Your blood glucose level is a measurement of the amount of sugar which is found in your bloodstream. This is an important part of maintaining a balanced and functional internal system. When blood levels drop too low or rise too high the condition can be problematic and even fatal.
Diabetes and hypoglycemia are two conditions which can both cause and be impacted by blood sugar irregularities. Diabetes, is a result of low insulin in the body, which means that sugar isn't being properly regulated and may spike too high. Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar is chronically low, making sufferers dizzy and prone to fainting.
Controlling Glucose Levels:
Whether you suffer from diabetes, hypoglycemia, or have average blood glucose levels, it is important to maintain normal levels as much as possible. In some cases, individuals with special circumstances may need to take insulin to lower sugar levels or ingest sweets to raise them.
Those with average glucose levels can easily maintain this balance by eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and regulating alcohol intake. The lowest point of the blood sugar level for these individuals will likely be first thing in the morning before breakfast is eaten. It will spike for roughly two hours after each meal.
Avoiding Negative Triggers:
Even eating healthy or taking prescribed medication isn't always enough to keep blood glucose levels normal. Those who smoke tobacco or cigarettes, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, are overweight on the BMI scale, or have high blood pressure can be negatively impacting their levels. It is therefore important to avoid these triggers.
The best place to find information on ways to positively counter these triggers is by speaking to a doctor or nutritionist. A medical professional can check your blood sugar, blood pressure, and offer advice on ways to protect yourself in the future and develop healthy habits.
Values And Measurements:
Molar concentration, seen as millimolar or mM, is measured by the molecular weight of glucose. In a person with no diabetes or hypoglycemia an adult who has not eaten anything to spike his or her blood sugar should have a measurement of 4 to 5.5 mM. Once food is introduced to the system this number will change and may spike up to 7.9 mM, but should fall back to somewhere below 7 mM once it regulates again.
Measurements of this type are important for those who must take readings daily or more frequently to insure that they do not allow blood sugar to rise too high or fall too low. The measurements allow these individuals to better understand what they can eat and how often they should eat in order to maintain a healthy balance.
Most people will find very little importance in these values, although your doctor may use them during pregnancy, after surgery, or other times when blood glucose levels become crucial to health and recovery. Chemical testing strips are usually used in these procedures and can include the addition of blood or urine tests to create a reading. The blood test is the more direct method, as urine tests can be less conclusive.