Why All Diabetics Should Use a Blood Sugar Level Chart
Blood Sugar Level Chart
When you have diabetes, you know you need to check your blood sugar and you need to check it often. Blood sugar, or glucose, is your body’s main fuel source. That’s where it gets its energy from.
If you don’t have the proper blood sugar levels, your body won’t function correctly. It’s just like a car with no gas. If you don’t have the proper fuel, you’re not going to be able to do the things you want to do. Therefore, you need to make sure you’re using a blood sugar level chart so that you can track your blood sugar levels, as well as your treatment, so that you can remain as healthy as possible. You should use your chart to track everything possible so that you and your doctor can best keep your diabetes under control.
You may find that it’s difficult to keep a blood sugar level chart at first, but you’ll get used to it before long. Looking at all the data may seem confusing at first, but over time you will learn to interpret it easily. Soon, you’ll be able to register exactly what the chart means in a matter of seconds, and you’ll instantly know what to do if there’s ever a problem. When you’re a diabetic, not only do you have to check your blood sugar, but you also have to know what sorts things cause your blood sugar to fluctuate. These can include certain activities, foods, medications, or a number of other things.
It’s important to keep your chart and use it to work with your doctor to make sure you are caring for yourself properly. He or she will likely give you a blood sugar monitor so that you can check yourself as you’re supposed to. Make sure you’re very familiar how to test yourself and that you do it whenever required.
Using the Chart
You should be logging everything into your chart, and you’ll want to make sure your blood sugar levels are always within the normal ranges using the following as a guide.
When you first wake up in the morning, before you even eat breakfast, you should a blood sugar level between 80 – 120. This is what would be considered a healthy range to be in. Before each meal, your levels should be at 170 or less. Before lunch, it should go back down to 80 – 120. Before you go to bed, you’ll want your blood sugar levels to be at 100 – 140. At 3am, while you’re asleep, you’ll want to maintain blood sugar levels of about 70 – 110. Finally, if you’re fasting, you’ll want to stay at 70 – 100.
While it seems very confusing at first, it’s important for you to learn how to read the chart as well as what to do if there’s ever a problem.
It’s important to also note that everyone is different. You should really speak to your doctor as to what your healthy ranges should be. The above chart is a good indicator of what normal levels should be, but you may find that your body is different and that the numbers on the chart are too high or low for you.
What if Your Blood Sugar is Too Low?
If your blood sugar gets too low, you could develop a potentially fatal condition called hypoglycemia. The symptoms of hypoglycemia include lethargy, slow mental functioning, moodiness, shaking, twitching, weakness in the appendages, a pale complexion, sweating, being paranoid or aggressive, and the person could also experience a loss of consciousness. In some cases, the person develops permanent brain damage as a result of the affliction.
Restoring Blood Sugar
It’s important to always have a mechanism handy for raising your blood sugar if you ever notice that it’s too low while keeping the blood sugar level chart. Insulin injections are the preferable way to regulate your blood sugar levels but, again, your doctor should have several suggestions, such as a certain food to eat or a certain activity to engage in.
When you have a disease like diabetes, you need to take control of your body if you hope to remain healthy. That means listening to your doctor so that you only eat the foods you’re supposed to eat, you only drink the drinks you’re supposed to drink and it means using your chart whenever you check your blood sugar so that you know whether or not you’re within a healthy range.
There are many diabetics who live long, healthy lives and it’s because they make the extra effort to care for themselves. If you do as you’re told, and you keep the proper blood sugar chart, you’ll be one of those people who are able to live with diabetes comfortably.
