These five things can help if you’ve overdone it on the sugar, according to a dietitian.
You’re not alone in that.
Being in a state of hyperglycemia causes a few different things to happen.
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A common symptom people with diabetes experience is intense thirstthey feel like they can’t get enough to drink.
This is called polydipsia.
Paired with polydipsia, you may also experience polyuriathe frequent need to urinate.
These are both telltale signs that your blood sugar is high.
You may also experience headaches, blurred vision and possible feelings of fatigue.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, I recommend checking your blood glucose.
Diabetic Ketoacidosis
According to theADA, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can occur if hyperglycemia goes untreated.
Many experts recommend testing for ketones if your blood glucose goes above 240 mg/dl.
Ketoacidosis can be life-threatening and requires medical treatment.
Talk to your health care team about ketoacidosis and what to watch for.
After eating excess sugar and experiencing hyperglycemia, you may require insulin to help your blood sugar stabilize.
However, this is unique to every individual.
The pop in of insulin, dosage and time of dosage are different for everyone.
If dosed and used correctly, insulin helps to stabilize blood sugar after eating too much sugar.
However, it’s important to test your blood sugar before you get moving.
If blood sugar is above 250 mg/dL, test your urine for ketones.
As counterintuitive as it may sound, exercising when urine ketones are elevated can result in ketoacidosis.
This will help to naturally bring your blood sugar down.
Drink Water
Remember when we talked about polyuriathe increased and frequent need to urinate?
All that peeing can cause dehydration.
According to theCDC, your health care practitioner should advise you on how often to test your blood sugar.
However, this is unique to the individual.
Make a Game Plan
Let’s say you consumed excess sugar and dealt with the consequences.
It’s important to reflect on the why.
Why did you overeat those foods and what can you do to prevent this from happening again?
I encourage you to reflect on your dietary habits and eating patterns.
Are youeating enoughduring the day?
Is each meal a nourishing balance of all three macronutrientscarbs, fats and protein?
Are your snacks an appropriate portion to hold you over between meals and keep your blood sugar stable?
Are you getting enough fiber?
Are you drinking enough water?
These questions are a starting point.
The purpose is to increase your awareness of your habits.
After all, we can’t truly solve a problem without getting to the root of it.
Instead, show yourself some compassion.
We’ve all been there.
It’s also important to remember that other things besides food can affect blood sugar.
Lack of physical activity can result in higher blood sugars, as can stress andlack of quality sleep.
