UCSF Health medical specialists have reviewed this information. It is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your doctor or other health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with your provider. Foods containing carbohydrates become glucose or blood sugar when digested, and controlling blood sugar is important if you have diabetes.
Learn more now. Carb counting is a useful tool for people who have diabetes. Balancing carbohydrates and insulin helps keep your blood sugars in a healthy range. Learn more. Donate now. Blood Sugar and Exercise. Getting Started Safely. There are a few ways that exercise lowers blood sugar: Insulin sensitivity is increased, so your muscle cells are better able to use any available insulin to take up glucose during and after activity.
When your muscles contract during activity, your cells are able to take up glucose and use it for energy whether insulin is available or not. Understanding Your Blood Sugar and Exercise The effect physical activity has on your blood sugar will vary depending on how long you are active and many other factors. Hypoglycemia and Physical Activity People taking insulin or insulin secretagogues oral diabetes pills that cause your pancreas to make more insulin are at risk for hypoglycemia if insulin dose or carbohydrate intake is not adjusted with exercise.
If you experience hypoglycemia during or after exercise, treat it immediately: Follow the rule: 1. Check your blood sugar. It is more likely to occur if you: Take insulin or an insulin secretagogue Skip meals Exercise for a long time Exercise strenuously If hypoglycemia interferes with your exercise routine, talk to your healthcare provider about the best treatment plan for you. For example, your doctor might recommend cutting back on carbohydrates and eating more lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.
Fiber can be so helpful that sprinkling even a small amount of a fiber supplement onto a meal that otherwise might spike blood sugar can help stabilize it, Dr. Aloi says, because fiber slows down the body's digestive process. Drinking Wisely Alcohol can cause an immediate rise in blood sugar and then a drop a few hours later. Medication Your doctor may recommend different types of medication at different times during your diabetes treatment.
Treatment options include the following:. Strategies to stabilize blood sugar are most effective when you understand how they work and how to use them. And the answers may be as close as your phone. When Australian researchers offered telephone counseling to 94 adults with type 2 diabetes, they found it improved diabetes management, according to a study published in September in the Internal Medicine Journal. Specific recommendations for testing blood sugar depend on your type of treatment. It allows us to tailor medication better.
From self-tests to lab tests, from daily testing to testing every few months, these different blood sugar tests can give you a more complete picture of your diabetes and how to go about managing it best:. Testing Strips and Glucose Monitors These are fingertip blood sample tests you can do at home. Get to know your condition better by keeping a diary of your meals and activities and the blood sugar levels that result. Use these self-check blood sugar testing tools to find out how your body responds to changes in your diet, exercise, and overall health.
There are many brands of monitors, each with their own lancets and testing strips, so talk to your doctor about which design is best for you and about how often you should be checking your blood sugar levels at home. A1C Tests This is a lab-drawn blood test that provides your doctor with information about how your blood sugar control has been over the past three months. Every time your A1C drops by a point, you cut the risk of diabetes complications by about 30 percent, Aloi says. The complications of diabetes are caused by poor blood sugar control over the long term — typically not by the occasional short-lived elevations in your blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar levels that are too high for too long are considered hyperglycemia. Rarely, someone with type 2 diabetes will develop diabetic ketoacidosis DKA , a serious condition characterized by high blood sugar, low insulin and the presence of moderate to high ketone levels. DKA is a medical emergency and requires urgent medical care.
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