Glucose is the primary energy source for all cells in your body. Food is broken down into glucose during digestion. Your blood glucose, or blood sugar, should fall into a certain range after a meal. Enjoying a balanced meal with carbohydrates, fat and protein helps sustain your blood glucose so it doesn't rise and fall too quickly.
Diabetes at a Glance
Diabetes is a chronic disorder that causes abnormally high levels of blood glucose. It occurs when the hormone insulin fails to let sugar into cells or when your body fails to produce enough insulin, or both. Managing your diabetes takes round-the-clock care. Allowing your blood glucose to stay too high for an extended period of time, a condition known as hyperglycemia, puts a strain on your organs. Hyperglycemia can eventually lead to heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, stroke or other serious conditions.
Normal Glucose Levels
Your blood glucose levels vary at different points throughout the day. First thing in the morning, after fasting during sleep, your sugar should range from 70 to 100 mg/dL. Preprandial glucose levels, or blood sugar before a meal, should range from 70 to 130 mg/dL, explains the American Diabetes Association. After a meal, or postprandial, your plasma glucose should be above 180 mg/dL, but should not stay that high for more than a few hours.
Getting Blood Glucose Back Down
If your blood sugar gets too high, above 240 mg/dL, after a meal, you may need to take a few steps to bring it down. Taking an insulin injection prior to eating a meal can help your sugar stay within a normal range after the meal. Your physician or a registered dietitian can help you determine when to take your insulin and how much to take. Going for a walk or some other type of physical activity can also help get your sugar back down. Check with your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise. Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day may help stabilize your sugar so you don't have problems with a spike in blood glucose after a meal.
Low Glucose after a Meal
Low blood glucose is known as hypoglycemia. After a meal, if your blood glucose stays below 70 mg/dL, you may need to eat more to bring it up. Injecting too much insulin, having an injection and not eating immediately afterward or too much physical activity can cause hypoglycemia. If your blood glucose is continuously low after a meal, talk with your physician about adjusting your insulin or meal plan.
