Blood sugar is the amount of sugar in your bloodstream which provides your body with the required energy. Insulin is a hormone that helps in converting blood glucose into energy which is essential to perform your body’s processes. It is therefore important to keep your sugar levels under control. Diabetes is a chronic condition in which your sugar levels are above the controlled range.
Just like the high range, your blood sugar level can also fall under the low range. The low Blood sugar level is also known as Hypoglycemia. It occurs in people who take insulin and heavy medications. It may show minor symptoms in the beginning but it can lead to major health problems if they are left unregulated. In more severe cases of hypoglycemia, it can even affect the brain, heart, eyes and can cause nerve damage. It is important to detect and manage hypoglycemia at the right time.
The initial symptoms of low blood sugar levels include–
- Sweating
- Fatigue
- Excessive hunger
- Headache
- Anxiousness
- Blurry vision
When your blood sugar levels are low, the goal is to help you recover quickly. To do this, you must consume sugar or sugary foods, which will quickly raise blood sugar levels.
Eating or drinking things that contain sugar can quickly enter the bloodstream. Your doctor may direct you to eat foods or beverages that are high in sugar (such as soda, orange juice, or cake frosting), or may give you glucose tablets, all of which help to quickly improve your blood sugar level.
Here are some other tips to help you avoid low blood sugar:
- Eat all meals and snacks on time and try not to skip any of them.
- Take the right amount of insulin.
- If you exercise more or work more than usual, eat more snacks.
- Do not take a hot bath or shower immediately after injecting insulin.
- Stick to your diabetes management plan.
- Check your blood sugar levels regularly so that you can determine if your blood sugar is too low and if your treatment plan needs adjustment.
- Take sugary items with you and take them with you when you have symptoms. Don’t wait to see if the symptoms go away – they can get worse!
Effect of alcohol and drugs on your sugar levels
Alcohol and drugs can cause serious problems with blood sugar levels, so avoiding them is another way to prevent diabetes. For people with diabetes, drinking alcohol is particularly dangerous, even fatal, because it impairs the body’s ability to keep blood sugar within the normal range. This can cause diabetic patients’ blood sugar to drop rapidly. Drug or alcohol abuse is also dangerous because it affects a person’s ability to detect low blood sugar levels.
The key to maintaining your sugar levels is regular monitoring. It is only when you know that your sugar levels are in the high, low, or controlled range, you will be able to take the necessary steps as recommended by your health coach or doctor.
Therefore, you should avoid alcohol and heavy medications to maintain your blood sugar level.
