Introduction
In Part one, we covered the following 'Bionic Pancreas' Lowers Blood Sugar for Type 1 Diabetics, TOP 10 Foods that do NOT affect the blood sugar, Best Foods To Control Blood Sugar, Does Protein Affect Blood Sugar? Are There Guidelines, and Chocolate and Blood Sugars, Don’t Let This Happen To You!For this Part Two, we will be covering the following topics that will help us have better sugar control:
1. How To Wake Up With Better Blood Sugars To Achieve the A1C Goals
2. New Drug to Lower Blood Sugar Approved By FDA
3. Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System Approved for Children
4. Top 5 Tips to Keep Your Blood Sugar Levels Away from Complication Territory
5. Diabetes in Children – Blood Sugar Monitoring
How To Wake Up With Better Blood Sugars To Achieve the A1C Goals
What’s wrong with this blood sugar level? Here I am, working hard traveling through this straight and narrow road. Yet my blood sugar level goes up and down on a roller coaster ride. What else do I have to do? Well, let’s address this issue once and for all. Let’s delve into the three reasons why this is happening and learn what to do to achieve that A1C goal.
Welcome to the Get Blood Sugar Control YouTube Channel
1. What did you eat before going to bed?
Make sure you’re eating the right food that will help you know exactly how much insulin you need for it. If you’re not on insulin, eat foods that are lower in carbohydrates. Avoid strange foods and those with high fat and carbs because they affect the blood sugars for hours. Examples of these foods to avoid are fast food, pizza and Chinese food. So you will not get hungry late at night, eat more during the early part of the day like at breakfast or lunch. Over-eating at night could be due to not having eaten enough during the early part of the day. So make sure you eat enough food for breakfast and lunch.
2. When did you last check how much insulin and/or oral medications you need?
The insulin or medication may have worked before but they may not be working now. They should be fine-tuned every so often. They do not stay the same all our life. So if you’re on insulin, talk to your doctor about adjusting your basal rates, your meal bolus insulin-to-carb ratio Jennifer Smith CDE at http://integrateddiabetes.com/ IntegratedDiabetes.com!
Those on oral medication have two choices. They either have to decrease their carb consumption or to increase their medication. And if they are not on any oral medication yet, it will be wise to talk to your doctor about whether you have to start a diabetes oral medication.
3. Time to check your exercise habits.
Are you neglecting exercise as part of your treatment plan? Or have you even started yet? This is a very important weapon you have to keep in your arsenal to lower the blood sugar level and to increase the sensitivity to insulin. Walk 30 minutes after dinner and you will see the impact on your blood sugar.
If you exercise regularly, your body will burn more glucose even in the middle of the night while you sleep. How cool is that? So toss away all those excuses and make it a habit to exercise consistently. Find an exercise that you enjoy. Try swimming, playing golf, or even dancing. Your blood sugar will love it and you will wake up with better blood sugar level.
New Drug to Lower Blood Sugar Approved By FDA
There’s a new drug in town. FDA (short for Food and Drug Administration) has approved a drug that is supposed to lower the blood sugar level for those who have type 2 diabetes. It helps lower the blood sugar level by increasing the amount of glucose excreted in the urine. What is that drug you asked?
Know All About This Drug First
It is called Empagliflozin. I know you’re excited about this and who can blame you? Any news that helps lower the blood sugar level is welcome. But hold your horses. First off the bat, you have to learn as much as you can about this drug. Speaking of this, did you know Empagliflozin is classified as part of a group of drugs referred to as sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors?
After you have learned about this drug, talk to your doctor to see if it is right for you to try this. And it does not end here. Once you begin taking it, keep a record of the start date and monitor how your body reacts to this new drug. See if you experience side effects. If the side effects are worse than what it is trying to treat, go tell your doctor you’re quitting it.
He won’t like it; I know because my doctor hates it when I tell her I am quitting a drug. But hey, it’s my body and no one can tell me what to do with it. She tells me I am the most non-compliant patient she has. Who cares? That reminds me of something I was told to take so I won’t sweat but its side effect is the risk for cancer. Duh!
How Does Empagliflozin Work?
Blood sugar comes from all the carbohydrates we eat. Normally, this is not a problem because the insulin makes us use that sugar for energy but the cells of the diabetics are not able to make enough insulin to do this job, making the blood sugar go to the bloodstream which is dangerous. Enter Empagliflozin that increases the amount of sugar excreted in urine.
Who Will Benefit From This?
It is for treating Diabetics with type 2 who can be helped while following the two main treatment options which are eating right and moving more. It will not help type 1 diabetics and those who have certain disorders in the kidney. Neither will it help those who suffer from diabetic ketoacidosis.
Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System Approved for Children
What Is It?
Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System was approved sometime ago by the US Food and Drug Administration also known as FDA. The agency said it is approved for use by those who are 2 years old up to seventeen years old where before its use is only approved for grown- ups.
What Does the Dexcom G4 Platinum Continuous Monitoring System Do?
It monitors the blood sugar of the user constantly. It checks when the blood sugar goes dangerously high and precariously low. It has a narrow sensor inserted under the skin. When it works together with a blood glucose meter, it helps doctors decide the proper treatment option.
What Is Its Performance Rating?
To evaluate its performance, a clinical study was conducted with 176 subjects ranging from 2 to 17 years of age. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning that the device will not perform as accurately as in adults but it is till useful in alerting the users from very high or to very low readings.
Top 5 Tips to Keep Your Blood Sugar Levels Away from Complication Territory
Don’t lose heart when someone starts talking about complications. On the contrary, it should empower you to work at avoiding those complications. Keeping those blood sugar levels within target range should do it. If you already have nerve damage which is the most common complication, then stand up and start fighting again. That is what good soldiers do and by golly, we are going to do the same. To help with this, here are the 5 top tips.
Eat Healthy
This is the first weapon in your arsenal. A healthy diet with plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables, dairy, lean meats, whole grains and nuts will do it. Eat more often and in small portions like three meals a day with healthy snacks in between. Monitor the carb consumption as carbohydrates can make the blood sugar go on a roller coaster ride. Here are meal ideas that can help you!
Move More
Regular exercise with the healthy diet and medicine when it is prescribed can do wonders like keeping healthy weight and maintaining the right blood sugar level. This comes with some precaution though for sometimes exercise can make the blood sugar go dangerously low so talk to your doctor first. Be prepared with a healthy snack when you exercise.
Track The Blood Sugar Level
This can help you determine what to eat and how much to exercise. The recommendation is for the blood sugar level between 70 to 130 mg/dL before meals. Your doctor will let you know what is your own target level and keep within that range to keep the complications at bay.
Take Medications as Prescribed
Whatever form is the prescribed medication, whether it is in the form of pills or insulin, take them as prescribed. If it is insulin in your treatment plan, take care that you schedule it around your meals. Ask your doctor how often you should have it and when do you take it.
Have an A1C Test Two Times a Year
Having the A1C done will give a precise picture of the blood sugar control over time. Two times a year is enough if your blood sugar is within the healthy range but you may need more tests if you are experiencing trouble controlling your blood sugar level or you are changing your medication.
Diabetes in Children – Blood Sugar Monitoring
Diabetes in children makes it imperative to do blood sugar monitoring as part of the management. Both parents and children should know when the blood sugar is not within target range. This helps know how physical activities and food affect the blood sugar so if the child is taking insulin, it will be a guide to know how much short-acting insulin is needed. It is a good thing the blood sugar can be checked anytime anywhere with a glucose meter.
Why Do We Have to Monitor the Blood Sugar?
Blood sugar monitoring or testing will help warn of the low blood sugar which could become an emergency. Eating something with sugar can prevent an emergency situation from happening. On the other hand, blood sugar that is consistently high could lead to permanent damage to the heart, eyes, blood vessels, kidneys and nerves.
If the child is prescribed to take short-acting insulin, knowing the blood sugar level before a meal will help determine how much insulin is needed. Monitoring the blood sugar level will also help understand how exercise affects the blood sugar. Usually exercise lowers it while sickness and stress can lead to higher levels. This will help determine the need for adjustment to the treatment plan so tell the doctor the results of your monitoring at home.
How To Monitor the Blood Sugar
Step 1: Get organized.
Find out from the doctor how often to monitor and record the results. Make it into a habit like testing the blood sugar level before breakfast. Have all the supplies ready so each test can be done quickly. Check whether the strips have expired as this will give inaccurate results. Check also if the code numbers on the meter match those on the bottle for the testing strips. If they don't match, you can change the code numbers by following the directions that are in the meter.
Check the accuracy of the results of the meter by using the sugar control solution made by the manufacturer of the meter and follow the directions that came with it the first time you use a meter. Check it regularly and put the reminder in the child's bag so you will remember to do this.
Step 2: Do the actual test.
Children with type 2 may need only to check the blood sugar only once or two times a day but children who have type 1 diabetes need to test their blood sugar several times a day. Frequent testing will let one know how well the treatment plan is working. Here are the steps to take in monitoring the blood sugar level.
1. Wash both the tester and child hands with soap and water and use a clean towel to dry them well.
2. Place a clean lancet in the lancet device which holds and controls how deeply it goes down the skin.
3. Get a test strip from the bottle making sure to put the lid back on so the moisture will not affect the rest of the strips.
4. Get the blood sugar meter ready by following the instructions that came with the meter.
5. Stick the side of the finger tip of the child with the lancet.
6. Put the drop of blood on the strip making sure to cover the test part well.
7. Put pressure on the area where the needle was stuck with a clean cotton ball to stop the bleeding.
8. Read the results which the meter will show in a few seconds.
Step 3: Record the Result of the Test.
This is very important as the result will show what foods, exercise and other factors are keeping the blood sugar on the healthy range. Take all the results to the doctor so he will know what steps to take regarding the treatment plan. Manufacturers of diabetic supplies can provide you logs where you can write down the results of the test or you can use a plain notebook. Some meters can keep as many as 100 test results.
Here are some guidelines to succeed at monitoring the child's blood sugar level:
Keep the supplies and meter with the child the whole time.
Schedule the checking of the blood sugar in with the child’s routine so it becomes a habit.
Check if the meter is accurate during every visit to the doctor by comparing the results.
Prick the side of the child’s fingers as the finger tips are more sensitive.
Maintain and calibrate the meter with the test strips properly.
The aforementioned guidelines summary will help remind those who help take care of the children who have diabetes. As long as they are followed there should be no reason for anyone not to succeed at monitoring the child’s blood sugar thus making it easier to help look after the diabetes in children.
Alert Re: Blood Sugar Monitor
Resting the blood sugar should be done religiously. That is good, but remember, before exercise, it is crucial that this is done and get this, also every 30 minutes during exercise and about 15 minutes after. In addition, check your urine for ketones as their presence will mean an inadequate effect of insulin.
After blood sugar monitor you will know not to start exercising with the following conditions:
1. If your blood sugar level is over 250 mg/dL
2. If your blood sugar level is below 100 mg/dL
3. If ketones are present in your urine.
When your blood sugar monitor reveals that the reading is too high, your muscles may be opposed to using the present glycogen. In this case the liver will keep on breaking glycogen thinking you need this fuel, not knowing you’re resistant to glucose at this point. So your blood sugar just rises to the stratosphere.
Now when your blood sugar monitor shows the level is too low, the insulin effect may be too much so there will not be enough sugar available for exercise. You may be showing insulin resistance and therefore an insulin resistance test is needed. Very low blood sugar could lead to problems from a mild case of hypoglycemia to strictly lowered blood sugar level to the point of possible fainting, coma, convulsions and brain damage.
This does not need to happen because once your blood sugar monitor shows a low level, all you have to do is eat or drink a simple carbohydrate first like table sugar, sport drinks, milk, and soda pop. These can increase blood sugar level almost right away.
Conclusion
There you have it; everything you need to know about blood sugar. This you can add to your arsenal to better control the blood sugar level. Hopefully this knowledge will help prevent the wide swings the blood sugar level goes through despite our best effort. This additional weapon may just prevent the erratic movement we experience.
Your Turn
Now that you have more information on how to keep the blood sugar be on a more even keel, you may have more questions. Please write them in the comment box down below. And if you have more information on things on this two-part series, please let us know them as well so we can spread the word and add more knowledge on this very important issue of blood sugar control.
Roger Guzman, M.D. and Evelyn Guzman
Weird 30-Second Trick Cures Diabetes (You don’t Want to Miss This!) I’m talking about an all-natural, safe and permanent, yes that’s right permanent CURE for diabetes. I’m talking about not just covering up your diabetes symptoms through so called diabetes ‘management’ medications or treatments but tackling the root cause of your diabetes head on. All naturally, all safely, all by following this one of a kind method backed up by solid science.
This exact same secret has even led to the discovery of a simple, seemingly bizarre but highly effective 30 second trick...
To instantly increase your insulin sensitivity and energy expenditure, resulting in an immediate drop in blood sugar and rapid weight loss.
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References
1. Can Cinnamon Regulate Blood Sugar?
http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetes-information-articles/general/346-can-cinnamon-regulate-blood-sugar?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=DCE_20141208
2. Expert Advice — Blood Sugar Lowering Effects of Eating Celery? http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/ask-an-expert?questionId=27537905&utm_source=Foodstuff-20141209&utm_medium=eNewsletter&utm_content=Foodstuff-newsletter&utm_term=Focused&utm_campaign=dLife-eNewsletter&
3. Best Foods for Blood Sugar Control http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetes-slideshows/213-best-foods-for-blood-sugar-control?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=DCN_20141115
4. http://www.dlife.com/e/pdfs/4_Surprising_Foods_that_Fight_Fat.pdf 4 Foods That Fight Fat & Lower Blood Sugar
5. How Does Protein Affect Blood Sugar? http://www.diabetesdaily.com/voices/2014/10/how-does-protein-affect-blood-sugar/?utm_source=Diabetes+Daily&utm_campaign=c2e21b79ca-2014_01_14_Needle_Reuse1_14_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_168fcb2a95-c2e21b79ca-87025817
6. Chocolate & Low Blood Sugars http://www.diabetesdaily.com/voices/2014/09/too-sweet-chocolate-low-blood-sugars/?utm_source=Diabetes+Daily&utm_campaign=ce16aae562-2014_01_14_Needle_Reuse1_14_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_168fcb2a95-ce16aae562-87025817
7. http://www.dlife.com/diabetes/information/slide_show_pdf_files/new_pdfs/6_Bad_Breakfasts.pdf Bad Breakfasts
8. A1C Goals: How to Wake Up with Better Blood Sugars http://www.diabetesdaily.com/voices/2014/10/a1c-goals-how-to-wake-up-with-better-blood-sugars/?utm_source=Diabetes+Daily&utm_campaign=70f51f36b2-2014_01_14_Needle_Reuse1_14_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_168fcb2a95-70f51f36b2-87025817
Disclaimer: This is not a medical advice column. We are PWDs freely and openly sharing the wisdom of our collected experiences — our been-there-done-that knowledge from the trenches. But we are not MDs, RNs, NPs, PAs, CDEs, or partridges in pear trees. Bottom line: we are only a small part of your total prescription. You still need the professional advice, treatment, and care of a licensed medical professional.
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