Hyperglycemia is every type 2 diabetes patient's worst nightmare.
You should do everything possible to avoid and correct this.
That is why in this article you will learn tips to prevent and solve hyperglycemia.
What to do in case of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes has several unpleasant characteristics and consequences. You should not be shocked if your diet has to vary from one day to the next. It will also be the rule rather than the exception that the doctor gives you a pill or 2.
It is well-intentioned. Your (GP) doctor wants to keep your type 2 diabetes under control as much as possible. Although this is usually not a problem, your blood sugar level can fluctuate quite a bit.
Something swings in two directions, of course:
Up and down.
When your blood sugar level is higher than is good for you, you call it hyperglycemia (or hyperglycemia)Kemi). If you go through life with hyperglycemia for too long, this can lead to very dangerous situations.
Read this blood sugar in fasting
What is hyperglycemia?
Actually, hyperglycemia is not something very special. It's nothing more than elevated blood sugar. A person with type 2 diabetes is in a continuous state of hyperglycemia. After all, if your blood sugar hadn't been elevated, you wouldn't have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
Hyperglycemia can only be very dangerous for a type 1 diabetes patient.
This is because some folks are unable to produce insulin at all.
And because of their special form of diabetes, their blood sugar levels are often disrupted.
Hyperglycemia type 2 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes patients are therefore more likely to suffer from hyperglycemia that seems to come out of nowhere. A so-called:
"acute hyperglycemia".
A type 2 diabetes patient can practically not experience this. Also, type 2 diabetes patients cannot develop hyperglycemia coma or ketoacidosis.
This is something that type 1 diabetes patients can get because they can't make any insulin at all. The consequences of hyperglycemia for a type 1 diabetes patient are therefore much more dangerous than for a type 2 diabetes patient.
How does hyperglycemia develop?
Hyperglycemia can be caused by several factors:
- Unhealthy diet (lots of carbohydrates and sugars)
- little movement
- Insufficient use of insulin
- Stress
- Medication
In starting type 2 diabetes patients, it is actually always due to an unhealthy diet. Injecting insulin is not yet an issue, so this cannot be the problem (yet).
The answer to the question "what to do in case of hyperglycemia" is therefore mainly to adjust your eating pattern. This is the cause of your hyperglycemia and the solution at the same time.
Symptoms of a hyperglycemia
In the short term, things cannot really go wrong for you as a type 2 diabetes patient. Only when your blood glucose level rises above 15 mmol/L in the short term, you will experience various hyperglycemia symptoms. The most common complaints are:
- Drowsiness
- Thirst
- Vomiting / Vomiting
- Accelerated breathing
Still, you don't want it to come to that. Although the chance is not very high, the above symptoms and signs can cause very nasty situations. In addition, the long-term consequences of constant hyperglycemia are very harmful to your body.
Losing limbs, losing feeling in your feet and finger, renal insufficiency and kidney failure is realistic scenario.
Fortunately, you can do something about it!
That is why below you will find 11 tips for what to do in case of hyperglycemia. With this, you can lower your sugar level and, both in the short and long term, prevent your hyperglycemia from worsening your health.
#1 Fewer carbohydrates against hyperglycemia
The treatment of hyperglycemia consists of 3 parts:
Diet, exercise, and medicines
When you ask yourself what to do in case of hyperglycemia, you must first ask yourself how your elevated sugar level came about in the first place!
low-carb diabetes
Funnily enough, the problem and the solution both lie in your diet.
Are you eating badly? Then you live in constant hyperglycemia. Do you eat healthily? Then your blood sugar level is in tip-top shape.
Elevated blood SUGAR is raised by only one thing... sugar. When you stick a lot of sugars together like a chain of beads, you get a carbohydrate.
- Reduce your carbohydrate/sugar intake, and you will be doing yourself and your health a world of good.
When the amount of sugar in your blood is too high, this can be very dangerous in the short term. If your sugar level is 15 mmol/L or higher, you can be admitted to the hospital in some cases.
Additional information
Therefore, eat more fatty products and protein-rich products. That is the easiest way to (unknowingly) eat fewer carbohydrates and sugars. Get rid of the light products and the lean piece of meat. The greatest diet recommendation for a diabetic is 'the fatter the better.'
#2 Get moving
Sugar in your blood really only serves one purpose. It provides your body with energy quickly. Sugars in the blood can be seen as paper that you can set on fire.
You can burn it easily.
To prevent the symptoms and consequences of high blood sugar, all you need to do is lower your sugar level.
A very good way is by burning sugars.
And how do you believe you'll be able to burn sugars?
diabetes and sports
Right, by moving. How much you move is not a given.
The more the better!
Even a 15-minute walk after a meal can cut your blood sugar level in half! Therefore, choose a sport that you can sustain. How intensive the sport is is not important. Of course, the more effort you must expend, the better.
Consistency is key
But if you have to go through life with muscle pain for 6 days, that is not convenient. Consistent exercise (half an hour every day, for example) is healthier and better than 3 hours of exercise once a week.
#3 Don't drink sweet juices
Drink more sweet juices!" is certainly not one of the solutions for what to do in case of hyperglycemia. When you have hypoglycemia, you do precisely what you should do.
Sodas, juices, and other liquid junk will raise your blood sugar levels in no time.
When you have hyperglycemia, your sugar levels are already dramatically elevated.
Therefore, the last thing you should do is drink sweet liquids full of sugar.
Research shows that a glass of apple juice and a glass of cola is just as unhealthy.
sweet drinks diabetes
It is true that apple juice contains a handful of vitamins. But in terms of sugar content, a glass of apple juice contains even MORE sugar than a glass of Coke. While a glass of apple juice may sound, look and smell healthier, it is far from healthy.
The truth about juices is very black and white:
ALL sugary liquids are unhealthy.
The above applies to both 'healthy' people and type 2 diabetes patients. Therefore, try to avoid soda, fruit juices, and other sweet juices. You also want to avoid custard, Mona desserts, and other sweet dairy products.
If something is sweet and you DO NOT have to chew it, you really don't want to bring it into your home!
#4 Eat fiber-rich foods
"I've been eating these products all my life, why should I suddenly stop?" You'll think about it. Unfortunately, you got type 2 diabetes as a result of this.
For now, there is no magical way to get people to drink sweet liquids without worsening their type 2 diabetes. Drinking diet soda full of chemical sweeteners is another option. Or soft drinks sweetened with the natural sweetener Stevia.
But most of the supermarket is just sweetened with sugar. Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done to address the soft drink problem.
fiber hyperglycemia
But there is a way to eat 'healthier carbohydrates. You do this by choosing the fiber-rich variant.
Whole grain products are fiber-rich varieties. Fiber inhibits carbohydrate and sugar absorption in the intestines.
As a result, your blood sugar level rises at a glacial pace.
When your blood sugar level rises slowly, the risk of hyperglycemia is much smaller. Because you absorb it slowly, your body also has time to burn it. This keeps your sugar level much more stable.
Additional information
Tip: it is highly recommended to eat both the whole grain / fiber-rich variant AND to reduce your total carbohydrate intake. It turns out that 60% of the Dutch diet consists of carbohydrates.
If you want to prevent and cure your hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes, halving this value is recommended. This means that the meals are less of a burden on your body.
#5 Immerse yourself in your own eating pattern
Have you ever considered what you actually put in your mouth? I'm afraid the answer is "no" if you have type 2 diabetes.
If you were consciously engaged in healthy eating day in and day out, you probably would not have developed this disease (yet). It is therefore good to open a book about 'healthy food'.
Learn whether what you eat every day is healthy at all.
Find out why this is or isn't the case. As long as you have little knowledge about healthy food, you will always be behind the times.
You will always try to resolve hyperglycemia instead of trying to prevent hyperglycemia.
A good and simple book to start with is The Food Hourglass by Chris Verbrugh. This book will give you the basics of healthy eating and healthy aging.
#6 Eat more fatty products
Fatty products do not make you fat. Research has shown that eating more fat makes you lose weight. Provided it comes from healthy sources of course. French fries can also be fat, but they are full of carbohydrates and bad trans fats.
Fat has a special property that carbohydrates, sugars, and proteins do not have:
It does not affect your sugar and insulin levels. If you eat pure fat, your blood sugar level will not rise a millimeter.
This brings you and me to the next tip:
Eat the greasy foods you can find.
fats sugar level
The greater the proportion of fat in your diet, the fewer carbohydrates and sugars you will eat. This will automatically reduce carbohydrates and sugars.
An additional advantage is that fat plays a very strong role in your feeling of satiety.
It is (relatively) easy to eat a 500-gram container of quark. But eating 500 grams of Greek yogurt is a challenge. Why? Low-fat cottage cheese contains virtually no fat, while Greek yogurt consists of 10% fat. Especially the combination of fats and proteins is very satiating.
Fatty products checklist
It is, therefore, best to eat these products:
- Full (natural) dairy products
- 48+ cheese
- Most fatty pieces of meat (minced meat)
- Avocado
- nuts
- Eggs
- Fatty fish
As long as the fats do not come from the deep-fat fryer or from processed products, you are almost always fine. Don't be put off by advice that says you should avoid fat because it contains a lot of calories.
Fat does indeed contain more energy per 'bite'. But the energy you get doesn't affect your blood sugar. So it cannot possibly cause hyperglycemia.
#7 Use the 50/25/25 rule
Fats have never given anyone hyperglycemia. You've already read why this is the case.
Fiber-rich vegetables can also make it VERY DIFFICULT to get hyperglycemia. This is due to two properties of healthy vegetables:
- They contain relatively few carbohydrates per 100 grams
- They are high in fiber so that carbohydrates enter the blood slowly
Except for potatoes, all vegetables are low in carbs and (relatively) rich in fiber. There is a simple rule that you can follow when you want to buy a fiber-rich vegetable:
The more you have to chew on a vegetable to digest it, the higher in fiber it is.
Fibers are the building blocks of plants that give them strength. The sturdier a plant is, the more fiber it contains. Lettuce is as limp as it gets. It, therefore, contains virtually no fiber.
Preparing the right vegetables in your kitchen is just the beginning. Because if you only put a teaspoon of this on your plate, choosing a healthy vegetable doesn't make much sense.
That's why you should use the 50/25/25 rule when setting up your board:
- First, fill 50% of your plate with the fiber-rich vegetables
- Then put the piece of meat on your plate (often around 25%)
- Finally, fill the remaining space with the carbohydrate source (potatoes or pasta for example)
This prevents a meal from becoming carbohydrate-rich and low in fiber. It will also be difficult to develop hyperglycemia.
Do you still have high blood sugar levels after you eat? You may still be eating an excessive amount of carbohydrates. Or do you combine this with unhealthy sugar-rich products?
#8 Relaxation to prevent hyperglycemia
When stress comes into play, it's anything but healthy and exciting in a positive way.
It is not just detrimental to your mental wellness. It also appears to be harmful to your blood sugar levels. Walking around stressed out for long periods can even cause hyperglycemia.
This is because of something that has the ' fight or flight response.
This is the reaction that occurs in your body when you are in danger or very nervous. It has been a survival tool for humanity for thousands of years. It's the same feeling you would experience if a lion or robber suddenly jumped in front of you. Your body adapts to the situation by More sugar will remain in your blood if you make your body less responsive to insulin.
- Increase heart rate
- Tighten blood vessels
- To make you more alert
- Slowing down your gastrointestinal tract enormously
- Freeing sugar from your stocks
- Lower your insulin sensitivity
All of the above prepares you to choose one of the two options you have at the moment:
Fight or flight.
The problem is, when you're stressed, you don't have to fight or run at all. Unfortunately, your body doesn't know the difference. To your body, worrying about your job, your relationship, or your health is like standing in front of a lion.
The most disastrous of the above consequences of the 'fight or flight reaction is especially the last two.
More sugar will remain in your blood if you make your body less responsive to insulin. This is of course good when you have to fight or flee.
After all, you have more energy because of this. Freeing up extra sugars from your sugar stores is also good. This gives you even more energy.
stress diabetes
But if you, as a type 2 diabetes patient, walk around with a lot of stress, this will not do you any good. Your sugar level will rise further and you will become even more insensitive to insulin. This will only make your diabetes worse.
Stress-free living checklist
Do you experience a lot of stress? Then it is best to actively look for a form of relaxation. You can think of:
- Yoga
- To walk
- Meditate
- Talking about what you're stressed about
- Take a massage
- Take a long bath
- Sauna
- To play sports
Everyone has their own method of unwinding. It's a workout and meditation for me. For you, that might be a visit to the sauna and a walk. The better you can lower your stress level, the smaller the chance of hyperglycemia.
#9 Plan your meals ahead to avoid hyperglycemia
This is one of the best tips to prevent hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. Why?
You can reply to this if you know what you're going to consume every day. Hyperglycemia is often caused by:
- People (unknowingly) eat a lot of carbohydrates and sugars
- Taking too few medicines
- Be surprised by what comes on the table
feeding schedule
Fortunately, the latter is very easy to avoid.
By knowing WHAT and HOW MUCH of something you are going to eat, you will also know if you are getting too many carbohydrates.
By planning what to eat, you have much more control over your hyperglycemia.
Making your own diet plan is therefore very valuable. By sitting down for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon, you can save yourself a lot of trouble.
The simplest method is to create a weekly schedule. This gives you enough variety per week and it is easier to keep up. A monthly schedule is also possible, but that is unnecessary work. Like me, you probably eat the same thing quite often.
To find out how much proteins, fats, and carbohydrates your dishes contain, it is best to use the calorie checker from the Nutrition Center.
Beware
By entering each product, you will find out how many carbohydrates you get per day. Ideally, you don't want to eat more than 60 grams per day. It will probably be a shock when you fill it in the first time. Many Dutch people eat 150 to 250 grams per day. This is way too much when you have type 2 diabetes.
#10 Use your medicines
What to do if you have hyperglycemia cannot always be resolved in a 'natural' manner. When your sugar is too high, it can be dangerous not to lower it. Although you may eat healthier and exercise more, your glucose level will not drop overnight.
It is therefore highly recommended that you still take your medicines. While drugs will never cure you, they can treat the symptoms.
Nothing can stop you from eating healthier, exercising more, and taking your medicines.
When your blood sugar level is healthier and you no longer have hyperglycemia, you can ask your doctor to reduce the medication.
Diabetes medication
There are many people who have gotten rid of their type 2 diabetes through a healthier lifestyle. There is no reason why you should not be a part of this group. But everything happens in its own time. As long as you have not yet received the 'green light from your doctor, it is therefore advisable to take your medication.
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