How to Keep Your Blood Glucose Level Stable

I get to hear more and more often about problems with the carbohydrate economy among my friends, acquaintances, and family. Words such as insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, pre-diabetes, diabetes, as well as hyper- or hypoglycemia sound familiar. What does it mean? For me, this is a signal that an increasing number of people have a problem with maintaining normal blood sugar levels.

According to the Ministry of Health, over 2.9 million people in Poland suffer from diabetes, of which 90% of cases relate to type 2 diabetes. It is alarming how many children under the age of 15 suffer from diabetes, currently pediatricians diagnose 17.7 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants. Unfortunately, it is expected that the number of diabetic patients in Poland will double within a decade. When I saw such dramatic statistics, I immediately decided to draw your attention to regular self-examination and watch over the level of glycemia. Prevention is better than cure! If you don’t want to be a part of these dramatic predictions, then I encourage you to read this article.

 

Let’s start by explaining some important concepts:

• glycemia – the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood
• hyperglycemia – an increase in blood glucose above normal 
• hypoglycemia – a fall in blood glucose below normal
• pre-diabetes — this is a state of increased risk of developing diabetes, which is characterized by impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance (elevated blood sugar levels after a meal)
• diabetes – a group of metabolic diseases (type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and others) manifested by hyperglycemia resulting from insufficient production or malfunction of insulin (a hormone that lowers blood glucose levels). Untreated diabetes leads to damage and failure of many organs, including the eyes, kidneys, nervous system, heart, and blood vessels
• insulin resistance — is a metabolic disorder consisting in a decrease in the sensitivity of the body’s tissues to insulin, despite its normal or elevated blood level.

You already know the theory so we can move on to practice and prevention. While type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes have a genetic background, the rate of inheritance is small, but still a bit greater in type 2. Two factors are involved in its development: the first one is genetic, independent of you, and the other one is environmental, which includes lack of exercise, improper diet, excess weight and obesity

Does this mean that if there are people with diabetes in your family, you will also have it? NO! The genetic factor means that you may have a higher chance of developing the disease, but what you should do is to prevent it by eliminating environmental factors and getting tested regularly. Lack of diabetes in the family does not exempt you from preventive measures. If you don’t have it in your genes but you do not take care of your health, you may also get it.

 

Prevention in Practice

Get your health checkup every year! Under the National Health Fund, each of you is entitled to basic preventive examinations: complete blood count, ESR, blood glucose concentration, general urine test, blood pressure measurement, body weight, waist circumference measurement and general examination by your GP. I recommend setting a reminder in your calendar or creating an annual tradition of preventive examinations, e.g. for your birthday.

If diabetes runs in your family, you probably own a blood glucose meter. If so, check your blood sugar occasionally, not just once a year. It is worth checking blood glucose values both on an empty stomach and after a meal.

Make sure your body weight is correct. If you are overweight or obese, start by seeing your doctor. Fight for your health through a healthy lifestyle and shaping healthy habits, such as healthy eating, the right amount and form of exercise adapted to your capabilities. Extra pounds are not an aesthetic issue but pose the real risk of developing many diseases, including diabetes. The results of the Nurses Health Study showed that the risk of developing diabetes for people with a BMI over 35 kg/m2 is 40 times higher than for people with a BMI below this value. It is estimated that less than 65% of cases of type 2 diabetes are a consequence of being overweight, which, given the forecasts that in 2025 26% of adult women and 30% of adult men in Poland will be obese, should provide a lot of food for thought.

Avoid simple sugars. Products such as fast food, sweets, sweet drinks or highly processed food are a rich source of them. According to the report of the National Health Fund “Sugar, obesity – consequences” in Poland we consume more and more sugar added to the food, and Poles are more and more willing to reach for sweetened drinks and energy drinks.

Increase your level of physical activity – physical activity sensitizes tissues to insulin (reduces insulin resistance), lowers blood glucose levels, improves performance and allows you to control body weight.

Read product labels – the trend for food without added sugar is great, but be careful and look for sugar under other names, such as syrups – glucose, fructose, corn, caramel, invert sugar, concentrated apple juice, fructose, maltodextrins, and others. Pay attention to the total carbohydrate content of the product, including the amount of sugars listed, remembering that the values are per 100 g of the product. It is worth converting these amounts to the portion you want to eat. 

 

 

How to keep your blood sugar level stable every day? 

Try to choose products with a low GI. You can also find this model of nutrition in my application, which I wrote about HERE, as well as in my Super Menu catering.

When you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, an extra walk or light exercise can help both reduce postprandial blood glucose and burn calories.

Don’t forget the fiber. Remember to add more vegetables to your meals, or choose wholemeal cereal products, e.g. brown rice instead of white. Such small procedures are of great importance for your postprandial glycemia.

Avoid white sugar and carefully check that the food you put in the basket does not contain it. If you want to know what to replace sugar with, check out this article HERE. What if you’re craving something sweet? First, check out my earlier post HERE. I recommend a small snack immediately after the main meal. Remember, however, that it should be a healthy alternative, like the ones you can find HERE and HERE. I would love to find out if you check yourself regularly and pay attention not only to the amount of sugar in your diet, but also how to keep your blood glucose in check. I am waiting for your comments!

 

Bibliography:

1. Departament Analiz i Strategii, Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia. Cukier, otyłość – konsekwencje. Przegląd literatury, szacunki dla Polski. 2019, Pobrano 5 maja 2023 z https://www.nfz.gov.pl/aktualnosci/aktualnosci-centrali/prezentacja-raportu-cukier-otylosc-konsekwencje,7296.html 
2. Guh, D.P., Zhang, W., Bansback, N., Amaris, Z., Birmingham, C.L., Anis, A.H., 2009. Theincidence of comorbidities related to obesity and overweight: A systematic review and metaanalysis. BMC Public Health; 9:88.
3. Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia. Cukrzyca w liczbach. Centrum e-Zdrowia. Opublikowano: 23.12.2019 https://pacjent.gov.pl/artykul/cukrzyca-w-liczbach