People with type 2 diabetes should know that their goal should be to control blood sugar. Why is this important?
This is important because if they don’t control it, their blood sugar levels will them up, and that will raise the risk of developing severe health issues.
Such health issues are neuropathy, i.e., nerve damage, stroke, and heart disease. The real danger is when their blood sugar stays high. But there is a tricky part here, and that is that they might not notice when their blood glucose is too high.
Bear in mind that hyperglycemia differs from one individual to another. That means that not everyone will have the same signs.
One reason why people have high blood glucose levels is due to the fact that they are not aware of the seriousness of it and that they ignore the signs of high blood sugar which their body gives.
The first step is to know the signs, understand them and keep an eye on them. That is how they will lower their blood sugar and have control over it, which will lead to having a healthy body.
10 Signs of High Blood Sugar
#1 Gain Weight
In case we have high blood glucose levels, there are chances that we may be insulin resistant. That means that the cells don’t respond to the hormone insulin.
Bear in mind that is difficult for insulin-resistance cells to take sugar from our blood. Due to this, our blood glucose starts to build up over time, and that can cause us to gain weight.
#2 Have Increased Urge to Urinate
This happens since the kidneys can’t keep up with an excess amount of sugar, so the only way to eliminate it is through urination. What we need to do is to pay attention to the frequency of our trips to the bathroom.
In case we see ourselves going every hour, that might be a sign of high blood sugar. The best thing to do if you have this sign is to consult your doctor.
#3 The Sores Heal Slowly
Scrapes, bruises, and cuts heal slowly due to uncontrolled blood glucose. Diabetes leads to nerve damage and impacts the circulation, mainly in the feet and lower legs.
That, in turn, slows down the healing since there is no sufficient amount of blood flow to that particular area. So, slow healing sores indicate high blood sugar.
#4 Our Vision Is Blurry
High blood glucose, can make the lenses of the eyes swell and that leads to blurry vision. Usually, this is just temporary. However, if you have or notice this sign the best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor immediately.
#5 Thirsty All the Time
Polyuria is the main reason the high blood glucose makes us thirsty. In the case of high blood glucose levels, the kidneys aren’t able to keep up.
Therefore, they process more urine in order to eliminate the excess amount of sugar which they aren’t able to absorb. That is why someone could be thirsty and dehydrated.
#6 The Skin Is Dry
In case we notice this sign then probably our blood glucose levels have been high for a more extended period of time. Bear in mind that high blood glucose damages the nerves and makes the body lose fluids.
If this goes on for an extended period of time, the nerves od the body become damaged, and the final result is dry skin.
#7 Tiredness
When people have high blood glucose levels, they become thirsty and they frequently urinate since the kidneys aren’t able to absorb the sugar and produce energy. And no energy means that they will feel tired and week all the time.
#8 Hungry All the Time
In case we discover that we have increased eating habits that may mean that our blood glucose is high. High blood glucose leads to increased eating habits since the sugar cannot enter the cells. This might happen due to insulin resistance or lack of insulin.
When this occurs, the body is not able to transform the food we consume into energy. Therefore, in case our body doesn’t have a sufficient amount of energy, it will ask for more food in order to try and make sugar.
#9 Losing Weight
We might eat more, and still losing weight for no reason if we have high blood glucose levels. This happens because the body doesn’t get the needed energy from sugar and it has to turn to fat and muscle.
When the body begins to break down fat and muscle for energy, what we can experience is unhealthy and unintentional weight loss.
Not only we can notice changes in our appetite and weight, but we might also notice weakness in our muscles.
#10 Numbness and Tingling in Our Feet and Hands
Uncontrolled blood glucose might lead to nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy. We might notice numbness or tingling sensation in our feet and hands.
As a matter of fact, some individuals have pain in their feet and hands. Although neuropathy is common in people who have had diabetes for many years, it still might occur in people who have poor control over their condition.
What Leads to High Blood Glucose Levels?
These are the 10 most common indications we may have high blood sugar. However, we should know what makes our blood glucose to go high.
Poor Diet
One of the leading causes is poor diet. Individuals who follow a diet which usually consists of highly processed foods or food with a lot of calories actually digest their food quickly. This is not good since quick digestion leads to blood glucose spikes. In addition, it can lead to bad cholesterol levels.
Lack of Exercise
Another crucial yet underestimated reason is the lack of exercise. Most individuals believe that exercise only helps with heart rates and keeping the bones healthy.
However, exercise also keeps the muscles cells sensitive to insulin. Therefore, if we aren’t physically active, our muscle cells might become resistant to the hormone insulin, and that can make our blood glucose go high.
Stress
If we experience a lot of stress on a daily basis, then most probably we could have high blood glucose levels. We should bear in mind that stress might lead to a spike in our blood glucose levels.
Yes, as a matter of fact, stress hormones might make our blood glucose to go up.
Conclusion
So, in case of having some of these signs, the best thing to do would be to consult the doctor. We should take high blood glucose seriously. Put yourself first and do what is best for you.