Diabetes is a chronic disease caused when our body cannot produce enough insulin or cannot use the produced insulin properly. As a result, there is excess sugar accumulation in the bloodstream. When there is an excess accumulation of blood sugar in our body for lengthy periods, it leads to several health hazards. High blood glucose levels might damage our heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves and can even lead to several life-threatening infections. Therefore, getting a blood sugar test done regularly is very important to avoid unforeseen health issues.
Types of Blood Sugar Test
The doctor will conduct our blood sugar test to determine the type of diabetes we have. There are several types of diabetes like prediabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. The tests done to check blood sugar levels are:
A1C Test:
The A1C test is conducted to measure our blood sugar levels in the past two or three months. If the A1C level is 5.7%, it is considered normal. An A1C level between 5.7 and 6.4 is considered prediabetes, and anything higher than 6.5% is considered diabetic.
Glucose Tolerance Test:
For this blood sugar test, we need to fast overnight and give blood in the morning and after 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours of drinking the glucose water. A blood glucose level of 140 mg/dl is considered normal. Blood glucose level between 140 mg/dl and 199 mg/dl is prediabetes, and anything above 200 mg/dl is diabetes.?
Fasting Blood Sugar Test:
This blood sugar test is done after an overnight fast. A blood glucose level lower than 99 mg/dl is considered normal, while between 100mg/dl to 125 mg/dl is considered prediabetes. Anything above 126 mg/dl indicates diabetes.
Random Blood Sugar Test:
A random blood sugar test can be done anytime and does not require fasting. And a random blood glucose level higher than 200 mg/dl is considered diabetes.
Glucose Screening Test:
A glucose screening test measures gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a kind of diabetes that women might develop when pregnant. It is conducted when they are 24 or 28 weeks pregnant. Women are given a drink containing glucose before the test, and blood is drawn after an hour. Anything lower than 140 mg/dl is considered a normal blood sugar level.
Importance of Blood Sugar Test
A blood sugar test is essential for the following reasons:
- It helps to monitor our blood sugar levels. A spike in blood sugar and a fall in blood sugar can have adverse effects on our health. Therefore, regularly monitoring blood sugar levels is very important.
- Blood sugar tests help monitor blood sugar medicines’ effect on our diabetes levels.
- It helps monitor the effect diet and exercise have on our blood sugar levels.
- A blood sugar test is also essential to check what effect illnesses or stress have on our blood sugar level.
Best Food for Diabetics
What we eat matters the most when we have diabetes. We can ask our doctor or dietician about the best food for diabetics. What matters most in diabetes is portion control. Whatever you eat should be consumed within a limit and not go overboard.
Some of the best food for diabetics are the following:
Fatty fish:
Fatty fish like sardines, herring, mackerel, and salmon contain omega-3 fatty acid, which is good for heart health. People with diabetes have a risk of heart disease. Therefore, consuming these fishes are healthy for diabetics.
Leafy greens:
Leafy green vegetables are considered the best food for diabetics because they are low in calories and carbs. Leafy green vegetables are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants making them a good choice for diabetics.
Greek yoghurt:
Consuming Greek yoghurt regularly can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes as it also aids in weight loss which is beneficial for diabetics.
Nuts:
Most nuts are high in fibre and low in carbs. Consumption of nuts can lower blood sugar levels and inflammation. Therefore, we can eat nuts like almonds, walnuts and pistachios, which are also good for heart health.
Extra virgin olive oil:
Extra virgin olive oil contains oleic, a monounsaturated fat that helps in diabetes management.
Conclusion
Diabetes is a chronic disease that, if neglected, can lead to many health risks. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to life-threatening conditions too. Therefore, we should have our blood sugar tested regularly. Diet management is also crucial for controlling diabetes. Consequently, we should choose the best food for diabetics while sticking to a healthy diet plan.
