in your body if it is not properly managed. If the levels sway too far from your target range frequently, it can cause serious health problems that can be long-term such as vision loss, kidney disease, and heart disease. Having consistently uncontrolled blood sugar levels has also been shown to cause dementia. As well, being able to stay in the target range recommended for your blood sugar levels can help you maintain your energy and mood, and can help with bladder issues.

If your blood sugar levels are frequently higher than what is considered healthy for you and stay high for long periods of time (for months or even years), permanent damage could be developed in the eyes, nerves, kidneys, or blood vessels. Having a higher blood sugar level also just comes with its own symptoms including dry mouth and increased thirst, feeling the need to pee more frequently, blurry vision, weight loss that is unintentional, and infections such as thrush, skin infections, and bladder infections.

Some indicators to look out for that can be caused by untreated high blood sugar include vomiting, excessive thirst and hunger, a quickened heartbeat, problems with vision, thrush, bladder infections, skin infections, lack of energy, and much more. Patients have also noted that they were prone to mood swings and were often feeling irritable, and had lost some of their muscle bulk.
 
Visit our clinic for diabetes management. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 3014 53rd Ave East, Bradenton, FL 34203. We serve patients from Bradenton FL, Ellenton FL, Palmetto FL, Rubonia FL, Foxleigh FL, West Samoset FL, and surrounding areas.