How to regulate the sugar content in the blood?

The level of sugar in the blood is affected by variousphysiological processes. The glucose level rises after eating (and the more easily digestible carbohydrates entered your diet, the higher the glucose level), and decreases with physical activity, stress, increased temperature, strict diets. Increased blood sugar is called hyperglycemia, and decreased - hypoglycemia. The norm of sugar in the blood is 3.3-5.5 mmol / l.

Besides, the blood sugar is influenced by hormones that regulate glucose metabolism. They are produced by the pancreas(insulin and glucagon), adrenal glands (adrenaline, glucocorticoids, steroid hormones) and sex glands (steroid hormones). For example, with problems with the secretion of insulin, there is diabetes mellitus, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia.

To measure the level of sugar in the blood, use special tests. There are two main ways of measuring - fasting glycemia (measured the level of glucose in the blood after an eight-hour fasting) and GTT (Glucose Tolerance Test, Tolerance Testglucose). With HTT the glucose level is measured on an empty stomach, then the patient drinks a glass of warm water with glucose, and the glucose level is measured three more times after the carbohydrate load - after 30 minutes, 1 and 2 hours. In diabetes, glycemia is periodically measured with a special device - glucometer.

How to regulate the sugar content in the blood? The method of regulation depends on whether you have increased sugar or decreased, as well as from the cause that caused a violation of normal sugar levels. So, hyperglycaemia can cause diabetes mellitus, disordersnutrition, stress (especially due to stroke or myocardial infarction), taking certain medications. In this case, you need to eliminate the cause, which caused an elevated level of sugar (cure the disease, stop taking the medicine). In diabetes, for example, prescribe injections of insulin.

Also, lowering the blood sugar level will help a special balanced diet. Necessary reduce the number of products with a high glycemic index (sugar, sweets, buns, foods with highstarch content, fast food) in your diet and give preference to products with low GI. Glycemic index shows how quickly the blood sugar level rises after the consumption of the product. Low GI in meat and fish products, pasta from durum wheat, beans, nuts, most vegetables.

But you need to pay attention to calorie content - fatty meat, although low GI, but its benefits for the body still remains questionable. Try to eat often, but in small portions. Then the sugar content in the blood will be more or less stable throughout the day, there will be no sharp changes.

And what if, if blood sugar is too low? The reasons can be mass - overwork,physical and mental stress, malnutrition or an improper diet schedule, various diseases, dehydration, hard diet, alcohol abuse ... Treatment of this condition depends, again, on the cause.

Thus, in the case of mild hypoglycemia, caused, say, by malnutrition, enoughtake 12-15 grams of a simple carbohydrate (approximately 120 ml of non-dietary non-alcoholic "soda" or fruit juice without sugar). If the symptoms are more severe, after a while after taking a simple carbohydrate, you need to take 15-20 g of complex (for example, bread). If low blood sugar is caused by serious causes (say, some kind of disease), you need to eliminate the very reason (for example, cure the disease).

To avoid hypoglycemia, you need to eat balanced and regular. Be sure to have breakfast, even through "I do not want": the sugar content in the blood drops during the night, and in the morning the body especially needs energy. Only breakfast should not be too dense and heavy. You can not go hungry all day, and then eat the daily rate for dinner.

If you are doing sports and / or stressfulmental activity, your diet must necessarily include foods with a high glycemic index. Of course, this does not mean that you need to lean on sweets, rolls and cakes. Try to balance the amount of foods with a high and low glycemic index in your diet.