For those who have diabetes, you know what blood glucose means and how important it is in your everyday life. But, for many people, they really don't understand what glucose really is, or why they should know what their glucose levels are. Here is a short Q & A that will give you the answers you're looking for and let you know why this is so important. Glucose What Is It Anyway? Glucose, in simple terms, is a form of a carbohydrate. The energy that your body has comes from carbohydrates. They are basically a simple sugar, and are found in all kinds of foods such as bread, soda, juice, pasta, cereals, etc. The more carbs that are in a food that you eat, the higher your blood glucose level goes up after eating them. Where Do We Get Glucose From? It is important to note that our bodies don't just come with glucose. Our body produces it based on the foods we eat. So, when your body starts to feel run down and out of energy, it usually means your glucose level is low. You need to be 'recharged' so to speak. In order to give your body the energy it is seeking, you eat more foods with carbohydrates. For most people they do this and don't even know it. Few people understand how many carbs a food contains. After eating, your body then takes the carbohydrates from your food and turns them into glucose. Presto! You now have more energy. How Do I Get High Glucose Levels? For most everyone, glucose levels are not a problem whatsoever. Where the problem comes into play for diabetics, or pre-diabetics, is when their bodies can't burn up the extra glucose. The glucose stays in their system and doesn't burn off. This issue is compounded with every meal they eat. This is exactly the reason why it is so important to know what your glucose level is. If you don't pay attention to your glucose level and let it go, it can easily turn into diabetes. If you still don't do anything about it, diabetes will cause severe health problems and even death. As you can see, it's very serious. Don't confuse blood glucose with the commercial glucose you can buy that is made from corn starch. I know that many people can get confused with this and the two are totally unrelated. What Is A Normal Level Of Glucose? This is hard to answer. Your glucose levels will vary throughout the day, and before, during, and after eating. Doctors will tell you that a good level to be at is under 120mg in the morning before eating or drinking. This is known as your fasting blood sugar level. Anything above that level and you should see a doctor. If you haven't had your blood glucose checked, it is a simple procedure. The doctor will poke your finger and check a tiny drop of blood in a glucometer. It takes all of 10 seconds. But, by checking your glucose level, you could be saving yourself from serious medical issues in the future. |
