How blood sugar levels can affect your health
So what is blood sugar level?
One’s blood sugar level (also known as serum glucose level or plasma glucose level) is essentially the level of glucose (sugar) within their blood at any time.
So why is glucose necessary?
Glucose (sometimes known as dextrose) is a simple sugar which is generated by the body from the carbohydrates that we take in. It is very important for a wide range of key bodily processes. In particular, it is crucial as it provides energy to our cells, nervous system and the brain.
Glucose is transported from the digestive tract or liver to body cells through the blood flow, and is made available for cell absorption by way of the hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas.
Glucose which is not directly used as a source of energy by brain cells, intestinal cells and red blood cells is transferred to the liver, adipose tissue and muscle cells, where it is assimilated and stored as glycogen. This glycogen can be converted back to glucose and returned to the bloodstream in cases where insulin is low or absent.
How’s blood sugar level assessed?
Blood sugar is usually measured in molecular count, the unit for which is mmol/L (millimoles per liter). Furthermore, it is occasionally measured as a weight in grams, the unit for which is mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter).
So what is a healthy or typical blood sugar level?
Usually, your body maintains its blood glucose level at a reference range of between 3.6 and 5.8 mmol/L (or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL).
The mean typical blood glucose level in people is around 4 mmol/L (or 72 mg/dL), but the level not surprisingly varies over the course of the day. As perhaps you may expect, glucose levels are generally at their lowest early in the day, before the first meal of the day and rise immediately after eating for 1 – 2 hours by a couple of milliMolar. However, in terms of diabetics, blood sugar fluctuates more widely – see further below.
How might blood sugar / glucose levels have an effect on your overall health?
As mentioned above, glucose supplies your body with the fuel that it must have to carry out necessary biological functions. Inadequate sugar / glucose (a low blood sugar level) or excessive sugar / glucose (a high blood sugar level) may result in considerable health concerns and blood sugar levels outside the standard range could be a warning sign of an underlying medical problem.
Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia
A continuously high blood sugar level is technically referred to as hyperglycemia, while low levels are known as hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia is a potentially fatal condition. Indicators include lethargy, reduced mental functioning, frustration, shaking, twitching, weakness in arm and leg muscles, pale colouration, sweating, paranoid or hostile demeanour and loss of consciousness. In severe cases, brain damage is a possibility.
By comparison, hyperglycemia can involve the appetite being suppressed in the initial stages, with long term health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and eye, kidney, and nerve damage.
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is characterised by prolonged hyperglycemia (high blood sugar levels) either because the person’s body fails to manufacture enough insulin, or because cells don’t react to the insulin that is produced. It is the most commonly encountered disease related to malfunction in blood sugar regulation.
For individuals with diabetes, it is particularly significant to maintain blood sugar levels inside standard ranges, or else severe health complications can arise. By way of example, nephropathy (kidney disease), neuropathy (nerve disease), retinopathy (eye disease) and cardiovascular diseases (heart diseases).
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance (a manifestation of polycystic ovarian syndrome) is yet another example of a medical condition where blood sugar levels are pertinent. In this case, the individual’s body doesn’t recognise the intake of sugars and carbohydrates and this means that it continues to pump out insulin which isn’t actually needed. If this lasts for a prolonged time period, the pancreas can shut down and cease to produce insulin completely. If care is not taken by those who have this condition to ensure a well-balanced diet and balanced blood sugar levels, it could eventually lead to type two diabetes.
Can anything else influence blood sugar levels?
Many things can impact on an individual’s blood sugar level. By way of example, it can be temporarily elevated as a result of acute stress (such as trauma, stroke, myocardial infarction, surgery or sickness) or as a result of drug / medication use, which can cause glucose levels to rise or reduce.
Alcohol intake also causes an initial rise in blood sugar, but eventually tends to cause levels to drop.
Keeping your blood sugar level under control
Making positive and healthy lifestyle choices (and, if needed, adjustments) is an excellent first step in keeping your blood sugar levels in control. For instance, taking regular physical exercise and (if required) slimming down in a smart and healthy way.
Dietary adjustments, specifically, are often very helpful in keeping blood sugar levels within normal ranges. For people with restricted diets (such as diabetics), it can often be a difficult task to ensure an ideal consumption of vitamins and minerals every single day. A lot of people find that high quality, nutrients-fortified meal replacement powders / shakes can help with this.
MEALtime is a liquid meal / meal replacement powder which is rich in quality protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, nutritious herbs and psyllium husks. What’s even better, it is appropriate for diabetics and others aiming to maintain healthy, stable blood sugar levels because the only sugars included are those found naturally in the ingredient fruits.
MEALtime is a quick and simple way to fuel up on the go. Not only does this meal replacement / protein shake contain an array of important vitamins and minerals, but it also has important amino acids, ginseng and aloe vera for energy!
Of course, prior to altering your diet or taking health supplements, always be sure to consult your physician or qualified health practitioner (particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medications).
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