Introduction
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is a serious health concern that can lead to a variety of health complications. It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of high blood sugar so that you can take steps to manage it. Eating the right foods and exercising regularly can help keep your blood sugar levels in check. In this article, we will discuss some of the surprising signs that your blood sugar is dangerously high and what you can do to lower it. We will also provide some tips on what to eat and what to avoid to help keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.
Surprising Signs Your Blood Sugar is “Dangerously High” — Eat This Not That
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is a serious health condition that can lead to long-term complications if left untreated. It’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of high blood sugar so you can take action to get it under control. Here are some surprising signs that your blood sugar is dangerously high.
1. Blurry Vision
High blood sugar can cause fluid to be pulled from the lenses of your eyes, resulting in blurry vision. If you’ve noticed that your vision has become blurry, it could be a sign that your blood sugar is too high.
2. Frequent Urination
High blood sugar can cause your body to produce more urine than usual. This can lead to frequent trips to the bathroom and dehydration. If you’ve been urinating more than usual, it could be a sign that your blood sugar is too high.
3. Extreme Thirst
High blood sugar can cause you to feel extremely thirsty. This is because your body is trying to get rid of the excess sugar in your blood by producing more urine. If you’ve been feeling unusually thirsty, it could be a sign that your blood sugar is too high.
4. Fatigue
High blood sugar can cause your body to become fatigued. This is because your body is working hard to try to get rid of the excess sugar in your blood. If you’ve been feeling unusually tired, it could be a sign that your blood sugar is too high.
5. Slow Healing Wounds
High blood sugar can cause your body to take longer to heal wounds. This is because your body is not able to use the sugar in your blood to help with the healing process. If you’ve noticed that your wounds are taking longer to heal, it could be a sign that your blood sugar is too high.
What to Do if You Have High Blood Sugar
If you’ve noticed any of the signs and symptoms of high blood sugar, it’s important to take action to get it under control. The best way to do this is to make lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and managing stress. You should also talk to your doctor about medications that can help you manage your blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, is a serious health condition most commonly associated with diabetes. “People with prediabetes do not process glucose efficiently, which leads to frequently high blood sugar build up due to a lack of insulin,” says Trista Best MPH, RD, LD. “The body makes insulin to carry glucose into the cells and prevent this buildup, but when your body either isn’t making enough or the cells become resistant to insulin, high glucose ensues.” Here are five signs your blood sugar is out of control. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
“In general, a blood sugar reading of more than 180 mg/dL or any reading above your target range is too high,” advises Michigan Medicine. “A blood sugar reading of 300 mg/dL or more can be dangerous. If you have 2 readings in a row of 300 or more, call your doctor.”
Constant thirst could be a sign of diabetes, experts say Amy Hess-Fischl, MS, RD, LDN, BC-ADM, CDCES, and Lisa M. Leontis RN, ANP-C. “No matter how much you drink, it feels like you’re still dehydrated. Your tissues (such as your muscles) are, in fact, dehydrated when there’s too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. Your body pulls fluid from the tissues to try to dilute the blood and counteract the high glucose, so your tissues will be dehydrated and send the message that you need to drink more. This is also associated with increased urination.”
Constantly needing to urinate could be a sign of high blood sugar. “The excess blood sugar molecules also “spill” into the urine, meaning that as the blood filters through the kidneys, some of the sugar comes out of the blood and is not reabsorbed,” says James Norman, MD, FACS, FACE. “The extra sugar which is now in the urine causes water molecules to follow (a normal physics principle) and therefore the person with diabetes urinates frequently.”
“Even after you eat, you may still feel very hungry,” say Hess-Fischl and Leontis. That’s because your muscles aren’t getting the energy they need from the food; your body’s insulin resistance keeps glucose from entering the muscle and providing energy. Therefore, the muscles and other tissues send a ‘hunger’ message, trying to get more energy into the body.”
Diabetes has been shown to be a major risk factor for serious cases of COVID-19—studies show high blood sugar levels are correlated with worse health outcomes. “One main takeaway from this work is that the association between diabetes and COVID-19 outcomes is largely mediated by high inflammation in the body, as assessed by suPAR [a protein linked to kidney failure and heart disease] levels,” says Alexi Vasbinder, PhD, RN. “According to the study, participants with diabetes had 20.7% higher suPAR levels than those without diabetes. However, the impact of hyperglycemia is independent of inflammation which means no matter what a patient’s suPAR levels indicate, having high blood sugar levels or high insulin doses will also result in more serious COVID-19 illness.”
Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don’t travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
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