Do you want to live a better quality of life with diabetes?
Today, we explore things that can make your blood sugar spike.
Life would be so easy for us with Type 2 diabetes if we did not have to worry about blood sugar spikes. But wishing does not prevent spikes; only information and practice can make it perfect. And that is what we do each day at Damndiabetes.ca. We practice what we preach: a good diet – which does not mean there are only a few things we can eat and a little exercise. Today that is walking to a local restaurant for lunch with my wife. It does not get better than that.
Why Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check?
Keep your blood sugar in check for a better quality of life with Type 2 Diabetes. That is the long and short of it. Keeping your blood sugar under control is critical to warding off health complications. For more information, please check out our blog, Health Risks with Type 2 Diabetes. And it largely comes down to what you eat.
Set Your Range and Stay Within It.
To know how you are doing, you have to know where you are going. The Canadian Diabetes Association recommends blood sugar levels before meals be within a range of 4.0 – 7.0 (70 – 130) and 5.0 – 10.0 (90 – 180) two hours after meals. Please discuss your targets with your doctor or healthcare professional before you adjust your diet and the best way to test so that you can know how you are doing.
Things that Can Make Your Blood Sugar Spike
Now, we get to the meat of the issue. Having Type 2 Diabetes, there are lots of things to think about. But with a little routine and commitment, you, too, can have a better quality of life with Type 2 Diabetes. If you have any questions about how you can manage your Type 2 Diabetes, please feel free to give us a call at Dammdiabetes. We are here to help.
Dehydration
At Damndiabetes.ca, we recently published a blog on this topic. Did you know that dehydration can have a significant impact on blood sugar?
Our bodies are 60% water for good reason. Water helps blood flow; it helps cleanse the body and keeps our critical organs operating. When the body becomes dehydrated, all sorts of stresses are put on the body, with one of the consequences being possible blood sugar spikes.
Artificial Sweeteners
I am a walking, breathing example of thinking cutting sugar and using artificial sweeteners is easy. The artificial sweeteners worked for me, but then I learned of the potential consequences on my body. I still use a sweetener but limit my use to when I am desperate for something sweet.
Some Medications Meddle with Diabetes Control
Prescribed and over-the-counter medications can have an impact on your Type 2 diabetes health. What to do? Make sure that you regularly discuss all your medication treatments with your doctor. Did you think about those sweetened cough drops? Even the sugar in those may throw your diabetes management off.
Getting up in the Morning
Have you heard of the Dawn Phenomenon? Until recently, I hadn’t but wondered why my early morning glucose readings were sometimes wonky.
What I discovered was the Dawn Phenomenon. Waking up to a high blood sugar reading is not unusual, and there is a scientific explanation. The scientific explanation aside, my typical blood sugar reading during the day is in the 6.1 (110) range. But, sometimes, my first reading spikes to 7.2 (130).
Alternatively, a reading can be low if one takes too much medication or has not eaten properly.
All this may be alright, but it is something to watch. If there is a continued trend, talk to your doctor to develop a plan to take steps to correct it.
Menstrual Cycles
During a woman’s cycle, hormones run rampant. Along with many other things, blood sugar can be thrown out of whack. The best defence is a good testing offence leading up to the start of the menstrual cycle. Talk to your doctor about medication, exercise, and dietary changes you can make to combat a high blood sugar level.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Not only going through the day feeling lousy, but depriving your body of sleep can impact your blood sugar levels.
There are so many things that can affect your sleep that we will not cover them here; suffice to say, every one of us with Type 2 Diabetes should be working to get our eight hours of beauty sleep. If you are not and do not know what you can do to “fix it,” talk to your doctor or healthcare provider sooner than later.
Skipping Time Zones
It is not only temperature changes that can affect blood sugar management. Travelling can affect us in many ways. Sleep can be messed up when crossing time zones, as can medication schedules. Our regular routine and what we usually eat may also be limited. All these can impact blood sugar levels and must be managed before the impacts become serious problems.
The End
Whew. Having Type 2 Diabetes gives us a lot to think about. Even small changes can have significant impacts, and part of our work at Damndiabetes.ca is helping folks like you manage to have a better quality of life with diabetes. We live and breathe Type 2 Diabetes every day and, without medication, have dropped our A1C from 7.3 (131) to 5.9 (106). You, too, can have similar results by watching for the things that can make your blood sugar spike.
If you have questions or would like some help, please give us a shout.
Best wishes.
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Please Note: We at Damndiabetes.ca are not doctors or healthcare practitioners. Please do not rely on anything on our website or blogs as recommended medical advice. Before considering any changes to your lifestyle, diet, medication, or exercise regime, please check with your doctor or healthcare provider first.
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