The question of keeping blood sugar levels in the near normal range has been a controversial one. There have been studies suggesting tight control of these levels protected the diabetic from many diabetic complications, while others hinted at the opposite. But it has now been demonstrated over and over, that keeping blood sugars in the normal range definitely benefits people with type 2 diabetes.
Tight blood sugar control has been shown to cut the risk of:
serious eye disease by one quarter and kidney disease by one third
Many people with type 2 diabetes also suffer with high blood pressure (hypertension) … when treatment for this was also added the risk of heart attack and stroke also declined drastically.
If you are using insulin, it is important that you take your readings several times a day, using one of the home glucose monitors which are readily available. However, a blood sugar test has its limits … it provides a snapshot of your readings at any given moment; it does not show you the big picture. The most reliable indicator of your long term sugar control is glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) which gives you an overview of your blood sugar control for the previous 120 days.
The target for the HbA1c level for diabetics is less than 7% … the average in non diabetics is less than 6%. In order to avoid diabetic complications, some health care providers will recommend your HbA1c be in the same range as non diabetics.
To obtain a 7% HbA1c reading your daily readings would need to be:
Fasting … 70 to 120 mg/dl (4 to 6.67 mmol) before all meals
Other Times … less than 180mg/dl (10 mmol) 2 hours after meals
It is estimated that for every 1% reduction in your HbA1c, the risk of long term diabetic complications falls by as much as 25%. The idea is to maintain your blood sugar levels in a range as near to normal as you can get it at all times without becoming obsessive or life-altering, as becoming stressed could have the opposite effect on your blood sugar control.
It is a fine balancing act but with weight reduction which will reduce your resistance to insulin, a healthy eating plan and thirty minutes of exercise at least five times a week, your future is promising.To download a free copy of my eBook, click here now: Answers to Your Questions … it’s based on questions diabetics have asked me over recent months.Beverleigh Piepers is a registered nurse who would like to help you understand how to live easily and happily with your type 2 diabetes.
