Diabetes (High Blood Sugar)

High blood sugar occurs when your body is no longer able to make or use insulin properly. There are two types of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes are unable to make insulin. People with type 2 diabetes either make too little insulin or their cells have become resistant to the insulin they produce. Chronically elevated blood sugar damages the lining of the blood vessels and can lead to blindness, poor wound healing, circulatory problems that require amputation, and heart disease.

If you have diabetes, it is critical that you manage your blood sugar. Choosing foods wisely, eating them in the proper quantities, and eating them at the proper times can help you manage your blood sugar levels. If you have type 1 diabetes, you will also need to use insulin. The IMC Center for Nutrition & Weight Management dietitians have considerable experience helping patients manage both types of diabetes.

Key elements of a diabetic diet including:

Limiting sweets
Monitoring how much and how often you eat carbohydrates
Eating whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
Maintaining a low-fat diet
Exercising and encouraging weight loss help lower blood sugar

If you are overweight and have type 2 diabetes, weight loss and exercise can put the condition into remission as long as you maintain a healthy weight.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar (glucose) level falls too low to provide the body with energy. Because the brain and nerve cells have a preference for glucose, hypoglycemia effects the function of these tissues first. It leads to a sense of lightheadedness, generalized weakness, and headache. In severe cases, it can lead to a coma.

Hypogylcemia is not a disease itself; rather, it is a symptom of other diseases and conditions. It is found in people who have kidney or liver disease or cancer of the pancreas or adrenal glands. People who have low blood sugar for these reasons typically require medical treatment and/or surgery.

Overuse of medications like insulin, oral diabetic drugs, or betablockers, excessive alcohol intake, or extended periods without food can also cause hypoglycemia. When hypoglycemia occurs, the best treatment is often a concentrated source of sugar.

Some people's bodies have an exaggerated response to the digestion of food, particularly carbohydrates, because they have inherited metabolic abnormalities. Instead of their bodies regulating their blood sugar to keep it at an even level, it seesaws from high to low levels. Eating the right combinations of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, consuming small meals numerous times each day, and timing meals and snacks appropriately can help manage this condition.