Blood glucose meters Most diabetics will be familiar with the terms blood glucose, blood glucose test, blood glucose level and blood sugar meters>, but what does blood glucose really mean? Why do blood sugar levels need to be controlled?
If you've done a blood glucose test through glucose testing meters and the lab technician has highlighted some of the results or marked them with an asterisk, you probably want to know what constitutes a normal, below normal or abnormal blood glucose test results. So today let us discuss blood glucose tests reference ranges.
The result of any blood glucose test in a clinical lab is compared to a "reference range". This simply means that the result of the blood glucose test must be considered in the context, without which the test is meaningless. To interpret what is normal for you, the doctor must know what is considered normal for people of your age and what activity was done before the test was conducted. For example, when you receive the results of your blood glucose test, your doctor might say something like, "Your blood glucose test was out of normal range."
So, what is a reference range and what can be considered "normal"? Some laboratory tests give a simple yes or no result. Suppose you had a test done for strep throat, the result of the test would show if you have the infection or not. But most other tests are not so simple in that the meaning of the result will depend on the context. The lab report for your blood glucose test for example, will typically show your result followed by the reference range. This reference range is established by testing a large group of healthy people and study what appears to be ‘normal' for them.
The normal fasting blood glucose level is about 70-99mg/dL or 3.9 to 5.5mmol/L. So if your blood glucose test result reads 100-125mg, ref. range 70-99mg/dL, it means that your blood glucose level is above the normal range. When the doctor in the example above said your blood glucose test was above the normal range, he is referring to the normal blood sugar level in context with the normal reference range for fasting blood sugar. Blood sugar levels above the normal range usually indicate a medical problem. If your blood glucose tests consistently show high levels of blood sugar, it may signify a pre-diabetic stage.
There are however many factors affecting your blood glucose test results. It could be factors like anxiety or stress, excessive intake of alcohol, caffeine, etc. Therefore, it is essential to take the blood samples in a standardized fashion. Hence, it is important to comply with the doctor's instructions to prepare for your blood glucose test, like coming in first thing in the morning to draw the blood through high quality blood glucose meters before eating anything. This ensures that your blood sample is close to the parameters of the reference group, which is crucial for the accuracy of the test results.
Although your blood glucose test report may show the result in comparison with the reference range, your doctor will need to interpret those results in relation to your health status and physical evaluation based on his personal knowledge of your medical history. He would need to determine if the result falling outside the reference range does indeed mean something significant for your individual health status or not.
Also known as: Fasting blood sugar (FBS), Blood sugar; Fasting blood glucose (FBG), Blood glucose, Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), Urine glucose and blood glucose tests
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Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Type 2 Diabetes Diet
A type two diabetic diet is all about controlling the number of calories people with diabetes eat. Because, unused calories become body fat. And, excess fat cells reduce insulin's ability to remove sugar from the blood.
Maintaining a healthy diet is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with diabetes. A type 2 diabetes diet and following the right diabetic diet meals can make all the difference to a person struggling to keep their blood sugar under control. But, what is the right meal plan? How much of which food group should you eat?
Controlling Diabetes with Diet
Your doctor has likely told you that you can control your Diabetes with diabetic diet menu. But what does "diet" really mean?
Taking on a new diet, or nutritional habit, means that you must learn about foods that are nutritious for your body and the portion sizes that are necessary for your blood sugar control.
You probably know that some foods raise blood sugar more than others. The foods that turn into sugar in your body are called carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include: starches (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, grains, crackers), fruits and fruit juice, milk and yogurt, starchy vegetables (corn, peas, beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes), sweets and sugar.
Diabetes carbohydrates
Dieting does not mean that you cannot eat the foods you like. Instead, you need to limit some foods and spread other foods out during the day (such as carbohydrate-rich foods), thereby, diabetes supplements, not eating large portions all at one time. Eating too many portions of carbohydrate-rich foods at one time will lead to high blood sugar levels.
For example: instead oGlycemic Index Graphf eating a plate of spaghetti with garlic bread, and a glass of milk (all carbohydrates); make ¼ of your plate spaghetti, add a salad with raw vegetables, a grilled chicken breast, and a glass of water with lemon.
Eating just a spaghetti meal with the bread and milk causes the blood sugar level to rise drastically after the meal. People with Diabetes cannot process all of the carbohydrates in order to bring the blood sugar down to a normal level. However, by choosing the second spaghetti meal, the blood sugar does not go up as high because there is are less carbohydrates to process and it is easier for the body to bring the blood sugar level back down.
Diabetes vitamins & Proteins
Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, peanut butter and tofu are protein foods. Protein-rich foods do not immediately become sugar in our bloodstream after consumption. However, simply because these foods do not immediately turn to sugar doesn't mean we can eat an unlimited amount of these foods; eating too much of any food will cause weight gain.
Think of food portions this way...Your 9 inch diet portion control plate should be ½ vegetables, ¼ lean meat or meat substitute, and ¼ Precise Portions Control FOCUS Dinnerware grains/starch. Add a small piece of fruit and 8 ounce glass of low-fat milk and you have a very nutritious, balanced meal that will help control your blood sugar.
This is the start of how you change the way you eat to include a more nutritious diet. For more nutritious eating ideas go to our recipes for diabetics. Remember to include diabetes exercises in your new way of life.
Maintaining a healthy diet is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with diabetes. A type 2 diabetes diet and following the right diabetic diet meals can make all the difference to a person struggling to keep their blood sugar under control. But, what is the right meal plan? How much of which food group should you eat?
Controlling Diabetes with Diet
Your doctor has likely told you that you can control your Diabetes with diabetic diet menu. But what does "diet" really mean?
Taking on a new diet, or nutritional habit, means that you must learn about foods that are nutritious for your body and the portion sizes that are necessary for your blood sugar control.
You probably know that some foods raise blood sugar more than others. The foods that turn into sugar in your body are called carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include: starches (bread, cereal, rice, pasta, grains, crackers), fruits and fruit juice, milk and yogurt, starchy vegetables (corn, peas, beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes), sweets and sugar.
Diabetes carbohydrates
Dieting does not mean that you cannot eat the foods you like. Instead, you need to limit some foods and spread other foods out during the day (such as carbohydrate-rich foods), thereby, diabetes supplements, not eating large portions all at one time. Eating too many portions of carbohydrate-rich foods at one time will lead to high blood sugar levels.
For example: instead oGlycemic Index Graphf eating a plate of spaghetti with garlic bread, and a glass of milk (all carbohydrates); make ¼ of your plate spaghetti, add a salad with raw vegetables, a grilled chicken breast, and a glass of water with lemon.
Eating just a spaghetti meal with the bread and milk causes the blood sugar level to rise drastically after the meal. People with Diabetes cannot process all of the carbohydrates in order to bring the blood sugar down to a normal level. However, by choosing the second spaghetti meal, the blood sugar does not go up as high because there is are less carbohydrates to process and it is easier for the body to bring the blood sugar level back down.
Diabetes vitamins & Proteins
Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, cottage cheese, peanut butter and tofu are protein foods. Protein-rich foods do not immediately become sugar in our bloodstream after consumption. However, simply because these foods do not immediately turn to sugar doesn't mean we can eat an unlimited amount of these foods; eating too much of any food will cause weight gain.
Think of food portions this way...Your 9 inch diet portion control plate should be ½ vegetables, ¼ lean meat or meat substitute, and ¼ Precise Portions Control FOCUS Dinnerware grains/starch. Add a small piece of fruit and 8 ounce glass of low-fat milk and you have a very nutritious, balanced meal that will help control your blood sugar.
This is the start of how you change the way you eat to include a more nutritious diet. For more nutritious eating ideas go to our recipes for diabetics. Remember to include diabetes exercises in your new way of life.
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