How to control diabetes

Diabetes is a lifelong disease, and it is crucial to your health to maintaining blood sugar levels and controlling the illness. There are certain guidelines published by the American Diabetes Association that address what levels your blood sugar should be during various points in the day. The recommended blood sugar range for people that are afflicted with diabetes includes blood glucose levels of 90 to 130 milligrams per deciliter before eating meals. Before bed, and before eating a snack to heighten your blood glucose levels, your blood glucose level should be maintained to be less than 180 milligrams per deciliter. It is also recommended to take a HbA1c test once every three months. The blood sugar level expressed in this test should be around 7 percent in a person who controls their diabetes properly.

For those afflicted with gestational diabetes, there are different blood sugar levels which should be adhered to. 2 hours after eating a meal, blood sugar levels for plasma should be less than 130 milligrams per deciliter, and whole blood levels should be less than 120 milligrams per deciliter. When fasting, blood sugar levels should be less than 105 milligrams per deciliter in the plasma and less than 95 milligrams per deciliter in whole blood.

Talking to a health care professional may be necessary if you are found to have a blood sugar level that is less than 70 milligrams per deciliter. This can cause hypoglycemic reactions that can wreak havoc on your health, and the problem needs to be remedied. If, while taking readings, you encounter two readings in a row that are greater than 300 milligrams per deciliter, you stand a high risk of having a hyperglycemic reaction, and a call to your doctor may be necessary. In both of these cases, doctors often recommend a change in the way you control your diabetes, be it diet related or otherwise.

It is important to note that monitoring blood sugar levels is only the first step towards controlling your diabetes. When your levels of blood sugar are out of sync with the recommended guidelines, changes can be made in your life such as creating a meal plan that helps you know what to expect in your blood sugar levels from day to day. It is also important to maintain a good level of activity and exercise. When beginning a new medication or nutritional supplement, you should speak to your health care professional first to make sure that the new drug will not interfere with your diabetes condition.

While blood sugar levels are the most important statistic to monitor, there are other levels in your body that need to be regularly checked to ensure proper health. High blood pressure is a problem in those with diabetes that can lead to long term complications such as kidney disease and strokes. Whenever you visit your doctor, be sure to get your blood pressure tested. The ideal blood pressure for a diabetes patient rests at less than 130/80. Cholesterol levels also need to be monitored, with the target score for low density lipoproteins, or LDL cholesterol, being less than 100 for those with diabetes.