Glucose/Sugar level in our body

Glucose is a form of simple sugar and is a carbohydrate. Glucose is a very needed source of energy for the body and brain. It enters in our body by consuming foods that have carbohydrates; sugar, and starchy foods.  Glucose then travels through the blood inside our body. It can be found in corn, rice, wheat products and potatoes.

The level of Glucose or sugar in the body is regulated by Insulin, a hormone produced by pancreas. While the body cannot live without glucose; having too much of it will also overwhelms the body. When the body's glucose level is too high, the body becomes hyperglycemic which means we have too much sugar and too little insulin. Hyperglycemia and diabetes are disorders that result when the body cannot regulate glucose and/ or insulin levels, and can happen after years of consuming too much glucose. 

Another problem with excess glucose is that the excess glucose gets converted into fat and gets stored as belly and love handle fats  in the body. Momentary forgetfulness is also associated with rising blood sugar. Some foods convert to glucose quickly than other carbs and also will store quickly as fat. These foods are known as simple or bad carbs and are usually processed food such as: 

1. Table sugar
   
2. Corn syrup
   
3. Fruit juice
   
4. Candy
   
5. Cake
   
6. Bread made with white flour
   
7. Pasta made with white flour
   
8. Soda pop
   
9. Candy
   
10. All baked goods made with white flour
    
11. Most packaged cereals
    
12. Honey
    
13. Jam
    
14. Chocolate
    
15. Biscuit
    

 When consuming Carbohydrates we should eat complex carbs. Here's a list of complex carbohydrates foods:

1. Spinach
   
2. Grapefruit
   
3. Turnip Greens
   
4. Apples
   
5. Lettuce
   
6. Prunes
   
7. Water Cress
   
8. Dried apricots
   
9. Zucchini
   
10. Pears
    
11. Asparagus
    
12. Plums
    
13. Artichokes
    
14. Strawberries
    
15. Okra
    
16. Oranges
    
17. Cabbage
    
18. Brown rice, wild rice 
    
19. Yams
    
20. Celery
    
21. Carrots
    
22. Cucumbers
    
23. Potatoes
    
24. Dill Pickles
    
25. Radishes
    
26. Broccoli
    
27. Beans (Navy beans, Whole Barley, Pinto beans, Split peas, Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Soybeans
    
28. Brussel sprouts
    
29. Sprouts
    
30. Cauliflower
    
31. Eggplant
    
32. Soy milk,  yogurt, milk
    
33. Onions
    
34. Whole meal bread, Multi-grain bread, Buckwheat and buckwheat bread, Oat bran bread, Oat bran cereal, Oatmeal 
    

On the other hand, we could have low levels of glucose. This condition is called hypoglycemia. It is also known as low blood sugar and is considered a fatal condition. 

 

To keep the diabetes or hypoglycemia under control, it is necessary to know about your glucose level. The normal glucose level lies between 70 mg/dl and 110 mg/dl.(or 4mmol/l & 6mmol/l). The level is usually lower in the morning but after having meals, it rises to some extent. When the blood sugar level reaches above 150 it depicts hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar.  Below 70 is called hypoglycemia and low blood sugar and is considered fatal.  Few different and simple tests measure the amount of glucose present in the bloodstreams and monitors the treatment of diabetes.  

There are several symptoms of diabetes in a patient and some of them are lethargy, impaired mental functioning, irritability and loss of consciousness. Long hyperglycemia results in diabetes which is the most common disease related to the blood sugar level. Diabetes can be alarming and lead to some irreversible diseases like eye, kidney and nerve damage.