What’s New With Type 2 Diabetes Care In 2021 - Session 1 [78bb32]

Understanding Your Body's Blood Sugar Levels: A Guide to Healthy Living

When it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, one of the most crucial aspects is monitoring and managing your blood sugar levels. But what exactly are normal blood sugar ranges? And how can you achieve them?

The Science Behind Normal Blood Sugar Range Explained

Your body uses insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, to regulate blood sugar levels. When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which then enters your bloodstream. Insulin helps cells absorb this glucose for energy production and storage. However, if you have insulin resistance or diabetes, your body becomes less responsive to insulin, causing blood sugar levels to spike.

Maintaining a stable blood sugar range is crucial because fluctuations can lead to various health complications. When blood sugar spikes or drops excessively, it can cause damage to organs such as the kidneys, eyesight problems and increase cardiovascular risk.

The Link Between Stress and Blood Sugar Range Fluctuations

Stress plays an essential role in regulating your blood sugar anger body's response to glucose levels. During periods of high stress, cortisol (the primary stress hormone) is released into the bloodstream. Cortisol can raise blood sugar by stimulating appetite for sugary foods and increasing insulin resistance.

While short-term fluctuations may not be a concern for healthy individuals, people with diabetes must closely monitor their levels as even slight changes could trigger symptoms such as fatigue and frequent urination.

A Healthy Blood Sugar Range is between 4-6 mmol/L (72-108 mg/dL) after an overnight fast. Postprandial blood glucose ranges from less than 7.8 mmol/L to more than 10mmol/L.

It's worth noting that managing diabetes, particularly type II can require significant lifestyle changes and in some cases medication however this varies depending on individual health outcomes.

Using Diet for Blood Sugar Management

What you eat has a direct impact on your blood sugar levels. Incorporating foods high in fiber such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains into meals helps stabilize glucose by slowing its release.

For example: Soluble fiber found in beans and oats may help to reduce the body's demand for insulin which means better management of your overall health

Supplements That Can Support Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

Certain supplements can support healthy blood sugar ranges. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, while omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have anti-inflammatory effects that may help stabilize glucose levels.

Chromium is another what's healthy blood sugar level supplement which is does insulin lower blood sugar often used to improve insulin sensitivity for the body's cell use

What’s new with type 2 diabetes care in 2021 When and how are SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP1 agonists used? Dr Ryan Paul is an Executive Member of the New Zealand Society for the Study of Diabetes (NZSSD) and recently led the development of the NZSSD guidance on the management of type 2 diabetes in New Zealand. Dr Paul is heavily involved in teaching primary care clinicians, diabetes nurse prescribers and endocrinology trainees. THE TOPIC WILL INCLUDE: • The updated treatment algorithm of type 2 diabetes in New Zealand • When and how to use SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP1 receptor agonists • Who does and who does not meet the special authority criteria for funded SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP1 receptor agonists • New recommendations for the screening and management of type 2 diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand • Achieving equity in diabetes outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand • Case discussion