Your Blood Sugar Readings: Be A Detective!

Your Blood Sugar Readings: Be a Detective! It is easy to understand why your GlucoLife blood glucose support sugars spike high after eating 2 or 3 sugar coated donuts when you have diabetes. Too much empty sugar from cookies, candy and pies lead to elevated numbers. With diabetes you do not have the insulin needed to regulate your blood sugars. Unfortunately, there are many other unsuspecting reasons why blood sugars go up or down. The best way to avoid these swings is by becoming a "blood sugar detective". Next time your blood glucose readings seem off, see if you can figure out which situations lead to the high or low readings. Learn what to do before, when or after it occurs. What Can Affect Your Blood Sugar? Believe it or not, a simple cold can have an effect on your blood sugars. Add more serious conditions such as the flu, a urinary tract infection, stomach bug, sinus infection, bronchitis and even an infected ingrown toenail, can make blood sugars soar.



Each of these medical maladies cause stress and inflammation in the body, leading to higher levels of the hormone cortisol. More cortisol circulating in the blood stream causes blood sugars to rise. The hormones released to fight the infections make GlucoLife blood sugar formula sugars higher. You may get an elevated glucose before any actual symptoms of illness. This can be an early warning sign of a brewing infection, so take notice. Taking OTC remedies for your cold or flu also can raise blood sugars as many OTC products contain high amounts of added sugar and/or alcohol. Having surgery can put added stress on the body from anesthesia and the actual operation. Post-operative hyperglycemia is common after surgery for those without diabetes and even more prevalent when you have diabetes. Catecholamines (hormones) or neurotransmitters are released into the blood stream when you are physically stressed which causes insulin resistance. Elevated blood sugars after surgery lead to delayed healing and a higher rate of post-op infections.



Insulin resistance (not using your insulin efficiently) makes arteries and veins stiff and less flexible which restricts blood flow. Taking steroids, like Prednisone, for inflammation and swelling before or after surgery usually causes high blood sugars. Pain from the surgery can lead to elevated glucose. High blood sugars after surgery can lead to kidney problems, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, heart and lung issues, Ketoacidosis in type 1 diabetes and possible stroke or death, if not treated. Always discuss sick day plans post-surgery with your doctor GlucoLife Glucose Support before it happens. Get tight control over blood sugars prior to surgery. Look for signs of infection after surgery which could lead to elevated sugars, such as oozing, redness, streaking, fever, pain, or swelling. Keep track of your weight after surgery. Weight gain can be due to excess fluid build-up and weight loss can occur from fever-sweating, vomiting or diarrhea. Healing may be more difficult.



Consult with your physician if you need to stop taking Metformin/SGLT-2s prior to surgery. These medications may cause lactic acidosis. Only stop and GlucoLife Official Website or resume taking medications under the guidance of your physician before or after surgery. Never make this choice on your own. Perform blood sugar tests frequently, every 3-4 hours, and document. Look for trends. Alert the physician when sugars reach 240mg/dl and start testing ketones at 250-300mg/dl. Report ketone levels to your physician. You may need to go to the ER if ketones are moderate/high, which can lead to Ketoacidosis. Take diabetes medications as prescribed. Never double up on medications to bring down sugars. Be prepared for when you get sick. Talk about sick day plans before it happens. If you have stomach troubles, can’t tolerate eating, are vomiting or have diarrhea, have foods and fluids on hand which contain carbohydrates to help prevent lows or hypoglycemia. Stock up on clear broths with sodium, crackers, applesauce, Jell-O, popsicles or puddings, and drinks with electrolytes such as Gatorade.