Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Normal Blood Sugar Levels - Real Life Experience
Friday, January 14, 2011
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.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
How to Keep a Normal Blood Pressure
The dangerous thing about most medical conditions that relate to the heart, such as high blood pressure, are that there are often no symptoms that indicate a problem. The only way to know if your heart is healthy is to see a doctor once a year for a checkup.
Getting a blood pressure reading is imperative in diagnosing high blood pressure. If you haven't had your blood pressure taken before the procedure is painless, non-invasive, and easy.
Basically, the nurse on hand will wrap a cuff around your arm, inflate it and then deflate it, while listening to your heartbeat. What they are looking to determine is the force of the blood circulating through the blood vessels.
There are two numbers in a blood pressure reading and these numbers indicate the force of the blood upon entry and exit from your heart. These numbers are termed systolic and diastolic.
When the nurse or your doctor writes the down the reading it will look like a fraction. The systolic number will be on top while the diastolic number will be on the bottom.
What Is A Normal Blood Pressure Reading?
A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80. There is a condition that is called pre-hypertensive and it has readings that range from 120/80 up to 139/89. Stage one hypertension is will have a blood pressure reading of 140/90 up to 159/99. Stage two hypertension will show a reading over 160/100.
How To Maintain Normal Blood Pressure
There are many ways to maintain normal blood pressure, but most importantly you need to get regular exercise (30 min. - 1hr a day). Regular exercise will help keep you fit and will give your heart the workout that it needs. Exercising regularly also maintains the flow of your circulatory system thus eliminating any artery clogging or build up that can cause heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
To maintain a normal blood pressure level you also want to eat a diet of organic food (mostly fruit, vegetables and nuts). Minimize the amount of processed food that you eat.
Not only is processed food fattening and addictive it is also made with chemicals (read the ingredients) that are foreign to the human body. These foods leave you at high risk for things like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Stop Smoking And Lower Your Stress
Smoking can also contribute to high blood pressure so stop. Stress is also a big contributor to high blood pressure, and most medical conditions for that matter, so you need to learn how to lower the amount of stress in your life if you want to be healthy.
Take up yoga or tai chi, exercise regularly, learn to meditate, eat right, and you will conquer stress. This is very important as to lower your susceptibility to hypertension; you must learn to handle stress properly. Good luck on your journey towards health and wellness!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Normal Blood Sugar Range - Types of Blood Test That Will Help
Sugar in the blood is the blood is the to human and animals. So how does this sugar get into the blood? Sugar is present in our blood mainly because of the foods we eat mainly carbohydrates. The sugar level is controlled by a hormone known as insulin which is made by the pancreases. What this means is the insulin converts these sugars into much needed energy for the body.
So what should be the normal blood sugar range in a person?
Normal Levels: Are 70 - 150 mg
The blood sugar usually moves in-between these two values throughout the day, depending on the types of food we eat. It sometime may go above or below required limit and get back to normal after a while. If your blood sugar is either to low or too high for a long period of time, it is not a good sign.
If the levels go above 150mg for a period of time then the person is said to have high blood sugar or hyperglycemia and if the levels is lower than 70mg then the person is known to have low blood pressure or hypoglycemia
If you constantly have high blood sugar and do not cure it on time it results in diabetes. If diabetes is not treated on time it can lead to eye, kidney, heart and nerve damage.
Types Of Blood Test To Diagnose Diabetes
1.Fasting Blood Test
The best way to measure the sugar levels in the blood is to do a blood test. If a person is being diagnosed for diabetes the first test he normally undergoes is the fasting blood test, where the patient fasts for 8 hours before the blood test, if his blood sugar levels are between 70mg and 99mg then he is safe.
2. 2 hour Postprandial Blood Sugar Test
This test is done 2 hours after eating meals, In this test the blood sugar levels should be in between 70-145 mg.
3.The Random Testing Method.
This test id done several time a day , the normal levels for this test should be in between 70-125mg, if the results vary then this may indicate a problem.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
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.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
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.
Monday, July 26, 2010
The Blood Sugar Level Chart - A Crucial Tool in Maintaining a Normal Blood Glucose Level
Contrary to common belief, understanding the body's sugar levels through a blood sugar level chart is not only for people who have diabetes. As the matter of fact, it can be as an early warning if the body will develop diabetes and in some instances be the key to preventing diabetes. However, even with blood sugar chart, maintaining a healthy blood sugar level can still be a difficult task for some, depending on how their body utilizes and responds to glucose.
In normal cases, blood sugar or glucose, which is the main means of transporting energy to all of the body's cells, is maintained through insulin - which in turn, is the chemical that injects blood sugar to the various cells of the body. Whenever food that contains more than normal sugar level enters the body, extra insulin is produced to lower the blood stream's sugar ratio so that it can accommodate the extra amount of sugar going in. Experts agree that this makes the body a little bit more hyperactive as the body cells receive a sudden boost of energy.
This ability to maintain the body's sugar ratio diminishes when one develops diabetes - when, due to some reasons, the pancreas stops or reduces its insulin production. In these cases, having a blood sugar level chart gains a paramount importance as the body stops automatically using up "extra" sugar in the bloodstream. Too much blood sugar damages small blood vessels, the usual victim is the eyes since there are a lot of small blood vessels lining your eyes. Hence, keeping a blood sugar level chart is important to further prevent damages to blood vessels.
A normal person's body sugar ratio normally ranges in between 4 to 8 mmol/l. This unit measures how much glucose is present per liter of blood plasma. As said, your body adjusts to the many factors affecting the blood sugar in the body. Hence, your levels may vary depending on how far you are from your meals or what your mood is. Your normal body sugar level before meals is anywhere between 4 to 7 mmol/l. 90 minutes after a meal as your body begins to intake digested food, it goes up to just below 10 mmol/l. Before and during your sleep, as your body prepares to rest, your body sugar stabilizes at 8 mmol/l.
Going below these levels are harmful too. This condition known as hypoglycemia can lead to coma or fainting. Mildly, this causes clumsiness. Severely, it can lead to death. If asleep, hypoglycemia can cause nightmares and feeling tired or confused after waking up. In normal people, whenever the body's sugar level goes dangerously low, it triggers hunger, thus prompting the person to eat and have an early glucose intake. The body still responds and prevents this condition. However, there are instances when the body can't especially when the person has a habit of skipping meals, the body would not have enough glucose stored in the liver and in the muscles, thus causing weakness or sleepiness.
In the end, maintaining good sugar levels in the body is important not only to maintain good health but in keeping the body in optimum shape and the mind in optimum attention.