Blog - Christmas Can Increase Your Risk of Diabetes: How to Check Your Blood Sugar

We all like to indulge in a few extra treats over the holiday period. However, eating too much rich and sugary food over a long period can lead to pre-diabetes! If your blood sugar levels are consistently high, it means that your body has stopped being able to process food properly. 6% of people in the UK have been diagnosed diabetes and rates are rising all the time. This makes it really important to spot the warning signs early so you can reverse your risk! Read on to find out how.

Learn the symptoms of diabetes and pre-diabetes

Unfortunately, it can be hard to find out if you are pre-diabetic without testing for it. This is because it often has no distinct symptoms. Because of this it’s important to test your blood glucose levels every so often if you have any of the following risk factors:

• Suffer from a sleep disorder or high blood pressure
• Overweight or obese
• Family history of diabetes
• In women, polycystic ovary syndrome or gestational diabetes

These signs are all associated with insulin resistance – the main cause of type 2 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas that helps your body to convert sugar from your blood into energy. If you’re over 45 or have a BMI of over 25 then you need to stay aware of whether you have developed high blood sugar. You should also stay aware of the symptoms of hyperglycaemia (very high blood sugar) which are a sign you are developing full blown diabetes:

• Dry mouth and extreme thirst
• Needing to wee frequently
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision
• Unexpected weight loss

Checking for hyperglycaemia

The best way to check whether you have a normal blood sugar level is to use a kit like the SELFCheck Blood Glucose Level Test. It will let you know in less than 2 minutes whether you are at risk of developing diabetes. If you have one of the risk factors mentioned above then it’s a good idea to do a check every few months or so, particularly if you’ve been feeling unusually tired.

Your guide to a healthy blood sugar diet

It’s possible to prevent yourself from becoming fully diabetic by following a few simple lifestyle changes. If you are overweight, then losing just 5-10% of your weight can make a big difference to your prognosis. Exercising will also help as just 30 minutes a day of walking or cycling can moderate your blood sugar. Dietary changes will make a big difference to your risk of diabetes. This doesn’t mean that you need to totally wave goodbye to treats, just be a bit more mindful of how often you’re eating them. You should try to eat less high carb foods like bread and more high fibre food like vegetables. The best way to avoid blood sugar spikes is to focus your idet around foods with a low glycemic index. These include:

• Sweet potatoes
• Beans
• Seafood
• Meat
• Oats
• Eggs
• Whole wheat grains
• Fruit
• Vegetables

If you’re planning on eating something with a high glycemiac index you can lessen the impact on your body by eating it with something with a low GI. For example, white rice will have less of an effect if eaten with some non-starchy vegetables and meat. Try eating like this for a few weeks then testing your blood glucose again – you will see a positive effect!

Manage diabetes with a high-tech blood glucose monitor

If you have already been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and are looking for a better way to manage your symptoms, then we’ve got just the thing! The Beurer GL50 EVO 3-in-1 Blood Glucose Monitor lets you track your blood sugar levels quickly and easily. It has space for up to 480 readings that can be transferred over to your smart phone and viewed in easy to decipher charts and graphs.

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