Tag: Blood Sugar Level

Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Borderline Diabetes Symptoms

Diabetes is a chronic disease wherein blood sugar levels are elevated. This can happen when the body does not produce sufficient insulin, or if cells in the body do not respond to insulin. If you have not been officially diagnosed with diabetes but your blood sugar levels are chronically slightly high, you may have pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes. Pre-diabetes or borderline diabetes is cause for concern. If you are experiencing any of the borderline diabetes symptoms listed below, it’s best to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Symptoms of Borderline Diabetes

* Frequent need to urinate. Frequent urination, especially at night, can be a borderline diabetes symptom.

* Constant fatigue. If you feel constantly tired all day, you may have pre-diabetes.

* Constantly being thirsty. One of the common borderline diabetes symptoms is excessive thirst, even after drinking plenty of water.

* Unexplained weight loss. If you are losing weight without any change in your diet or lifestyle, you may be experiencing one of the main symptoms of borderline diabetes.

* Slow healing of wounds. Abnormally elevated blood sugar levels can impair the immune system. If wounds or scratches heal slowly, you may be displaying a borderline diabetes symptom. Frequent infections of the urinary bladder, skin, or gums and vaginal yeast infections in women are also symptoms of borderline diabetes.

Diagnosing Borderline Diabetes

If you suspect that you have diabetes or borderline diabetes because of the symptoms you have, consult a doctor as soon as possible. A simple test for blood sugar levels will show if you have pre-diabetes,which is the proper medical term for borderline diabetes. Individuals with fasting blood sugar level of 100-125 mg/dL and 140-199 mg/dL for postprandial blood glucose may manifest borderline diabetes.

Borderline diabetes may be diabetes in its early stages and should be considered a cause for concern. Failure to obtain the right diagnosis and treatment can lead to damage to the nerves, cardiovascular system, kidneys, and vision.

It is estimated that over 79 million people in the USA suffer from pre-diabetes.

What to Do

If you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, your doctor will probably advise you to make lifestyle changes to stop diabetes in its tracks. Diabetes is often caused by lack of exercise, being overweight, a diet high in carbohydrates, and a family history of diabetes. Regular exercise and a healthy diet can help prevent pre-diabetes from getting worse.

People with borderline diabetes symptoms should not self-diagnose or self-medicate. Only a doctor can tell you if you do have pre-diabetes, and prescribe the right treatment for your condition.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Blood Glucose
  • Related Blogs on Blood Sugar Level
Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Diabetic Breakfast Ideas: Breakfast Choices for Diabetics

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day yet it can also be the most neglected. If you have diabetes, it is a very bad idea to skip breakfast. The first meal of the day provides energy to get you going and helps keep your blood sugar levels within normal limits. Healthy breakfast ideas for diabetics can help you choose the right foods to eat and avoid those that can bring your blood glucose to abnormal levels.

Diabetic breakfast ideas are not too difficult to find because they are often the same as a healthy diet for non-diabetics. Those who have diabetes, however, should limit their carbohydrate consumption and avoid foods with high glycemic values because they can cause the blood sugar level to spike.

Healthy Breakfast Choices for Diabetics

When looking for diabetic breakfast ideas, be sure to avoid highly processed foods that are high in carbohydrates. Instead of white bread, opt for whole grain breads, oats, and whole grain cereals. These foods are high in fiber and have a low glycemic value. Studies have shown that they help reduce blood glucose levels significantly.

Foods such as eggs, meat, dairy products and poultry provide the protein you need. Some amount of fat is also important in your diabetes diet, but be sure to limit your fat consumption to avoid weight problems.

Ideas for a Healthy Diabetic Breakfast

Breakfast for diabetics does not have to be a bland or boring meal. With a little imagination, you can whip up a delicious breakfast that will provide the right balance of nutrients and calories. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you can have a healthy breakfast of whole wheat toast with a teaspoon of margarine spread, egg or cottage cheese, oatmeal, and a small banana.

Another diabetic breakfast idea is whole grain bread with peanut butter, low fat milk, and some fresh fruits.

When planning breakfast, diabetic patients should always remember to keep an eye on their carbohydrate intake. High-carb foods quickly release sugar into the blood and this is not good for diabetics.

Breakfast can be hard to put together especially if you have to go to school or work early in the morning. But if you have diabetes, you cannot afford to skip breakfast. Plan ahead and find some healthy diabetic breakfast ideas that will help keep your blood sugar stable while giving you the energy you need for the day.

Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Diabetes Testing Machine

Diabetes treatment is made possible by constantly monitoring blood sugar levels. Diabetic patients can do this at home with a diabetes testing machine or blood glucose meter that measures glucose levels in the blood. How often you need to check your blood sugar depends on your particular diabetes treatment and how well the condition is controlled. People with type 1 diabetes who take insulin may need to check their blood glucose level several times during the day, in which case a diabetes testing machine would come in handy.

The diabetes testing machine is also called a glucometer. Modern glucometers are now small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Diabetes testing machines come with test strips, calibration solution and alcohol wipes. They can be stowed in their cases, making it easy to bring them with you when you travel.

Using a Diabetes Testing Machine

To test for your blood sugar level, a very small amount of blood is taken from your finger. Almost all glucometers use a test strip to absorb the blood droplet for the machine to analyze. The machine comes with a lancet device that makes a small incision in the finger to draw blood for testing.

Older models of diabetes testing machines took up to a full minute to analyze the blood sample, but newer models can get a reading in a matter of seconds. Newer models are also more sensitive and require only the tiniest amount of blood sample to get an accurate reading. Thus, it is possible to use a smaller lancet and reduce the discomfort of obtaining a blood sample.

Many modern glucometers these days are capable of recording up to 250 blood sugar readings, including the date and time when the reading was made. This feature allows you to keep track of your blood sugar levels for trending.

Types of Diabetic Testing Machines

There are many different makes and models of blood sugar meters but there are only two basic types. One is a small portable glucometer with test strips stored inside the machine. When the diabetes testing machine is switched on, a test strip is exposed through a small slot. The blood droplet is transferred to the strip for testing.

The second type of glucometer uses external test strips which are inserted into a slot in the machine for testing.

More recently, some manufacturers introduced diabetic testing machines that they claim are able to get a blood sugar reading without a blood sample. The device can be worn like a wristwatch to check your glucose level every twenty minutes. This type of bloodless diabetes testing machine is not approved by the FDA and cannot substitute for a standard glucometer.

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on Alcohol Wipes
  • Related Blogs on Blood Glucose Level