1.2.2 - Blood Glucose
What is a good sugar level?
High sugar levels are the bedrock for getting your control right due to the damage it does to your blood vessels and arteries. When we eat sugary and starchy food it gets broken down into glucose in the gut, where it diffuses into the blood stream. Blood glucose levels normally vary through the day but are generally higher after meals.Some of the glucose will be used as energy, some will be stored for later use in the liver or muscles and any excess will be stored as fat.
A high blood glucose for someone with diabetes is above 10 mmols/l. The aim is to have blood glucose levels between 4 and 7 mmols/l before meals and the higher levels 7 - 10 mmols/l after meals.
Blood glucose levels are also influenced by a variety of other causes e.g. hormones, stress, temperature and illness to name but a few. In between meals your blood glucose levels may rise because your body requires energy all the time and releases glucose from its stores in the muscles and liver. This can be why your blood glucose levels can be high even though you have not eaten for a while.
How your sugar levels vary after meals
The graph below illustrates the spiking effect food has on your sugar levels. The green shows a common diabetes curve against a person without diabetes. What your mission is if you care to accept it is to keep your finger pricking control within 4 to 10 mmols/l.
When measuring the effect of a meal take a reading 2 hours after the meal.
