If you have diabetes–particularly type 1 diabetes–you probably already know that low blood glucose (hypoglycemia) is a serious problem. If your blood glucose levels drop too low, you can risk seizures or coma. If your levels are consistently low for months or years, you have a higher risk of early death. Hypoglycemia signs to watch out for include: Shakiness Dizziness Sweating or chills Blurred vision Sleepiness during the day Headaches Weakness Anxiety Intense confusion According to researchers at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in the UK, poor ability to process language is another sign of low blood glucose. The team looked at 20 people with type 1 diabetes, and 20 people without diabetes. Each of the subjects was tested on reading, self-paced reading, and subject-verb agreement. The researchers found that when their blood glucose levels were low, they took longer to read and had trouble with grammatical encoding (subject-verb agreement). They also made more mistakes during the reading comprehension tests. Surprisingly, the effects of low blood glucose were even worse among the subjects who did not have type 1 diabetes. While the researchers can’t point to the exact cause of this problem, this study shows that poorer language processing is [...]]]>
Are you one of the 39% of adults with type 2 diabetes who is physically active? If so, congratulations! If not, now is the time to get active! Starting a regular habit of aerobic exercise can be the first step you take in gaining better control of your blood glucose levels.]]>
People with Type 1 Diabetes May Need Different Blood Glucose Goals Low blood glucose (called?hypoglycemia) can be especially dangerous for people with type 1 diabetes. If they don’t keep their blood glucose high enough, they can face serious problems like losing consciousness or even death. For this reason, many healthcare providers tell their patients with type 1 diabetes that keeping their blood glucose a little high is safer than letting it get too low. Still, they worried that this would lead to long-term complications, like blindness, liver failure and heart disease. Now, there is good news. A recent study from the Pitt Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburg has shown that good blood glucose control, even at the upper end of “normal,” is linked to longer life and better health for people with type 1 diabetes. The researchers followed almost 1,500 people with type 1 diabetes for 27 years. At the end of the study, they looked at how well each person controlled his or her blood glucose, and how many people had died. Those who managed to keep their blood glucose levels at the top end of the normal range were less likely to [...]]]>
Managing your diabetes is hard work. Something that many people do not like doing is checking their blood glucose. The reason is simple—you have to prick your finger with a needle, often many times each day. Is there a better, easier way? For now, unfortunately, the answer is “no,” but don’t give up hope, because scientists are working a new method for checking your blood glucose that does not involve a needle. This new method, which is currently being developed, would allow you to check your glucose simply by blowing into a machine that you can hold in your hand. This machine is called a “breathalyzer.” You may have heard of this kind of device, as many police departments use a breathalyzer to check the blood alcohol level of drivers. It works the same way, but it checks for something different. How Does This Machine Work? When you check your blood glucose using a drop of blood from your fingertip, your current testing machine directly measures the amount of glucose in your blood. The breath-testing machine works a little differently. It measures the amount of a chemical called “acetone” in the air you exhale. What is Acetone? Acetone is produced [...]]]>
Is your blood glucose level hard to control? Do you struggle with feeling stressed or tired all the time? Yoga might be just what you need.]]>
Do you find it hard to keep your blood glucose level in the healthy range after meals? Are you confused about how certain foods will affect your blood glucose? While it’s true that each person with diabetes has a unique blood glucose response after eating, we know that certain foods affect it more than others do.]]>
Your blood glucose meter, as well as the many apps on your phone, can help you track your health progress at home. However, when you visit the healthcare provider, you may not have time to go over all of this data. In turn, your diabetes care may not be as helpful as it could be in preventing low and high blood glucose episodes. A new device by Glooko can plug into your blood glucose meter and upload all of your blood glucose readings to your phone so you can send your healthcare provider your data files. This transfer of data can help your healthcare provider know when you may be having low or high blood glucose episodes, so they can tweak your diabetes care plan to improve your health outcomes. If you show a dangerous trend of low blood glucose levels, your healthcare provider will know that they need to contact you right away so you can avoid a trip to the hospital. Read More]]>