Blood Glucose Levels – The Importance of Blood Sugar Monitoring
Glucose is a type of sugar that fuels bodily functions. This sugar molecule is broken down from the ingestion of food, more in particular carbohydrates. The glucose molecules will then be absorbed by the body through the bloodstream which will then be transported all throughout the body. To be able to reap the energy-providing capacities of glucose for the cells, what is required is the hormone insulin. Special types of cells, called beta cells that are found in the pancreas synthesize insulin. This is exactly what occurs in a healthy individual although this is not the case with individuals who are suffering from diabetes. In the case of diabetes, the pancreas either does not or is not capable of synthesizing the insulin hormone in order to regulate blood glucose levels. This condition can actually lead to a lot of many health concerns, which usually take place in people who are suffering from diabetes.
The blood glucose levels usually elevates whenever you eat a meal. This raise prompts the pancreas to generate the insulin hormone in order to aid in maintaining the blood sugar levels and help in the utilization of glucose molecules as energy for the cells. In diabetes sufferers, there is either no or a lack of insufficient volumes of insulin synthesized thereby causing the increase of the levels of glucose in the bloodstream. Glucose, if found excessively in the body, causes the blood to be thicker thereby making the heart to pump the blood to supply the entire body. In addition to this, excessive amounts of blood glucose in the bloodstream cause the inability of the blood to carry on other essential substances such as nutrients as well as oxygen molecules. The liver and the kidney are also overworked because the insulin hormone assists in making the excretion of glucose from the blood a lot easier. When insulin is present, the kidneys and the liver degenerate because there is no fuel that will provide the energy to make these functions possible and the glucose will tend to become thick in the excretory organs. All of these events is not a one-time deal just as like a stroke or a heart attack. The disease wears away the capabilities of the organs slowly, thereby brewing up to organ failure in the future. This is for the very reason why diabetes sufferers should have their blood sugar levels to be regularly monitored in order to prevent serious complications to take place in the long run. Blood glucose can be monitored can be done easily. There are two major ways on how to do blood glucose monitoring: the simple ways and with the use of some laboratory tests. The following are some of the basic and simple blood glucose monitoring procedures that are done these days:
1. The Fasting Plasma Glucose Test
2. Hemoglobin A1c test
3. The Urine Test
4. The blood sugar strip test
5. Observation of the body
Monitoring of blood glucose is much of the essence for sufferers of diabetes living at home as not everybody has the access or the means to take the tests that would certainly tell the level of blood sugar present.
Author Bio: Do you still have questions about blood glucose levels and how to test your sugar levels? Visit http://www.pre-diabetes-symptoms.com/ today for more free information!
Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: blood glucose,blood sugar,blood glucose levels,glucose levels,blood sugar monitoring