What does high blood sugar mean? How does it relate to diabetes? These two questions are related because people with diabetes have high blood sugar levels, or h. The disease causes excessive levels of sugar in the blood. Diabetes affects 537 million adults, but one in two people with it remains undiagnosed. Therefore, understanding the disease is a critical first step in managing symptoms.
Understanding High Blood Sugar and Diabetes
Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder and one of the most common health problems worldwide. The food we eat is broken down into sugar in the body and then released into the blood.
The pancreas then responds to the increase in blood sugar (or glucose) by releasing a hormone called insulin. Insulin enables cells to use blood sugar as energy or fuel to carry out various processes and life-sustaining activities in the body. However, with diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot use it well enough. This causes a buildup of sugar in the blood, and over time, the buildup of glucose can lead to serious health problems.
Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes: This is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body attacks itself.
The cells responsible for producing insulin stop producing insulin. The World Health Organization estimates that about 9 million people have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The disease usually develops in children, teenagers and young adults. There is no cure for the disease and patients must take insulin regularly.
Type 2 diabetes: Insulin is produced but not used properly, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. About 90-95% of people diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is common in adults.
Gestational diabetes: This type of diabetes occurs when a woman's body is unable to produce enough insulin during pregnancy. High sugar levels can be harmful to the health of the baby. Even if gestational diabetes disappears after birth, the mother is at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes: This is a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. So, if a person has a morning (fasting) blood sugar level above 125 mg/dl, and the normal range is between 70 and 110 mg/dl, they have diabetes. Any value in the middle range, i.e. between h. 110 and 125 mg/dl, indicates prediabetes.
Risk factors
For type 1, age and family history are the most important risk factors. According to the CDC, in addition to prediabetic blood sugar levels, there are other risk factors for type 2 diabetes:
- Over 45 years of age
- Illness in the family
- Sedentary lifestyle or less than three physical activities per week
- History of gestational diabetes
- Ethnicity
- Certain other metabolic disorders
In addition to the above risk factors, the following factors can increase the risk of gestational diabetes:
- History of gestational diabetes (previous pregnancy)
- Over 25 years of age
- A family history of type 2 diabetes
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes
People with this disease may experience the following common signs and symptoms:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme hunger
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurred vision
- Slow healing of cuts and wounds
- Frequent infections (gum, skin, and vaginal infections)
- High levels of ketones in the urine
Complications of long-term high blood sugar
Long-term high blood sugar can lead to serious health complications, including:
- Kidney damage and failure (or nephropathy)
- Cardiovascular complications, including stroke
- Lower extremity gangrene, which may lead to amputation
- Eye damage, including retinopathy, blurred vision, and glaucoma
Prevention
Although there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes and type 2 Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by following these tips:
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle and manage stress levels
- Incorporate moderate physical activity into your daily routine (at least 150 minutes a day)
- Avoid unhealthy lifestyles
Tips for managing blood sugar
Harvard Health recommends lowering blood sugar levels through the following dietary changes:
- Choose whole grains instead of refined grains and processed carbohydrates
- Increase fluid intake by drinking water, coffee, or tea instead of sugary drinks
- Choose healthy fats instead of trans fats
- Limit consumption of red and processed meats
- Add protein-rich foods to your meals, such as nuts, beans, whole grains, poultry, and fish
- Persistent concerns should be reported to a doctor, who can recommend the right treatment to help patients with high blood sugar and symptoms of diabetes.
