Signs of Elevated and Depleted Blood Sugar Levels
Managing blood sugar levels is crucial for individuals with diabetes, and understanding more about this essential aspect can provide additional information and resources.
Not being physically active can influence a person's blood sugar levels, making regular exercise an important part of diabetes management. However, there are several other factors that can affect blood sugar levels, such as illness, stress, sunburn, menstruation, lack of sleep, short- or long-term pain, dehydration, coffee, gum disease, and eating large amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods.
For those with diabetes, it's important to maintain healthy blood sugar levels to avoid complications. This can be achieved by exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, taking medication as prescribed, eating at regular times, avoiding skipping meals, eating foods low in trans or saturated fats, eating foods low in sugar and salt, drinking water instead of juice or soda, limiting alcohol intake, and avoiding foods that increase blood sugar levels.
Severe hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, can lead to complications such as passing out, seizures, brain damage, coma, and in some cases, death. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include hunger, tiredness, feeling shaky, dizziness or lightheadedness, confusion or irritability, fast or unsteady heartbeat, headaches, not being able to see or speak clearly, losing consciousness, seizures, coma, and inability to safely swallow food or drink.
On the other hand, hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, can result from the body's inability to produce sufficient insulin or cells not responding to insulin. Untreated or uncontrolled hyperglycemia can lead to complications such as retinopathy (damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye), nephropathy (deterioration of kidney function), neuropathy (damage to the nervous system), coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease.
Long-term complications of hyperglycemia primarily involve damage to blood vessels and nerves, leading to both microvascular and macrovascular issues. Microvascular complications affecting small blood vessels include diabetic retinopathy (eye damage leading to vision loss and blindness), diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage that can progress to end-stage renal disease), and diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage causing numbness, pain, and autonomic dysfunction). Macrovascular complications involving larger blood vessels increase risks of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Hyperglycemia also impairs skin healing, which can result in infections and ulcers, particularly in the feet, sometimes leading to serious complications like amputations.
For hypoglycemia, long-term complications are mostly related to repeated severe episodes that can cause acute neurological effects, such as confusion, seizures, loss of consciousness, and in rare cases, death. Hypoglycemia can also lead to the development of hypoglycemia unawareness, where the body's normal warning symptoms diminish, increasing the risk of severe hypoglycemic events.
Overall, both chronic hyperglycemia and episodes of hypoglycemia represent significant challenges and risks in diabetes management, necessitating careful glycemic control to minimize complications. Severe hypoglycemia is a life-threatening medical emergency that requires urgent medical attention.
[1] American Diabetes Association. (2021). Diabetes Care. [2] National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021). Diabetes Overview. [3] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Hypoglycemia. [4] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Diabetes. [5] World Health Organization. (2021). Diabetes.
- Beyond managing blood sugar levels, individuals with diabetes also need to address complications such as coronary artery disease, retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and peripheral vascular disease.
- Science and medical research have linked chronic diseases like diabetes with multiple health-and-wellness issues, including hypoglycemia and peripheral vasculardisease.
- Proper nutrition plays a vital role in diabetes management, aiming to consume foods low in trans or saturated fats, sugar, and salt, while limiting alcohol intake and avoiding foods that increase blood sugar levels.
- In addition to regular exercise, therapies-and-treatments like medication, timing of meals, and hydration are critical for controlling blood sugar levels effectively.
- Mental health is equally important in managing diabetes, as emotional well-being can affect food choices, exercise routines, and overall self-care, which could lead to chronic diseases or complications like hypoglycemia.
- Achieving fitness-and-exercise goals, practicing stress reduction techniques, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are essential for preventing diabetes, managing symptoms, and reducing the risk of long-term complications like hypoglycemia and chronic-diseases.
