Normal Blood Sugar Levels: How To Maintain Normal Blood Glucose To Prevent Diabetes
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What are normal blood sugar levels?
Fortunately, diabetes is a disease caused mainly by unhealthy diet and lifestyle. That is why, the good news is that normal blood sugar levels can be restored and maintained with the good old fashioned healthy diet and exercise" combo.
Why testing your blood glucose levels is important
Diabetes symptoms are not always there
However, what's important to realize, some people don't experience any symptoms whatsoever, even though their blood sugar levels are elevated.
This means they have diabetes and not even know about it.
That is why I urge you to test your blood glucose regularly. If you go for a yearly checkup, your doctor will likely do the testing for you.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels Chart
The blood sugar levels chart below is based on the guidelines established by the American Diabetes Association website. It shows in general terms where blood sugar levels should be depending on your condition and whether or not food has been eaten. All numbers are in mg/dL and measure the amount of sugar in the blood.
The blood sugar levels chart is handy for a quick reference to determine where blood sugar levels should be. This is not a replacement for medical advice and is for informational purposes only. If blood test results are coming back in the upper ranges on the is chart further medical treatment by a doctor is probably indicated.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels Chart - Fasting and Post Meals Levels
Fasting is when you have not been eating for at least 8 hours, where the stomach is empty and as much glucose as possible has been moved from the blood stream.
As you can see in the chart, the blood sugar amount increases after a meal when the food is digested and glucose is absorbed into the blood. The blood sugar level falls as insulin does its work of moving the glucose from the blood in to tissues needing it for food. This pattern is a normal occurrence as glucose is needed in the body for proper brain functioning a well as for fuel for muscles and other cells. Keep your glucose levels according to the chart and everything should be just fine.
The Perfect Body Fuel: Green Soup Recipe
Preventing or Reversing Diabetes - The Truth
Restoring Your Normal Blood Sugar Levels is Possible!
Diabetes is a serious condition - so no wonder your may be worried or even scared. However, the good news is that in most cases it can be prevented and even reversed with some simple - although not always easy - lifestyle changes.The most important things to change is your diet and physical activity.
Diet to prevent diabetes and restore normal blood sugar levels is the diet that is based mainly on whole fresh plant foods: vegetables, leafy greens, and fruits. Yes, you can eat fruits when you have diabetes, even the American Diabetic Association says so. Legumes, whole grains and nuts are also very important food groups for diabetics. This diet will help you lose weight naturally and stay away from various chronic diseases, not just diabetes!
Foods to limit or completely avoid include all processed foods - especially processed carbs - all foods containing white flour, white sugar, etc.
Animal protein foods should also be limited or completely avoided. If you don't think you can live without meat, just make a deal with yourself to skip all meats and dairy for two weeks - replacing these foods with whole plant foods - and do a blood test. You may be surprised by what you find out. While this tip may surprise many of you, more and more research implicates diet high in animal protein as a culprit in all kinds of health problems, including diabetes.
For example, check out this article published by the Scientific American:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=red-meat-diabtetes
"New research out of Harvard University supports the theory that regular red meat consumption increases the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. "" "For people who have been following the research, "the findings are not particularly surprising," Hu says. In fact, despite the big play that sugars and other highly processed carbohydrates have gotten, red meat is actually "one of the most well-established dietary risk factors," he notes. "
"Of course, eating red meat for a week "is not going to give someone diabetes-we're talking about habitual consumption," Hu says. And for those uncertain about trading in a filet mignon for a fistful of almonds, the researchers behind the new paper also list poultry and fish as alternatives, although Hu cautions that other research also supports the move to a more plant-based diet. "
*** Free Download: Normal Blood Sugar Levels Action Plan***
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Tests For Blood Sugar Levels
How are normal blood sugar levels tested?
Even though you may experience certain symptoms if your blood sugar levels are too high or too low, sometimes you will have no signs, so if you really want to find out how well your body digest sugar, then you need take a blood sugar test. These tests are also used for the purpose of diagnosing for pre-diabetes or diabetes, while these are also done to determine how one is managing diabetes.Fasting Blood Glucose Test
This test needs to be taken after 8-12 hours of fasting, no food or liquids other than water for at least eight hours and then having your blood tested for the amount of sugar. The normal blood sugar level for this test is lower than 100 milligrams per deciliter. If your result is 200 mg/dL and it you experience symptoms of diabetes then there may be no need for a second test to be diagnosed as having diabetes.
Random Blood Sugar Test
As the name of the test implies, it is taken at no specific time, and can be taken without the need for fasting. The normal blood sugar level for this test should be under 100 milligrams per deciliter. If your result is 200 mg/dL or more, it would suggest that you either have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
This test has two stages. First, your fasting blood sugar level will be measured. Following that, you will be asked to drink a sugar-water solution. Another test will be taken after 60 minutes & after 120 minutes. A blood sugar level that is lower than 140 mg/dL is considered normal after the test. Two hours after, with a 200 mg/dL level, may indicate diabetes.
It's important to have your blood sugar levels tested periodically. Among the health risks and complications of diabetes include kidney disease, nerve disease, eye disease and cardiovascular disease. Don't wait until it is too late!
Normal Blood Sugar Diet
What to eat for normal blood sugar levels?
Perfect Body Fuel For Normal Blood Sugar Levels
Physical activity and Exercise
Get your body moving!
No article about diabetes and maintaining normal blood glucose levels will be complete without stressing the importance of physical activity.
You must get moving to stay healthy!!!
Note: Before starting any exercise program, consult your physician, especially if you have been sedentary. If before exercise, your blood sugar is below 100 mg/dL it may not be safe for you to exercise. Eat a fruit or a whole grain snack before exercising. Stop exercising if your blood sugar drops to 70 mg/dL or lower and consume 15 grams of carbohydrates as suggested above. Wait 15 minutes and then repeat treatment until your blood sugar returns to a safe level. Ttrack your blood sugar level before you exercise as well as during and after exercising. Keeping note of numbers will help your physician evaluate how well your body act in response to exercise and can be very useful in preventing potentially fatal fluctuations of your blood sugar.
Recommended Reading
Eat to Live and Other Books by Joel Fuhrman, MD
Guestbook Comments
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mogulmedia
May 15, 2012 @ 10:24 am | delete
- You can also change your diet to help stimulate natural production of insulin in the body. Search for "diabno" on google to see what I mean?
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GirlGoingGreen
May 3, 2012 @ 3:32 pm | delete
- Diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions and yet it's quite simple to prevent it. It's just sad.
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elizabethknows
Apr 8, 2012 @ 10:24 am | delete
- good lens...
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a2zmovies Jan 28, 2012 @ 1:01 pm | delete
- Great site
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_Hana_
Oct 18, 2011 @ 9:13 am | delete
- Great lens on a serious topic, thumbs up, we need to talk about it and maybe prevent it for our kids.
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