Diabetes And Glucose

Diabetes, a chronic and metabolic disease, is not an ailment to be ignored. Blood sugar tests are important and should be taken at least once, if not twice, each year.

Blood sugar levels in blood have a crucial role. The body’s energy and the feeling of hunger are both caused by glucose (sugar) travelling through blood. Glucose comes from aliments rich in sugar and starch. This is why it’s best to avoid excess intake of potatoes, flour-based products, tea, coffee, sugary soft drinks, fruit (especially grapes), milk etc. Blood sugar levels can be tested after collecting a blood sample, but they vary, depending on the diet, physical activity, medication and even the time of the day. For example, the levels are higher in the morning, due to hyperglycaemic hormone release – a substance called glucagon determines the increase of blood sugar. After a meal, blood sugar levels are higher, stimulating the pancreas to release insulin, which reduces the sugar in blood. People suffering from diabetes take daily doses of insulin as a treatment.

Overrunning the upper or lower limit of blood sugar can lead to hyperglycaemia (an increased level of sugar) or hypoglycaemia (a decreased level of sugar).

Hyperglycaemia can appear accidentally after an intake of glucose rich aliments, after a physical or mental shock or after receiving treatment with certain medication. In these cases, blood sugar levels go back to normal when the cause of the increase disappears. Hyperglycaemia occurs when glands such as the pituitary, the adrenal or the thyroid are affected. These glands need to constantly adjust the blood sugar levels. Excess sugar is the basis of diabetes and causes obesity. In order for the glucose in our bodies to be consumed, the pancreas needs to produce insulin. If it doesn’t work properly, the insufficient amount of insulin won’t burn the glucose, allowing the blood sugar to become significantly increased, up to 200-300 mg%. This leads to a diabetic coma and it happens mostly to people who don’t suspect suffering from diabetes. Also, little insulin leads to hunger and the increase of sweets intake, thus causing obesity.

Hypoglycaemia is also caused by the malfunction of glands, liver disease or it can be hereditary. It manifests by weakness, tremors, sweating and even loss of consciousness. It’s caused by lack of aliments containing glucose or severe starvation. It can even occur after an insulin overdose.