These Are The 14 Early Signs Of High Blood Sugar Levels You Shouldn’t Ignore
Diabetes is a life-threatening disease which occurs due to high blood sugar levels over a longer period. The disease is manageable with life-long treatment which involves insulin shots, and there’s no cure for the disease yet. However, by learning how to recognize the early signs of diabetes, you can avoid the great damage it does to your body.
In general, diabetes occurs due to high sugar consumption. The crystalline compound can be found in literally every food we eat, including processed foods and fruits. Glucose is certainly essential for our body – it gives our cells energy and is essentially food for the muscles, but if its levels stay too high for a prolonged period, it will lead to diabetes and damage vital organs such as the kidneys and eyes. This is why it’s so important to recognize the early signs of diabetes on time and protect your body accordingly.
Most early diabetes symptoms are misdiagnosed or overlooked as they mimic symptoms of other diseases. Here’s what symptoms you should keep eye on:
- Increased thirst and hunger;
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- Loss of focus;
- Blurry vision;
- Dry mouth;
- Dry and itchy skin;
- Nerve problems;
- Weight gain;
- Recurring infections;
- Slow healing of minor wounds;
- Severe fatigue;
- Digestive problems;
If you’ve recognized some of these symptoms, we suggest visiting the doctor as soon as possible. If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, you need to pay more attention to your diet. Excluding sugar from it is a must, as is consuming foods with a low glycemic index. The Glycemic Index is a scale that goes from 0-100 and indicates the amount of carbs found in specific foods.
Besides the obvious removal of soft drinks and sweets from your diet, you’ll also need to stay away from the following foods with a high GI:
A piece of white bread
A piece of white bread has a GI of 70 – considering that sandwiches require 2 bread slices, this can easily add up and significantly raise your glucose levels. Instead of white bread, we suggest eating whole grain or brown bread types which have a lower GI.
Rice cakes are certainly healthy and not so harmful if your blood sugar levels are normal, but they can be pretty dangerous for diabetics. Rice cakes have a GI of 78, so make sure to avoid them.
Yes, they surely taste great, but baked potatoes rate pretty high on the GI scale. A medium-sized baked potato has a GI of 85, which means that you should avoid it if you’re already suffering from high blood sugar levels.
On the other hand, there are many foods with a low glycemic index you can safely enjoy. Here are the 3 best:
Walnuts are the perfect snack if you’re a diabetic – they have a GI of only 15, which means they won’t raise your glucose levels. Furthermore, they offer numerous health benefits for both men and women.
Broccoli can actually reverse some of the damage caused by sugar, and is a nutrient-rich vegetable that is a great substitute for meat.
Eggs have no carbs at all and are probably the perfect breakfast choice for diabetics. If not consumed in excess, eggs can keep your blood sugar levels and your overall health in check.
Due to the increased presence of sugar in our diet, it’s vital to pay more attention to the signs of diabetes and act on time. Diabetes is not a simple problem – leaving it untreated can lead to serious health problems and can also be fatal. If you recognize the aforementioned symptoms, you should immediately consult with your doctor on the next steps you should take.