Sugar and Diabetes

If you have any type of diabetes, you know that this chronic disease centers around how your body manages its own blood sugar. You are probably used to testing your blood sugar regularly; however, not everyone understands the relationship between sugar and diabetes. Read on to learn more.

Sugar regulation

Diabetes is not just one disease, but a group of diseases in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in its own blood. Glucose is the name for the kind of sugar found in blood, and you need glucose to have energy for your daily activities. If the amount of glucose in your blood stays too high for too long, there are many adverse effects to your body. Avoiding these effects by helping your body regulate its own sugar is a big part of diabetes treatment.

Type 1 and sugar

If your diabetes is diagnosed by a doctor as falling under type 1, then you almost certainly require daily insulin treatment to regulate your blood sugar; your body either does not produce insulin or produces too little to keep you healthy. Learning to calculate correct insulin dosage and timing is a complicated and often frustrating task, but with careful monitoring you can lead a normal life.

Type 2 and sugar

If your doctor has diagnosed you with type 2 diabetes, an increasingly common disease formerly known as "adult-onset diabetes," you may or may not need insulin to regulate your sugar. Many diabetics with type 1 take an oral medication such as Metformin or Byetta, and some are able to maintain stable blood sugar levels through careful diet and regular exercise.

Diabetes is a serious disease, but learning how to manage your blood glucose can delay the onset of many symptoms associated with it. Control your blood sugar, and you can have a long and healthy life.