High blood sugar mainly affects people with diabetes. This occurs when your body does not produce enough insulin and therefore cannot absorb the glucose properly. Yet many people walk around for years with complaints of high blood sugar without knowing that they have diabetes. Diabetes is an ‘invisible disease’. It is all the more important to keep an eye on the symptoms of high blood sugar.
What do you feel when your blood sugar is too high?
High blood sugar is therefore more common than you think, but to be honest: it is difficult to recognize. Many complaints resemble things that everyone sometimes suffers from, such as fatigue and lethargy. As a result, people often do not realize for years that they have type 2 diabetes, for example. Dangerous, because diabetes can be life-threatening. Without treatment, too much sugar remains in your blood. In the long run, this can cause damage to your eyes, heart, kidneys and feet.
Symptoms of high blood sugar
You can recognize a (too) high blood sugar level by the following symptoms:
- Dry tongue
- Thirst
- dehydration
-
Having to urinate a lot (little bits)
- Being sleepy
- Having a lot of itching
- Inflammations (such as a bladder infection)
- Weak
- Footless
- Difficulty breathing
- Vomit
Do you recognize yourself in the symptoms above? Make an appointment with the doctor. A test with just one drop of blood indicates whether you may have diabetes.
What blood sugar value is dangerously high?
The blood sugar level (blood glucose) is the amount of glucose in the blood at any given time. The results of this are called your blood sugar values. These blood sugar values are often expressed in mmol/l (millimoles per litre).
The following values apply to fasting shots:
- < 6,1 mmol/l = goede bloedsuiker
- 6.1 – 6.9 mmol/l = increased blood sugar
- > 6.9 mmol/l = too high blood sugar
The following values apply to non-fasting shots:
- < 7,8 mmol/l = goede bloedsuiker
- 7.8 – 11 mmol/l = increased blood sugar
- > 11 mmol/l = too high blood sugar
High blood sugar is not directly dangerous for your health, but can cause a lot of damage in the long term. Does your blood sugar rise above 6.9 mmol/l on an empty stomach and above 11 mmol/l on an empty stomach? Then it can become dangerous and you probably have type 2 diabetes. It is then important that you get the right medication, so make an appointment with the doctor quickly in that case.
What should you do if your blood sugar is too high?
A high blood sugar level almost only occurs in people with diabetes. It is therefore also referred to as a hyper. You can recognize these by the symptoms above, such as urinating a lot, being tired, very thirsty but having no appetite or feeling sick.
With a hyper, your body wants to get rid of the excess sugar in the blood by urinating a lot. Keep drinking a lot of water (and therefore no sweet drinks!) Helps with this. Go for a walk, because even then your muscles burn blood sugar. If you have diabetes and use insulin, you usually have to inject extra insulin.
If the hyper gets worse, you can pass out or even go into a coma. With a very intense hyper you have a deep breath and your breath can smell like acetone. In that case, someone should immediately call 112. It’s not so bad to have a hyper once in a while. But if this happens more often, treatment may be necessary. Discuss this with your doctor or diabetes nurse.
How do I lower my blood sugar?
There are several simple and proven ways to lower your blood sugar naturally.
Tips to lower blood sugar
-
Exercise regularly
Movement provides more insulin sensitivity, so that your body absorbs the sugars better. -
Limit your sugar and carbohydrate intake
The more carbohydrates and sugar you eat, the harder it is for your body to process the glucose. -
Eat more fiber
Fiber slows down the absorption of carbohydrates and sugars, so that your blood sugar rises and falls less quickly. These products are high in fiber. -
Drink enough water
High blood sugar can lead to dehydration, so drink plenty of water to avoid this. In addition, the risk of hyperglycaemia is much smaller if you consume enough water. -
Provide portion control
Portion control can help you regulate your calorie intake. By not eating too much at once, you prevent blood sugar spikes. Therefore, weigh all ingredients well in advance, use smaller plates, avoid all you can eatrestaurants, keep a food diary and eat mindfully as much as possible. -
Coffee lowers blood sugar
One of the biggest benefits of coffee is that it lowers your blood sugar and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. -
Herbs that lower your blood sugar
Spices such as turmeric, cayenne, oregano and ceylon cinnamon have the remarkable property of lowering your blood sugar. And you can use it in all directions in the kitchen, so you can live it up.
Bron: Diabetes fonds, Healthline
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2023-05-10 13:52:12
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