Normal Blood Sugar Levels - Real Life Experience

If anybody raises the question "What are normal blood sugar levels?", the answer is simply beating the same track repeatedly. From a diabetes blood sugar levels chart, it is read that the normal blood sugar readings are 70 - 100 mgs as fasting blood sugar levels and 100 - 140 mgs as random. However, type 2 diabetes blood sugar levels are not within these limits with blood sugar sensitivity. But anyhow it is not exclusive since there are some factors of normal blood sugar levels - hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

Normal Blood Glucose Levels - What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels?

What are normal blood glucose levels is a concern for those who might have a blood sugar issue or have been diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes. Hopefully, you are lucky enough to have your blood sugar levels under control. If you or someone you know is having problems in this area, read on. We will explore what normal blood sugar levels are.

What is glucose? Glucose is a form of sugar that travels through the human blood stream. It usually enters your body in the form of foods high in carbohydrates. You can regulate glucose levels through the body's use of insulin and glucagon hormones which are produced by the pancreas. The problem arises if the pancreas is unable to generate the proper amount of glucose to keep your body in check.

Normal blood glucose levels typically register between 70 and 150 mg. The level in someone's body will change during the day and is affected by many factors including what time of day it is as well as what your most recent meal was (or was not). There is danger associated with levels either below or above the range. If your level is below 70, you most likely have a condition called hypoglycemia or more commonly called low blood sugar. Other symptoms of hypoglycemia include lack of energy, focus and irritability. You can even lose consciousness if your glucose is too low.

If the level of sugar in your blood is over 150 mg, then you are considered to be hyperglycemic, also more commonly known as having high blood sugar. If you have persistent high sugar, then you are at risk for diabetes which can result in serious organ damage to your eyes, kidneys and other organs. If you do not have normal blood glucose levels, you should take all necessary steps to reverse the condition.

There are a variety of tests available to check for glucose levels.

1) The "fasting blood sugar" test evaluates glucose levels after a fast - typically 8 hours long. This is why most people take this test the first thing in the morning (where their blood sugar would not be impacted by eating, drinking). If the test results for the blood fall between 70 and 99, the patient is considered to be at a normal range.

2) The "2 hour postprandial" blood glucose test evaluates sugar levels exactly two hours after eating. If the results for this blood test are between 70 and 99, the patient is considered to have normal glucose levels.

3) Random blood glucose testing tests sugar levels all through the entire day - regardless of food consumption, activity, exercise or sleep. For this test, the blood glucose result level should fall between 70 and 135.

4) The glucose tolerance test is performed where the patient drinks a liquid that is mostly made up of glucose. The purpose of the test is to see the blood's reaction immediately after a high amount of sugar is consumed and then released into the blood.

Acceptable Blood Glucose Levels May Vary, Understand Them and Stay in Control

We have often heard doctors advising diabetics to ensure that blood glucose levels are normal. In other words it is very important to maintain acceptable blood glucose levels. The concentration of blood sugar in a mammal's blood is the blood glucose level, which is usually expected to be in a reference range between 4mmol/L and 6mmol/L. Levels higher than that range are a cause of concern and need medication as per doctor's advice. Failure to maintain normal levels leads to hyperglycemia (higher level) or hypoglycemia (lower level). Acceptable blood sugar levels cannot be specific values, and your doctor would be the best person to answer what is safe for you depending upon your health status.

Normal values of blood glucose level

The blood glucose level varies at different times of the day. In most humans you would normally find the levels within a range of 80mg/dL to 110mg/dl i.e. 3.9 to 6.0mmol/L. The level goes up temporarily shortly after eating up to maybe 140mg/dL. The level is on a lower side in the early morning before you have your first meal.

Blood sugar tests and their normally acceptable blood glucose levels

* Fasting blood sugar test: The fasting blood sugar test is conducted after you fast for at least eight hours. The normal range for this test is 70 to 100mg/dL or 3.9 to 5.6mmol/L.
* Random blood sugar test: This test is conducted to measure blood sugar at any point in time of the day. Though there is no specific level defined, the sugar level should not be acceptable if higher than 200mg/dL i.e. 11.1mmol/L.
* Oral glucose tolerance test: This test measures the response of your body to sugar intake. First the fasting blood sugar level is measured. Then you are given a sugary solution and your blood sugar level is measured after 1 hour and then after 2 hours after you have the solution. This test is often used to screen pregnant women for gestational diabetes. The normal sugar level for this test is lower than 141mg/dL i.e. 7.8mmol/L.
* A1C test (glycated hemoglobin): This test is used to gauge how well you are managing your diabetes. This test is used to measure your average blood sugar for the past two to three months. It shows what percentage of hemoglobin is sugar coated (glycated). The acceptable level for non diabetics is 4 to 6 percent. For the diabetics the normal acceptable level is lower than 7 percent. Doctors may recommend it to be 6% during pregnancy. The level more than 7 may indicate a change to your diabetes treatment plan.

It is very important to know the higher values as well. There can be different reasons for higher levels other than diabetes, like severe stress, heart attack, stroke, medicines like corticosteroids or excess production of growth hormone. Doctors may advice you to take different tests to find if you have diabetes. Usually the criteria is fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dL i.e. 7.0mmol/L or higher, for oral glucose tolerance test of 200 mg/dL i.e. 11.1mmol/L and other symptoms of diabetes like frequent urination, unexplained weight loss and increase in appetite, fatigue etc.

The acceptable blood glucose levels may vary depending upon your diabetes and other health conditions. Your doctor would be the best person to express the most acceptable levels. Ensure that you regularly test your sugar level and take due care, medication, exercises, and diet control to keep it within the acceptable range.

Drink lots of water because it is calorie free and helps to flush away the toxins. Flavored water, an excellent healthy drink for diabetics! Did you know that flavored carbonated water has no calories, sugar, body, sweetener, color or preservatives? Read more about flavored and carbonated water at carbonatedseltzerwater

High Blood Sugar - What Are Considered Normal Blood Glucose Levels?

The normal blood sugar level for a person depends upon when the test for blood glucose is performed as well as whether an individual is diabetic or not. When performed in the morning before the first meal - fasting blood sugar - the normal range is from 70 to 100 milligrams per deciliter. This test is performed without food for the six to eight hours previous and should not be confused with either the preprandial test. A preprandial test, one performed two hours before a meal, will have a range from 80 to 110 milligrams per deciliter. A postprandial test is performed after a meal, typically two hours after eating, and should not exceed 145 milligrams per deciliter.

However, these levels are not those recommended by the American Diabetes association for diabetics. Preprandial (including fasting), the blood sugar is expected to be from 70 to 130 milligrams per deciliter. The postprandial glucose level should be below 180 milligrams per deciliter. Diabetics, either because of insulin resistance or reduced insulin production, are unable to metabolize glucose as well as non0diabetics, hence the higher normal levels.

The blood glucose level, even for diabetics, is actually a rather narrow range, however levels out of range can be harmful and even life-threatening. A blood sugar level below 70 milligrams per deciliter is termed hypoglycemia, and below 60 to 65 milligrams per deciliter, an individual will begin to feel and show symptoms - shakiness, hunger, and racing of the heart among others. As blood sugar drops below 50 and further, mental function is affected and progressively deteriorates leading to unconsciousness and seizures.

At the other extreme is hyperglycemia, a glucose blood level above 180 milligrams per deciliter. However, symptoms - especially frequent or excessive hunger, thirst, or urination - often aren't experienced until the level reaches 270 to 360 milligrams per deciliter. It should be noted that a chronic, sustained blood glucose level of just 125 milligrams per deciliter can lead to organ damage.

How to Maintain Normal Blood Sugar Levels - Real Life Experience

Human health and Mechanical life:

By years rolling on, it is getting mechanized in all walks of life. This is due to the vast development of latest technologies in various areas influencing human life. In one angle, the enhancement of technical support makes human life lazier as well as easier. Naturally the love for sophisticated life is increasing proportionally everyday with everybody. In another angle, sophisticated life style is the worst machinery resulting in several bodily diseases. Among them, Blood pressure and blood sugar are significantly serious ones. The main reason is want of sufficient knowledge about the actual nature of diabetes and controlling blood sugar.

What is normal blood sugar level?

It is simply beating the same track repeatedly to mention that it is 70 - 100 as fasting blood sugar level and 100 - 140 mgms as random. But anyhow it is not exclusive since there are some factors influencing normal blood sugar.

Tips to diabetics with high blood sugar:

Diabetes can be overcome by following tips for controlling blood sugar.

Consulting a physician and taking medicines to reduce blood sugar
Planning and fixing the life style and taking balanced diet.
Self study and avoiding unnecessary fear.
Observing other diabetic patients and getting clues
Saying good bye to mechanized way of life
Physical exercise to boost up the heart function
Awareness of the problem and avoiding unnecessary fears and imaginations
Blood sugar level should be compared with age
Know that sugar level depends on dosage and quality of tablets taken
Know that sugar level in random test depends on the time passed after taking food, quantity and quality of food

Success rate to maintain normal sugar levels:

If a diabetic patient is simply to depend on medical care alone, the level of success rate to maintain normal blood sugar levels is not so appreciable. If the patient plans well his ways, it helps to fix the cause and effect in which the success rate to maintain normal fasting blood sugar level as well as random blood sugar level is a little higher. If he takes efforts to study his health condition by introspection with reference to each and every action taken by him and the consequences, it helps more to maintain his own health against diabetes. Along with these, close observation and sharing of experiences regarding the diabetic problems of others also gives him confidence that he is better than others.

Psychological support to reduce high blood sugar level:

Psychologically one should think to feel better than others. Unnecessary fears created by medical warnings like "Diabetes cannot be cured totally but can be maintained only", " You cannot overcome the hereditary effects of diabetes from parents", " Diabetes follows and has its end until the last day of life", "Diabetes is a silent killer", "Periodical test should be taken at least once in three months". It is true to certain extent only and not to worry much. There are diabetics who have overcome its intensity and maintain normal health even without paying for consultants and medicines but simply by following the tips in guiding how to maintain normal blood sugar levels sticking to the restricted and balanced food habits.

Foods to Lower Blood Glucose - Top Three Foods to Control Glucose Levels

The level of blood sugar in the body is closely related to healthy functioning of the human system. Imbalances in the blood sugar can lead to many problems such as obesity, diabetes or binge eating. A good way to treat this imbalance is to adopt foods to control blood glucose levels. These foods help to lower blood glucose and maintain it at a healthy rate.

Oatmeal:

Oatmeal is one of those carbohydrates that are high in fiber. The high fiber content helps to slow down the speed of digestion. This is because the digestive system takes more time to process the nutrients and carbohydrate from the fiber content. As a result there is a slow and constant release of glucose from the oatmeal. This keeps the blood sugar level constant, and keeps you full for a longer time. Consequently you will eat less and will be able to lose weight as well. Other high fiber whole grains such as barley are also effective which helps in controlling the level of blood glucose.

Non starchy vegetables:

Vegetables like broccoli, beans, peas and spinach which have little or no starch are also a good choice to lower blood sugar level as they are high in fiber and low in carbohydrates. These are especially good for people with diabetes. And they help to supply a good amount of nutrition and fiber without adding too many carbohydrates.

Strawberries:

Strawberries are an ideal snack compared to candy or chocolate because they contain fructose, but at the same time they are rich in fiber and have a lot of water as well. Their overall carbohydrate and calorie content is low. They are also fare low on the Glycemic chart due to high fiber content. So the release of sugar is not sudden but slow and controlled.

Lean meat:

Lean meats such as turkey, skinned chicken breast and fatless cuts of meat are high in protein. They do not have a significant effect on the blood sugar level. They also rate low on the Glycemic index which means that they take time to digest. This will ensure that you will feel full for longer.

Cinnamon:

Recent research has found that cinnamon may be very useful in controlling blood sugar levels because it has works like insulin to digest sugar. Experiments have proved that a regular intake of cinnamon extract has a moderate effect in reducing blood sugar levels.