High Blood Sugar Levels

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) — Premixed insulin, which combines short- and long-acting versions of the hormone, results in better blood-sugar control as compared with long-acting insulin alone or oral medications, a new study finds.

Chain Reaction Accident Blamed on Low Blood Sugar (FOX 40 Binghamton)
Low blood sugar is being blamed for a five car chain-reaction pile-up on Reynolds Road in Johnson City Thursday evening: Police tell us that it happened around 5:30 when a driver who suffers from diabetes experienced an episode of low-blood sugar, causing him to smash into the back of another car. That car smashed into the next, and that car into the next, and so forth. Four cars in all hit each …

Canadian hospital fights diabetes with patient Web portal (ITBusiness.ca)
When a Canadian is diagnosed with diabetes , their life is changed forever. The disease means the body can no longer regulate its own blood sugar levels, and the afflicted person must diligently keep them on target through a carefully planned diet and direct insulin injections.

Get rid of that sweet tooth: How to quit sugar (Independent)
So much for Mary Poppins. All those spoonfuls of sugar are not only making us fat, they’re contributing to arguably the biggest health threats facing humanity: diabetes, caused by soaring levels of obesity. Eating too much sugar can also make us tired, irritable, anxious, spotty and aggressive, and lead to insomnia.

Several people suffer from high blood sugar, and it is not a disease that affects only diabetic people, this article is intended to analyze the different aspects of high blood sugar, such as; what the levels after eating are, reasons why your blood sugar is increased, symptoms of high glucose levels, range of concentration, how to test your blood sugar levels and why this is important. Finally some tips about how to control sugar levels.  Hopefully after this reading, you will get a better understanding.

Blood Sugar After Eating:

Blood sugar goes up after eating, but returns to normal range within 1 to 2 hours. Blood sugar level (also known as blood glucose level) is the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It is also known as serum glucose level.

Blood sugar levels 1 to 2 hours after eating are called postprandial. Research shows that blood sugar levels in people with diabetes can more than double after eating, even when their blood sugar before eating is normal.

Blood Sugar Increasing:

Blood sugar levels are increased in the early morning hours because of the normal release of hormones - growth hormone and corticosteroids -, a reaction called the dawn phenomenon. And blood sugar may shoot too high if the body releases sugar in response to low blood sugar levels, known as “somogyi effect”.

Blood sugar levels below 45 mg/dl are almost always associated with a serious abnormality.

Blood Sugar Symptoms:

Blood sugar levels just above the safe range may make you feel tired and thirsty. You may sweat, feel very hungry, weak and anxious, feel your heart pounding in your chest. However, If your blood sugar level stays higher than normal for weeks, your body will adjust to that level, and you may not have as many symptoms of high blood sugar, for that reason is very important that you control your glucose levels regularly.

Blood Sugar Concentration:

Blood sugar concentration, or glucose level, is tightly regulated in the human body. Normally, the blood glucose level is maintained between about 4 and 8 mmol /L (70 to 150 mg/dl).

Blood Sugar Testing:

Blood sugar tests measure how well your body processes sugar. Some blood sugar tests are used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. Blood sugar that is too low, known as  hypoglycemia, can make you feel sick as well.

Blood sugar monitoring and maintenance is particularly important for those who suffer from diabetes, this is a condition related to the release of insulin from the pancreas into the blood stream and the ability of the body to use that insulin efficiently.

Blood Sugar Control:

The way to control blood sugar is trough insulin, this one is a hormone made by the pancreas, it carries the sugar from your blood into your cells, where the sugar is used for energy. The right amount of insulin helps keep your blood sugar level balanced. Therefore, the job of insulin is to keep blood sugar levels from rising too high.

In conclusion, this article have gives you some basic information about how glucose levels work in your body. Nevertheless, it is quiet important that you visit your doctor for specialized advise.

Gymnema Sylvestre is an herb native to the tropical forests of southern and central India where it has been used as a naturopathic treatment for a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes control, headache, poisoning, wounds and bronchial asthma, coughs and fever.

Gymnema sylvestre is also referred to as gur-mar, or “sugar destroyer”. When Gymnema leaf is placed directly on the tongue, it eliminates the sensation of sweetness, even if sugar is put in the mouth immediately following. When taken internally, it helps to control blood sugar levels in diabetes. Gymnema is an important ingredient in Ayurvedic formulas for diabetes.

Indian physicians first used gymnema to treat diabetes almost 2,000 years ago. In the 1920s, preliminary scientific studies found some evidence that gymnema leaves can reduce blood sugar levels. But nothing much came of this observation for decades.

The active constituents in Gymnema sylvestre have been identified as a group of novel compounds collectively known as gymnemic acids. The leaves of Gymnema sylvestre perform two significant functions relative to diabetes. First, they suppress blood glucose, especially after eating. Secondly, they are are insulinotropic, and promote insulin secretion. Gymnema leaf and its extracts perform two important functions. By this two-pronged approach, Gymnema sylvestre proves a valuable aid in diabetes control.

By blocking the taste buds from tasting sugar, gymnema blocked sugar in the digestive system, resulting in a decrease in blood sugar, also known as a hypoglycemic effect. This medicinal action has been studied since the late 1930s.

Researchers at India’s University of Madras in the early 1990s found that high doses (40 gm of dried herb daily) of gymnema extracts may actually help to repair or regenerate the pancreas’s beta cells, which play a crucial role in the production and secretion of insulin. Few other substances, synthetic or natural, offer such promise for reversing beta cell damage and at least partially reducing diabetics’ need for insulin and other drugs. On the other hand, studies indicate that animals that do not have diabetes do not produce more insulin after consuming gymnema.

Currently, gymnema is known primarily for its sugar-blocking properties. It is used to treat high blood sugar in diabetics and has been promoted as a weight loss remedy.

Nick Hurd writes about aging and baby boomer generation and how to not only cope with the changes, but live a very healthy and active life. Information for baby boomers and beyond. More information is available about diabetes and diabetics. You’ll also find other health related information like Reducing wrinkles and skin care for those of us over 50. Copyright 2008 Nicholas Hurd all rights reserved

 Eli Lilly and Company has announced changes to the labeling of Zyprexa and Symbyax, two brand-name atypical antipsychotics produced and sold by the company. Eli Lilly has updated the labeling to include more warning information on potentially harmful weight gain and blood sugar elevation that may result from taking the medications.

According to Eli Lilly, the label changes came about because of conversations with the FDA, as well as new analyses of the data from large clinical trials conducted by the company and others. The company will be sending a “Dear Healthcare Practitioner” letter to doctors about the new labeling, as well as informing consumer advocacy and professional associations.

Zyprexa is the brand name for olanzapine, while Symbyax is a mix of olanzapine and fluoxetine. Zyprexa is approved for use in treatment of schizophrenia and the mixed and manic portions of bipolar disorder, while Symbyax is approved for the treatment of bipolar depression.

Neither product is approved for patients with dementia, and they may increase the risk of death if used on elderly dementia patients. Nevertheless, in the past the company has marketed Zyprexa for treatment of dementia and for manic bipolar episodes.

One of the labeling changes focuses on unnatural weight gain from olanzapine. According to the company, the drug has been shown to lead to “significant and sometimes very high elevations in triglyceride levels.”

The other major change is a stronger emphasis on the drug’s effect on blood glucose levels. According to the company, atypical antipsychotics in general may lead to an increase in blood sugar levels, while olanzapine has an even greater effect than other such drugs. In some cases, patients treated with such medications have suffered complications including ketoacidosis, coma and even death.

In January, Eli Lilly settled 18,000 lawsuits from patients who alleged that using Zyprexa caused them to develop diabetes or other diseases. The company agreed to pay $500 million, bringing its total Zyprexa-related settlement costs to $1.2 billion.