Diabetes FAQs: What should be my normal blood sugar reading?

Are you within your normal range? Read to know.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.

If you are suffering from diabetes then you known that your life depends on the way you manage your blood sugar level. Increase or decrease in this level could turn to be fatal depending on your condition. Managing and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level for both type I and type II diabetics is crucial. Here are 14 foods that can help keep blood sugar levels in control.

Why your blood sugar reading is an important parameter in managing diabetes?

Your body, in fact, every cell and molecule of your body, needs energy to perform at an optimal level. This energy comes from glucose, a simple sugar, which is the derived after breaking down of foods that you consume, through various physiological processes. To help this glucose reach every cell of the body, the hormone insulin plays a crucial role. Secreted by the pancreas, insulin helps to distribute glucose throughout the body. However, when there is too much glucose in the body or lack of insulin to help in the distribution of glucose you suffer from the condition diabetes. Here are some hidden symptoms of diabetes that you should know.

In type I diabetes the pancreas fails to produce insulin that will help in glucose metabolism and distribution, whereas in type II diabetes there is an excess of glucose in your blood stream which could lead to crucial organ damage. Both of the conditions can be fatal if not managed efficiently. So, keeping your blood sugar level in check is a necessity. Here is how diabetes damages your body.

Here is what your normal blood sugar reading should be

	Fasting (blood sugar level before breakfast)Minimum Value	Fasting (blood sugar level before breakfast)Maximum Value	Post meal or post pardinal (Blood sugar levels two hours after having your meals)
Non-diabetic	70	100 mg/dL	Less than 140
Pre-diabetic	101	126 mg/dL	140 to 120
Type I diabetic	-	Less than 123 mg/dL	162 to 200 mg/dL
Type II diabetic		Less than 123 mg/dL	153 to 200 mg/dL
Children with Type I diabetes	44mg/dL	144 mg/dL	183 to 200 mg/dL

Note: The values given above are approximate values and can be reversed or lowered with proper exercise, diet and medication when required. With people with no diabetes or pre-diabetic management is crucial through natural ways like diet, exercise and yoga. However, if you are suffering from diabetes whether type I or type II a proper consultation with your doctor and even a dietician might become necessary. Some people can still manage their sugar levels and lead a healthy life despite the challenges that a condition like diabetes can bring forth. Here is how a 60 year old reversed diabetes without medication.

What will happen if my blood sugar is way beyond the normal range?

It becomes a crisis situation and could be fatal. This is because with accumulation of glucose (sugar in your body) it affects most of the major organs like heart, kidney, liver and also the immunity system. This could lead to organ damage and subsequent death if not managed or treated with urgency.

Image Source: Shutterstock

With inputs from Indian Diabetes Association.

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