Monitoring Your Diabetes

December 13, 2021

3 min read

In 2020, approximately 34 million Americans reported having diabetes. There are several types of diabetes, all of which are serious medical conditions that require constant monitoring and lifestyle changes to maintain your overall health. Below you will learn more about the importance of monitoring your diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition affecting the way your body turns food into the needed energy. The majority of the food that you eat is broken down into glucose (sugar) and is then released into the bloodstream and dispersed throughout the body. When your blood sugar increases, your brain sends a signal to the pancreas to release insulin to lower your blood sugar level.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a chronic medical condition where the pancreas is unable to produce a sufficient amount of insulin needed to regulate a person's blood sugar. While there has been extensive research into type 1 diabetes, there is no cure. Those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are insulin-dependent with treatment focusing on managing blood sugar levels with diet, lifestyle changes, and insulin.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a common medical condition that affects the way the body processes glucose (sugar). Unlike people with type 1 diabetes who do not produce insulin, those with type 2 diabetes do not respond to insulin in a “normal” way. Treatment of type 2 diabetes focuses on a healthy diet, exercise, prescription medication, and insulin when needed.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed during pregnancy. It affects the way a pregnant woman’s cells utilize glucose, often causing high blood sugar that can lead to complications in pregnancy affecting the health of your unborn baby. Gestational diabetes can be controlled through consuming healthy foods, exercising, and following the guidance of your physician with the need for medication.

Who should monitor blood sugar levels?

Not everyone who has diabetes is diagnosed for the same reason. Diabetes affects all people in different ways. Therefore, it is important to understand who is at an increased risk and should monitor their blood sugar levels.

Pregnant women
Individuals taking insulin
Those having a hard time controlling blood sugar levels
Low blood sugar levels, with or without warning signs
People with ketones present

The target, therapeutic blood sugar range depends on how long the patient has been dealing with diabetes, the age of the patient, and other medical concerns. Generally, an A1-C level of less than 7% is recommended by physicians.

Healthy preprandial plasma glucose (blood glucose level taken before a meal) is between 80 to 130 mg/dL and normal postprandial plasma glucose (blood glucose level taken after a meal) should be less than 180 mg/dL.

Managing low blood sugar

Low blood sugar, medically known as hypoglycemia, is classified as a blood sugar level of less than 70. Hypoglycemia is an extremely dangerous medical condition that can significantly impair one’s ability to think or act appropriately and ultimately lose consciousness when it becomes too low.

If you find yourself feeling shaky, sweaty, or extremely hungry for an unknown reason you might be suffering from low blood sugar. Those who are taking insulin or other diabetic-related medications are at an increased risk of experiencing hypoglycemia.

To combat hypoglycemia, many experts recommend doing one of the following:

Chew the recommended amount of glucose tablets
Drink 4 oz of fruit juice
Drink 4 oz of soda, not diet or sugar-free
Chew hard candy

Wait approximately 15 minutes and recheck your blood sugar level to determine if it is rising to a normal level.

Managing high blood sugar

Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, is defined as a blood sugar level that is higher than your target level or over 180 mg/dL. Common signs of hyperglycemia include fatigue, extreme tiredness, excessive thirst, blurred vision, and the need to urinate more often than usual.

To manage your hyperglycemia, drink a large glass of water, take a walk, or use the appropriate amount of insulin needed to lower it.

Contact your physician if your blood sugar reaches a higher than normal level more than 3 times within two weeks for an unknown reason or if your blood sugar continually drops for no obvious cause. Managing your blood sugar is essential in maintaining your overall health.

Looking for Tips on Monitoring and Managing Diabetes?

Monitoring and managing diabetes is key to avoiding complications from the disease. Reach out to others on the Healthread platform to share tips on managing diabetes or learn from others.