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Answers to questions about diabetes treatments and symptom reduction through blood glucose management.
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Green bananas are good for diabetes management, making them an excellent choice in a diet for diabetics. Read on to learn why green bananas are beneficial for diabetes. How Green Bananas Affect Your Blood Sugar The carbohydrate complex of green bananas is mainly in the form of resistant starch (RS) and pectin, which can’t be digested in the small intestine. Therefore, it has a low glycemic index of 30 and doesn’t raise your blood sugar level too much. Pectin is a type of soluble fiber with thickening properties that help delay carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption. This is essential in diabetes management solutions and makes green bananas one of the diabetes fruits to eat. However, as the banana starts to ripen, these carbs convert into sugars such as sucrose, fructose, and glucose which can increase your blood sugar levels. Therefore, even though green bananas are great for diabetics, ripe bananas or yellow bananas should be taken in moderation. Benefits of Green Bananas for Diabetics Green bananas contain the following beneficial components: Potassium Potassium helps the body store glucose in the liver and muscles as glycogen. Those who have diabetes are usually insulin resistant and are known to have low potassium levels, making it an essential nutrient for diabetics (1). Vitamin B6 Also known as pyridoxine, vitamin B6 supplementation has been reported to significantly reduce the progression of diabetic complications and even help prevent insulin resistance (2). A new study has also stated that B6 supplementation during pregnancy can lower the risk of gestational diabetes and the onset of diabetes in later life (3). Resistant Starch Green bananas are good for diabetics because the undigested resistant starch is gut microbe friendly, which can help you better manage diabetes. Medical Disclaimer The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional. Resources https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3197792/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4735993/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7279184/ MISC-0026 RevA
Asked 2 years ago
Yes, melons are suitable for diabetics, even though they have a high glycemic index (GI), the parameter that shows the rate at which the sugar from a particular food enters the bloodstream. Therefore, high GI foods are a complete "no" for diabetics. However, when we consider the glycemic load (GL) of melons, it is very low. It is the measure of the amount of carbohydrate in a portion of food and the speed at which it actually raises blood glucose levels. That is, GL is the combination of the GI and the actual carbohydrate content in one serving of that food. So, where diabetics are concerned, GL is the one that needs to be considered. All thanks to the high proportion of water, a slice of melon actually has very little amount of sugar per serving, meaning that its effect on blood sugar is extremely low. To top it off, melons are rich in vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, and lycopene, which are all very beneficial for people with diabetes. How Melon Fruits Affect Your Blood Sugar The carbs you consume are directly proportional to your portion size. Therefore, when we eat a serving of watermelon which has a high GI, we aren’t petrified as its GL is a low 4.3 per 2 cups. Similarly, the GI of musk melon is 65, but the GL is only 3.14 for a portion size of 1 cup. Therefore, melons are good for diabetics and can be part of the diabetes management solution. Benefits of Melon Nutrients for Diabetics Water-soluble vitamins Melons are very rich in vitamins C and B, which help regulate blood glucose levels in type-2 diabetics (1).Lycopene Watermelon contains lycopene, the red pigment and powerful antioxidant that may reduce the risk of diabetes. Research also says that eating watermelon may help reduce certain diabetes-related complications (2).Potassium Just two wedges can provide you with 640 m of potassium. This mineral helps regulate your blood sugar levels by improving the cell’s insulin sensitivity (3). Medical Disclaimer The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional. Resources https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4435229/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8245064/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3197792/ MISC-0025 RevA
Asked 2 years ago
Calcium plays a vital role in the regulation of blood pressure as it constricts the blood vessels and forces the heart to squeeze harder to get blood around the body. When you use calcium channel blockers, the opposite occurs. Calcium channel blockers block the movement of calcium across its channels, allowing the heart and blood vessels to relax and contract more easily. As such, they serve as an antihypertensive medication to help lower blood pressure. They can also cause fluctuating blood sugar levels. How Calcium Channel Blockers Affect Blood Sugar There are conflicting results regarding the effect of calcium channel blockers on blood sugar. One study (1) suggests that calcium channel blockers affect blood sugar. However, the mechanism of action suggests that calcium channel blockers will increase blood sugar levels. Calcium ions stimulate the release of insulin into the blood. In turn, insulin depletes blood sugar levels by aiding cell glucose absorption. When you use calcium channel blockers, the voltage-dependent calcium channels close. This limits the influx of calcium ions, insulin release, and glucose absorption, raising blood sugar levels. Who Should Avoid Calcium Channel Blockers? While calcium channel blockers affect blood pressure and blood glucose level, not everyone will benefit from using a calcium channel blocker. In such cases, using the calcium channel must be with caution. Examples of people that should avoid calcium channel blockers include: People with low blood pressurePregnant womanThose with heart problemsThose with liver problemsThose who drink alcoholPeople taking beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors Medical Disclaimer The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional. Resources https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4887408/ MISC-0021 RevA
Asked 2 years ago
The terms "blood sugar" and "blood pressure" may seem confusing to some people, but is blood pressure the same as blood sugar? No, they are not! Though they may sound similar, they are vastly different. While blood sugar is a measurement of the levels of glucose in the body, blood pressure refers to the amount of blood the heart pumps and the resistance to it in the arteries. Extremities of both are considered to be metabolic disorders. Can Low Blood Sugar Increase Blood Pressure? The relationship between blood sugar and blood pressure is well established. The body gets energy from glucose or sugars from carbohydrates. When there is a hypoglycemic episode—i.e., the blood glucose levels are low—the body releases excess epinephrine (adrenaline) and initiates a series of actions such as increasing the heart rate, widening the pulse pressure, and increasing peripheral systolic blood pressure, to keep the heart and lungs functioning properly (1). This rise in adrenaline and associated changes in systolic blood pressure results in increased blood pressure. Hence, understanding hypertension and its causes can make the condition more manageable. Can Low Blood Sugar Cause a Drop in Blood Pressure? Absolutely! A drop in blood sugar can adversely affect blood pressure. In diabetics, this may occur due to nerve damage called autonomic neuropathy. When nerves are damaged due to high blood sugar levels, the body may not be able to sense drops in blood sugar immediately, affecting heart rate and blood pressure. Hypotension, or low blood pressure, due to hypoglycemia is common in individuals with severe diabetes (2)(3). Conclusion Maintaining blood pressure and blood sugar is essential for good health and for preventing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Extremities of blood sugar in either direction can both be hazardous for health and impact blood pressure adversely, inducing hypertension or hypotension. Learn more about this in the Relationship Between Hypertension and Type 1 Diabetes and Can Hypoglycemia Cause Hypertension? Adopting a healthy lifestyle and following a practitioner’s advice regarding medications can go a long way in maintaining overall well-being and making these conditions highly manageable. Medical Disclaimer The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional. Resources https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/34/Supplement_2/S132/28705/Hypoglycemia-and-Cardiovascular-Riskshttps://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/nerve-damage-diabetic-neuropathies/autonomic-neuropathyhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2660058/ MISC-0020 RevA
Asked 2 years ago
High blood sugar levels cause widespread damage to your body, including blood vessels and organs that play a key role in maintaining your blood pressure. Let's take a closer look at how blood sugar levels affect our blood pressure. Importance of Testing Your Blood Sugar It is essential to get your blood sugar tested regularly. Not only does this help diagnosis (if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic) but it also provides useful information for diabetes management. Timely intervention helps to reduce unpleasant symptoms of high or low glucose levels, one being high blood pressure. Diet control is vital for lowering blood sugar—you need to be aware of what food and drinks to avoid. The Relationship Between Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure When your blood sugar goes up, your body releases insulin, the hormone that helps the body cells take on the sugar for energy. However, consistently high sugar in the blood can result in high insulin all the time, which can trigger a cascade of effects that automatically increase your blood pressure. High blood sugar causes high blood pressure. This is mainly due to the high concentration of insulin in your system (1)(2). High insulin spikes the sympathetic nervous system, which is a fight or flight response of the body that automatically increases your blood pressure. Additionally, high insulin blocks the body's ability to make nitric oxide, a necessary compound that helps your blood vessels expand—this also increases the risk of high blood pressure. Constantly high insulin in the system also hardens your arteries, which disrupts the endothelial layer of your arteries and triggers a cascade effect of cholesterol and calcium to accumulate in the arteries. The narrowing of the arteries limits the blood flow throughout the body, causing the blood pressure to shoot up. The other mechanism through which high insulin causes high blood pressure is by increasing the reabsorption of sodium by the kidney. This causes fluid retention that raises your blood pressure and forces your heart to work harder. Aside from blood sugar, there are also many other causes of high blood pressure. Medical Disclaimer The information provided by DarioHealth Corp. programs is general in nature and is not meant to replace the advice or care you get from your doctor or other health care professional. Resources https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7512468/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3996172/ MISC-0013 RevA
Asked 3 years ago
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