Hyperglycemia occurs when the body doesn’t produce sufficient amounts of insulin or the body can’t use it properly. Insulin is an important hormone that helps glucose reach the tissues where it should be used as energy. However, if your blood sugar levels are high for a longer period, you can develop insulin resistance or deficiency, causing numerous health problems. Left untreated, diabetes can significantly damage the kidneys, blood vessels, nerves and eyes.
Here are the main causes of high blood sugar levels:
- Overeating;
- Frequent colds;
- Excessive use of steroids;
- Fatigue;
- Physical inactivity;
Having high blood sugar levels are not always a sign of concern, but they shouldn’t be left unchecked. Here are the main early symptoms of diabetes.
- Frequent urge to urinate overnight;
- Thirst;
- Dry mouth;
- Blurred vision;
- Slow healing of minor wounds and surface cuts;
- Digestive problems (constipation, indigestion);
- Dry and itchy skin;
- Excess belly fat;
- Weight gain;
- Impotence;
- Difficulty focusing;
- Frequent hunger;
- Recurring infections.
To keep your blood sugar levels under control, you need to eat foods with a low glycemic index. The glycemic index is a scale that shows the amount of carbs in different foods – it ranges from 0-100, with foods from 0 to 54 labeled as low glycemic foods. Here’s what you should and shouldn’t eat in cases of diabetes:
Low GI foods
Medium-sized onion: 10
Medium-sized apple: 38
1 Turkey sausage: 28
A cup of spaghetti: 42
A cup of green grapes: 46
A cup of peas: 54
220 gr. of tomato juice: 38
220 gr. of pineapple juice: 46
1 carrot: 47
A cup of broccoli: 10
A cup of hummus:6
A cup of nuts: 15
A cup of cashew nuts: 22
A cup of cherries:22
1 orange: 48
1 grapefruit: 50
1 banana: 52
Foods with a GI of 55-69
A cup of oatmeal: 55
A cup of white rice: 64
A cup of brown rice: 55
1 serving of mac’n’cheese: 64
A tablespoon of honey: 55
High GI foods that you should avoid
Medium-sized baked potato: 85
1 portion of corn flakes: 92
50 gr. of glucose: 100
1 doughnut: 76
2 cups of popcorn: 70
Rice cake: 76
A slice of white bread: 70
The foods we eat every day have a profound impact on our overall health. In order to prevent additional problems, adjust your diet accordingly and on time.
source
