Blood sugar, or simply glucose, is the sugar that our bloodstream carries to all cells in the body to provide energy, making it the primary source.
Blood sugar should be kept at an optimal level to reduce health risks and avoid any critical medical conditions. Every food we eat contributes to glucose levels in our body. While some have little effect on our blood sugar levels, some can raise it well above the recommended level, which is very unhealthy.
The human body regulates blood sugar and constantly tries to keep it at a moderate level by providing just enough to fuel the cells and avoid overloading the bloodstream.
As a result, blood sugar is at its lowest point before the first meal of the day. Plus, it can change throughout the day depending on what you eat.
Blood glucose monitoring devices are now available in the market like the Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) which can alert us if our glucose levels exceed the recommended level. CGM is a small and powerful health technology device that helps you track blood sugar levels in real time. It helps you decide what foods to eat and when to burn your calories.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels – Everything You Need to Know
Here is the ideal blood sugar range by age and category of people.
ideal blood Glucose Range for children (under 6 years old)
- Before meals: 100-180 mg/dL
- 1-2 hours after a meal: approximately 180 mg/dL
- Fasting: 80-180 mg/dL
- Bedtime: 110-200 mg/dL
ideal blood Glucose Range for Teenagers (6-12 years old)
- Before meals: 90-180 mg/dL
- 1-2 hours after a meal: approximately 140 mg/dL
- Fasting: 80-180 mg/dL
- Bedtime: 100-180 mg/dL
ideal blood Glucose Teenage range (13-19 years old)
- Before meals: 90-130 mg/dL
- 1-2 hours after a meal: approximately 140 mg/dL
- Fasting: 70-150 mg/dL
- Bedtime: 90-150 mg/dL
ideal blood Glucose Range for adults (20 years and over)
- Before meals: 70-130 mg/dL
- 1-2 hours after a meal: less than 180 mg/dL
- Fasting: Less than 100 mg/dL
- Bedtime: 100-140 mg/dL
normal blood Glucose Range for women over 60 who do not have diabetes
- 2 hours after last meal: 90 to 140 mg/dL
- 2 to 4 hours after last meal: 90 to 130 mg/dL
- 4 to 8 hours after last meal: 80 to 120 mg/dL
Given these ranges, a blood glucose level above 180 mg/dL should be considered high and requires immediate precautions. Your blood sugar is dangerous if it is above 200 mg/dL.
Alternatively, a blood sugar level below 50 is also dangerous and you may need professional help. If you’re concerned about your health, a few key lifestyle changes can prove very beneficial. Here is an article on how to lower blood sugar naturally for you.
Their glucose levels should be checked as a screening test to diagnose diabetes. Even when we are not diabetic, we can even check our blood sugar using glucometers.
What is high blood sugar and what are its effects?
Hyperglycemia is a medical condition known as hyperglycemia. The condition is more often encountered by patients with diabetes, Cushing’s syndrome, etc., or those who take steroids regularly.
Studies confirmed that hyperglycemia occurs when our blood sugar exceeds the recommended level. Thus, resulting in low levels of insulin in the body or decreased sensitivity of cells to insulin. Without insulin, glucose will not be able to enter cells and will eventually build up in the blood.
It is not good to have sustained hyperglycemia. If this condition persists for a long time, it can lead to insulin resistance in our body, as our cells can become less sensitive to it, which will lead to a decrease in the amount of glucose absorbed.
This is a main reason that leads to type 2 diabetes. And when diabetes lasts for a long time without sufficient medical care, it can affect the blood vessels that supply different organs. This includes the kidneys, nerves, retina, and certain other organs.
The serious problems one can get from sustained hyperglycemia are
- Poor healing
- foot ulcers
- Increased risks of heart attacks or strokes,
- Dyserection
- Vision loss
- nerve damage
- Numbness and tingling
- Vision loss
- Kidney diseases that can lead to kidney failure
Studies also confirmed that high or low blood glucose levels can also lead to cognitive decline. Common symptoms that indicate high blood sugar can include dry mouth, increased thirst, and frequent urination, as noted in this study. Other less common symptoms include fatigue, nausea, blurred vision, dizziness, and headache.
What is hypoglycemia and what are its effects?
The condition that causes low glucose in our blood is called hypoglycemia and this condition can be as serious as hyperglycemia. Unfortunately, people with diabetes are prone to these medical conditions and hypoglycemia can be fatal.
Some of the effects that very low blood sugar levels in the body can cause include difficulty concentrating, aggression or paranoia, and confusion or disorientation.
Less common specific effects also include seizures and loss of consciousness. According to documented evidence, the common symptoms of low blood sugar include anxiety, pale face, itchy lips, and dizziness, among others.
Here is an article on diabetes and hypoglycemia to help you better understand the relationship and the complications that come with it.
How to manage an optimal glycemia?
Keeping blood sugar levels at optimal levels is crucial not just for diabetic patients, but for everyone. New methods are available to help us maintain our blood sugar levels.
Blood glucose monitoring
The best and most convenient of all methods to monitor our blood glucose levels is with a continuous blood glucose monitor. Such devices are even recommended especially to diabetic patients by medical practitioners, as they effectively keep the disease under control. Moreover, you can use these monitors to plan your diets and activities and bring food or medical interventions.
People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes will need to test their blood sugar at least once a day or sometimes several times a day, depending on the severity of their condition.
Continuous blood glucose monitors are quite convenient as they are much easier and provide an accurate reading of blood sugar levels in the body. They can also save readings digitally to their mobile devices or enable automatic data storage.
For example, the CGM supplied with the HealthifyPro HealthifyMe’s package syncs with your phone, making it easy to measure your blood sugar in real time and understand your body’s reaction to certain food categories.
Plus, it continuously measures your blood sugar and charts trends. Finally, it alerts you if a food has caused your blood glucose to fluctuate, helping you take immediate action to bring it back to normal.
Glycemic index
Glycemic index is the primary measure for assessing how a particular food affects blood sugar levels. The glycemic index (GI) helps people choose foods that won’t upset their blood sugar levels.
The index shows us the values that indicate the spike that a food can cause in the body’s blood sugar levels. Pure glucose, the standard against which other foods are measured, has 100 in the glycemic index. Any food below 55 is considered a low GI food. Anything between 56 and 69 is a medium GI, and above 70 or more is a high GI food.
Items with a high glycemic index cause blood sugar levels to rise, while those with a low glycemic index are those that can cause minimal fluctuations through a slow release of energy.
Examples of foods with a high glycemic index are candies, sweet desserts, white bread, white rice, soft drinks, potatoes, etc. Low GI foods include whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and non-starchy vegetables.
here is a list of foods with their glycemic index to help you make an informed decision about your health.
What are some tips for managing optimal blood sugar levels?
A person can take several steps to manage optimal blood sugar levels and avoid conditions such as high blood sugar. Some tips you can follow to make sure your blood sugar is under control
- You can follow a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
- You should eat at regular intervals and avoid skipping meals.
- Use a continuous blood glucose monitor to track your blood sugar regularly and try to bring your blood sugar back to normal if it exceeds the optimal level.
- You should drink water often at regular intervals.
- Exercise regularly with at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise or activity each week.
When balancing portions at meals, make sure you have a meal that contains a good amount of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and healthy fats.
Summary
Our body needs to have optimal blood sugar to stay fit and healthy. On the other hand, a prolonged case of irregular or extreme blood sugar can lead to several medical complications in our body, the most important of them being diabetes. Apart from that, more often than not, obesity is a natural fallout.
Therefore, you need to monitor your blood sugar and look for healthy ways to manage your weight. Thus, people should keep their blood sugar below 99 mg/dl.
The best way to ensure that our body has a healthy glucose level is to use a monitoring system to quickly check your blood glucose levels. And the safest option is to choose and eat low GI foods to maintain and balance blood sugar.
External sources
- Diabetes Testing and Diagnosis (2022)– https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/tests-diagnosis
- Hyperglycemia (2022) – https://bit.ly/3VkFLNf
- Diabetic cognitive dysfunction: from the laboratory to the clinic (2020) – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30727866/
- Hypoglycemia: The Overlooked Complication (2013) – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3784865/
- What is the glycemic index (GI)? (2022) – https://bit.ly/3WFcNbT
- Glycemic index for more than 60 foods – https://bit.ly/3BYHoJs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What foods lower blood sugar?
Foods also have a big impact on our blood sugar levels. Eat a diet rich in protein and complex carbohydrates like wheat, jowar, etc. and low in simple carbohydrates such as sugars, refined flours and grains, bakery and processed foods.
Have a variety of fibrous fruits, especially low GI ones like avocado, cherries, kiwi, plum, apple, orange, etc. and non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, eggplant, tomato, cucumber, leafy greens, etc.
2. What are some ways to lower my blood sugar without using medication?
The struggle to lower blood sugar levels is not uncommon. Here are the best ways to control blood sugar through small lifestyle and diet changes.
- Staying physically active can do wonders for you. Simply brisk walking for an hour or jogging or running for half an hour can be beneficial for you.
- You can also do other exercises like stretching or yoga. If your health allows it, you can also do weightlifting or cardio exercises. However, it is advisable to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity of your physical activity, giving your body enough time to adapt to the changes.
- Get enough sleep. Lack of sleep reduces metabolism, which leads to weight gain, impairing insulin functions.
3. Does exercise help lower blood sugar levels?
Yes, exercise helps regulate blood sugar. People with type 2 diabetes should include 150 minutes of exercise each week, or 20 minutes of daily exercise.
To simplify, it’s 1% of a 24-hour day. When supplemented with dietary changes, exercise can help you achieve 5-7% weight loss, which can reverse, delay, or prevent the onset of diabetes.
4. How can I get rid of diabetes?
It’s a hard truth that diabetes is not curable. Once diagnosed with the disease, you have to live with it. However, making dietary and lifestyle adjustments will help keep your blood sugar levels below desired levels and help you enjoy the “sweet times” in life.
If you are concerned about your health, a few minor lifestyle changes can be very beneficial. Here is an article on how to lower blood sugar naturally for you.
