Clin Diabetes. 2018 Apr; 36(2): 202. Before you had diabetes, no matter what you ate or how active you were, your blood glucose (sugar) levels stayed within a normal range. But with diabetes, your blood glucose level can rise higher, and some diabetes medications can make them go lower than normal. Many factors can change your blood glucose levels. Learning about these factors can help
you control them. You can use your blood glucose levels to make decisions about food and activity. These decisions can help you delay or prevent diabetes complications such as heart attack, kidney disease, blindness, and amputation. Keeping your diabetes ABCs on track is the most effective way to prevent diabetes-related health problems. Too much food, such as a meal or snack with
more carbohydrates than usual Not being active Not enough insulin or oral diabetes medications Side effects from other medications, such as steroids or antipsychotic medications Illness—your body releases hormones to fight the illness, and those hormones raise blood glucose levels Stress, which can produce hormones that raise blood glucose levels Short- or long-term pain, such as pain from a sunburn—your
body releases hormones that raise blood glucose levels Menstrual periods, which cause changes in hormone levels Dehydration WHAT CAN MAKE MY BLOOD GLUCOSE FALL?
HOW CAN I TRACK MY BLOOD GLUCOSE?There are two ways to keep track of your blood glucose levels:
This hand-out was published in Clinical Diabetes, Vol. 36, issue 2, 2018, and was adapted from the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Advisor handout “Factors Affecting Blood Glucose.” Visit the Association’s Patient Education Library at http://professional.diabetes.org/PatientEd for hundreds of free, downloadable handouts in English and Spanish. Distribute these to your patients and share them with others on your health care team. Copyright American Diabetes Association, Inc., 2018. Articles from Clinical Diabetes : A Publication of the American Diabetes Association are provided here courtesy of American Diabetes Association Because you have type 2 diabetes, you know it’s a must to keep your blood sugar levels under control. But do you know what makes them spike? Check this list of common culprits, plus ways to help you stay healthy and feel great. Watch what you eat since that's one of the most important things you can do to control your blood sugar, also called blood glucose. That’s
because of the impact that carbohydrates -- the sugars and starches in foods -- can have. It’s fine to eat them in moderation. But choices that have too many carbs can cause your blood sugar to soar -- white rice, pasta, and highly processed or fried foods are examples. Some fruits are high in sugar, such as bananas. It’s OK to have fruit, just not too much. Choose good carbs, like whole-grain bread and cereal, unprocessed grains such as barley or quinoa, beans, whole-wheat pasta,
brown rice, fruit, yogurt, and vegetables. Fiber helps because it lowers blood sugar. Good choices are whole grains, fruits that are lower in sugar (apples and blueberries), veggies, and legumes. Start with a good breakfast. If you skip the first meal, your blood sugar is more likely to be too high after lunch and dinner. But don’t just reach for a muffin. One study found that people who ate a 500-calorie breakfast with at least 35% protein had lower post-meal
blood sugar throughout the day than those who ate a breakfast lower in protein and higher in carbs. That’s because protein helps slow your digestion. That makes your blood sugar rise more slowly after meals. And eating fewer carbohydrates means your body makes less blood sugar. Eat a healthy dinner, too. Blood sugar is usually hardest to control later in the day. That’s why many experts say you should choose a dinner or after-dinner snack low in carbohydrates, especially the
processed kind. Fat and protein don’t cause blood sugar to rise the same way carbs do. If you’re not sure how to balance your meals, ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian who specializes in diabetes. Plan when you eat. If you have diabetes or prediabetes, having meals and snacks too close together may not give your blood sugar level time to drop naturally after you eat. Make sure your meals are 4 to 5 hours apart. If you need a snack, do it 2 to 3 hours after your last meal. Not getting enough rest does more than make you groggy. It also affects how well your body can control and break down blood sugar. Skimping on sleep, even for one night, makes your body use insulin less efficiently. That can make your blood sugar higher than it should be. In one study, researchers asked healthy adults to sleep just 4 hours a night for 6 days. At the end of the study, their
bodies’ ability to break down glucose was 40% lower on average. Why? Doctors believe that when you enter deep sleep, your nervous system slows down and your brain uses less blood sugar. Get your shut-eye. Remember all the things that help: Stick to a regular schedule, don't use your phone or tablet close to bedtime, and relax before you hit the hay. Even a mild workout, like walking or doing
light housework, can lower your blood sugar and improve how your body responds to insulin. Research shows that a 15-minute stroll after dinner can help bring blood sugar down. Even better: It can help keep it down for up to 3 hours. When you exercise, your body pumps more sugar to your muscles. When you don’t move around enough, your glucose levels can rise. Too much exercise can have the same effect. Tough activities, like bench-pressing weights, or competitive ones,
like running a race, can raise your blood sugar. That doesn’t mean you can’t sweat it out. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your whole body. But ask your doctor what changes you may need to make in your treatment plan to keep your blood sugar in the right range. When you’re really under pressure, your body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This is your
fight-or-flight response. It prompts your body to act like it’s under attack. Your body burns its stored energy sources -- glucose and fat -- to meet the threat. When you have diabetes, insulin can’t break through the cells to break down the glucose, and your levels rise. Stress can also cause blood sugar to rise indirectly. You may be less likely to take care of yourself by eating right, exercising, or taking your medicine when you’re stressed out. Because you can’t avoid all stress, finding ways to relax is good for your blood sugar and your overall health. Try meditation, yoga, or massage. 5. Some MedicationsYou know that insulin can bring your blood sugar down. But if you miss a dose or take the wrong dose of your medicine, you could cause your levels to spike. Some drugs, such as corticosteroids, can have the same effect. Other meds that could raise your glucose include:
If you’re on any of these medicines and you notice your blood sugar is high, talk to your doctor. They may adjust your diet or medications. 6. Not Brushing and FlossingIf you have diabetes, you’re more likely to get gum disease (also known as gingivitis). And serious gum disease can make it harder to keep your blood sugar under control. Like all infections, it may cause your glucose to rise. That, in turn, can make other infections more likely. Inflamed or infected gums can also cause your body’s defense system to go into overdrive. That makes it harder for your body to keep insulin and blood sugar in check. Make sure you not only brush and floss your teeth but also rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash daily. Keep up with your dentist visits, work on managing your blood sugar, and, if you have gum disease, treat it -- and any other infection in any part of your body -- ASAP. If you light up, you raise your chances of getting diabetes. If you already have diabetes, you’re more likely to have trouble finding the right dose of insulin and controlling your blood sugar. Smoking makes it harder to keep your blood sugar levels down. The lesson here: If you smoke, quit. Blood sugar levels
go up from time to time. But knowing what can cause these spikes can help you control them -- and avoid health problems down the line. Drink plenty of water. When you’re dehydrated, your glucose may be higher than it would normally be. |
What can cause a high glucose reading
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