Blood Sugar Imbalance: Impacts and Prevention

Glucose is the primary energy source for the body, and the blood is the carrier of glucose to all tissues. Therefore, understanding and knowing about blood glucose levels is essential for everyone.

Glucose is the energy source that powers every reaction in the body. Therefore, everyone needs to keep blood sugar levels at an optimum. Any abnormality can lead to metabolic disturbances and chronic diseases in the long run.

Blood glucose level spikes after food consumption and a constant increase may vary depending on the type of food you consume. Blood sugar levels depend on several factors.

For example, it depends on your biological clock, the food you consume, and the activity levels throughout the day. Doctors usually ask diabetes patients to frequently measure their blood sugar levels as it helps them regulate their blood sugar levels. However, non-diabetics should also monitor their blood sugar levels.

Also, if you are non-diabetic, chances are that you would not be aware of the significance of using a glucometer and sugar level-checking blood tests. In such a case, these tests may look like tedious tasks.

To ease out the process, HealthifyMe has introduced HealthifyMe Pro 2.0, with its 5-way approach to improving an individual’s overall health.

The package comes with a CGM- Constant Glucose Monitor, the inputs of pro coaches, a calorie counter, a metabolic panel test with almost 80 parameters, and a weighing scale. The constant glucose monitor tracks your real-time glucose and assesses the impact of a food, beverage or exercise on your blood glucose levels.

Accordingly, the pro coaches guide you on making dietary modifications. The objective is to track, assess and change lifestyle habits. These minute changes will drastically bring improvements to your health. Thus, HealthifyMe pro 2.0 is an appropriate one-time investment that can make you feel fit and fine.

Understanding Dysglycemia

Dysglycemia refers to abnormalities in blood glucose levels. These abnormalities include hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia and impaired fasting glucose levels. It is vital to know about glucose metabolism to understand this further.

Glucose is the primary monosaccharide affecting blood sugar. Glucose is a simple sugar that provides energy to major organs. But, as simple as it sounds, the mechanism of sugar breakdown in the body is complex. It depends on the insulin hormone released from the pancreas.

Glucose and Insulin are antagonists of each other, where insulin resists the glucose level in the blood. For instance, if you consume more carbohydrates, the glucose level in your blood might increase. But, to fight this, more insulin is produced by the pancreas, leading to a decrease in glucose levels.

These mechanisms keep the blood glucose levels in check. However, in case of an irregular mechanism, you may experience an imbalance in glucose levels. So, if the blood sugar level is high, it might lead to hyperglycemia in severe conditions. On the other hand, when the levels are too low, it is associated with hypoglycemia.

An increase or decrease in the blood sugar level for a prolonged period will lead to certain ill effects on the body. These may be chronic disorders that may be fatal if not treated at the right time. 

Hyperglycemia

Hyperglycemia is the increase in the blood sugar levels in the bloodstream (120-180 mg/ dl). It is due to low levels of insulin or insulin resistance, or excess glucose consumption.

Symptoms of Hyperglycemia

• Dehydration
• Frequent micturition/ urination
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Skin Infections
• Weight Loss
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Hyperventilation
• Rapid Heartbeat

Hyperglycemia can lead to diabetes if not cured. 

Hypoglycemia

You experience hypoglycemia when the glucose level falls below 70 mg/dl.

Symptoms of Hypoglycemia

• Sweating
• Headache
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Nightmares
• Seizures

Role of Glucose Monitoring in Dysglycemia

Hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia come with severe consequences. To prevent these conditions, you must maintain healthy glucose and insulin levels in your body. Glucose levels depend on food, physical exercise, mental health and hormones. How the body reacts to these factors might differ from one individual to another because everyone is different. Therefore, what might work for you might not work for another. Hence, you need to track your glucose levels to know what works for you.

The HealthifyMe Note

Any imbalance in the body’s blood glucose levels might affect your day-to-day performance. In addition, it can affect your metabolic health drastically. Therefore, it is wise to regularly test your blood sugar levels and regulate them to prevent chronic diseases by changing your diet, water intake, and activity levels. 

Normal Range of Blood Glucose Levels

• Fasting Blood Glucose Level (Overnight Fasting: 10-14 hrs): 70-110 mg/ dl
• Post-Prandial (After meals): Less than 140 mg/ dl
• Random Blood Glucose level: 70-140 mg/ dl

These are the three ways to assess blood glucose levels. Although the procedure for the tests might differ, the normal range is the same.

Signs of Blood Sugar Level Imbalances

The sensations of the human body are a magical indicator of whatever is taking place inside the body. Similarly, the body shows a slight imbalance in the blood sugar level through symptoms/ signs. These are the signs of the body fighting against the condition. Through these signs, you can easily diagnose the condition and treat it accordingly. The symptoms are:

Obesity

Sudden weight gain can be a significant sign of an imbalance in the blood sugar level. It is all related to the levels of insulin in your body. When there is excess body weight and insulin resistance, the cells lose their ability to transport glucose to the major organs. As a result, glucose is stored in the body. And as a result, the pancreas produces more insulin, and the vicious cycle continues. Because of this, the pancreatic cells get exhausted, leading to low insulin production. 

Your organs do not get enough oxygen, there is no insulin control, glucose level rises, and if the fat deposited is around the visceral organs like the abdomen, it leads to severe conditions like diabetes mellitus. Studies show that obesity and blood glucose level are directly related. 

Although weight gain is the primary sign of an imbalance in glucose levels, several other symptoms appear insignificant. However, they hold equal importance. These signs are apparent when there is an increase in the blood sugar level for a prolonged period. 

• Frequent micturition/ urination
• Dehydration/ Increased thirst
• Fatigue
• Abdominal Pain
• Blurred Vision
• Headache
• Weakness
• Insomnia
• Hunger Pangs/ Sugar Cravings
• Lack of Focus
• Infections and Inflammation

When there is a decrease in the blood sugar level, you may experience the following symptoms. 

• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Hand Trembling
• Higher Pulse
• Mood Swings

These symptoms are a wake-up call for you to check and regulate the glucose levels in the body. Ignoring them will lead to dire consequences. 

Causes of Blood Sugar Level Imbalance

The signs or symptoms of an imbalance in the blood sugar level might be the same, but it is significant to know the underlying causes. Identifying the causes makes it easy to prevent disorders as you can change your lifestyle. These are the primary causes of imbalance in the blood sugar level.

Imbalanced Diet

Each of us follows a different diet. Thus, disorders related to blood sugar levels affect only a part of the population. One specific diet cannot be the universal diet for everyone, as everyone differs in weight, height, BMR, and food and water intake capacity. 

A diet full of carbohydrates such as rice, sweets/desserts, and all bread varieties will increase the blood sugar level. If you consume a diet like this for a few years, your blood sugar level will permanently increase, leading to severe conditions. On the other hand, a balanced diet contains fats, proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates in the right amount. Remember, consuming an appropriate amount of water and a balanced diet is vital. 

Lack of Activity

Even if you have planned a perfect diet according to your body, only following the diet won’t maintain the glucose levels. Studies show that people who go for a run or a walk have a better command of their glucose levels than those who sit and work for several hours. Approximately 24 hours after the activity, the blood glucose levels will decrease. Hence, people with high glucose levels should work out more.

Unhealthy Lifestyle Habits

An improper sleep schedule combined with increased workload and stress will lead to an imbalance in the blood sugar level. Sleeping for the right amount of hours will resolve many health issues. Your body restores hormonal levels while sleeping. Thus, you will feel energetic in the morning as your glucose levels reach your cells after the rest. 

Apart from these major causes, several other reasons are:

• PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• PMS: Premenstrual Syndrome
• Pregnancy
• Vitamin D deficiency
• Decreased Insulin Production
• Deficiency of Micronutrients
• Dehydration
• Medications
• Menstruation
• High Caffeine Level
• Travelling
• Weather Conditions

Treatment/Tips for Blood Sugar Imbalance

Although treating an imbalance in the blood sugar level needs the consultation and attention of a physician, it is possible to control blood sugar levels by changing the lifestyle. These might work if you detect the imbalance at an early stage. The tips are: 

• A balanced diet with fibre, whole grains, and healthy fats
• Sleeping for 7-8 hours
• Inclusion of vitamin supplements (consultation of doctor required)
• Inclusion of micronutrients
• De-stressing after a hectic day
• Water intake
• Reducing caffeine intake
• Cardio/ Walking

Besides, consuming improper meals, like a heavy dinner and a light breakfast, will affect your blood glucose levels. The sudden increase will lead to a fluctuation. Therefore, you should consume balanced meals a day. You can reduce the quantity you consume, but not the frequency of the meals.

Ways to Test your Blood Glucose Levels

With improving technology, the ways to test glucose levels have been simplified. The primary and accredited ways to test glucose are: 

• Blood Sugar Metre/ Glucometer
• Constant Blood Glucose Monitor
• A1C Test
• Urine Test

The HealthifyMe Note

Regularly testing and monitoring your blood glucose levels can save you from long-term chronic disorders like hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. In addition, a balanced blood sugar level will make you feel energetic and keep you metabolically active. There are several ways to check your blood glucose levels, of which a constant blood glucose monitor is the most accessible and accurate.

Conclusion

From the above points, it is apparent that we should regulate blood sugar levels irrespective of the presence or absence of diabetes. Blood sugar levels can affect our lives more than any blood content. An increase in their levels can lead to insulin resistance and the pancreas’ failure, while a decrease in them will lead to seizures and fatigue in extreme cases.

You can control your blood sugar levels by altering your body’s food intake, water, and activity levels. These key changes will not show immediate results but will positively affect your body’s metabolic health.