Blood sugar chaos

By Noralyn Dudt

SUGAR—we all love the sweet white stuff: in our coffee and other beverages, in cakes and cookies, even in spaghetti sauce.  While the body uses sugar for energy, excessive amounts can be damaging.  As sugar travels through your bloodstream to your cells, it's called blood glucose, also known as blood sugar. The term glucose is derived from the Greek for sweet. blood glucose is crucial for bodily functions  and provides a source of energy for most cells. However, maintaining normal blood glucose levels is an important part of avoiding long-term health issues, managing weight and supporting overall well-being. An unbalanced sugar intake can start a cycle of blood sugar imbalance. An "enseymada"  (sweet roll) in the morning breaks down into glucose, spiking blood sugar levels. The pancreas releases insulin which drops blood sugar levels. A rapid rise and rapid drop in blood sugar levels can cause fatigue, and signal the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. As cortisol levels rise, feelings of anxiety, jitters and hunger for more processed carbs and sugar rise. This cycle of sugar imbalance can result in countless health and wellness problems.

The body has the mechanism to regulate glucose levels so that they remain within an appropriate range, helping to ensure there is enough glucose to fuel your cells. However, it's really up to us  through the food that we eat, and the lifestyle we lead to keep the levels normal, and to make sure that we do not  overload our bloodstream.

It's typical for blood glucose levels to fluctuate throughout the day, but big swings can make you feel fatigued, and for those living with diabetes, the fluctuations can be more considerable and happen more often.

What impacts blood sugar levels? Several factors can increase blood glucose levels,  including low physical  activity, stress, illness, and a  diet heavy in carbohydrates

When we eat  food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar which enters the blood.

As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that prompts cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. As cells absorb blood sugar, levels in the bloodstream begin to fall. When this happens, the pancreas start making glucagon, a hormone that signals the liver to start releasing stored sugar. This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensures that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar.

Carbohydrate metabolism plays an important role in the development of type 2 diabetes and myriad of illnesses which occur when the body cannot make enough insulin or can not properly use the insulin it makes.

How do we  maintain normal glucose levels? It's really that simple: avoid those sugary beverages, stop putting sugar in your coffee, and try to limit your intake of starchy food (carbohydrates) as they breakdown quickly into sugar. Research studies indicate  that increasing physical activity simply by walking helps decrease blood glucose levels. Walk up the steps instead of taking the elevator. Good diet and exercise  cost nothing, maintain wellness and keep you away from  medicines that are not only costly but have side effects as well.