Diving Deeper Into Blood Glucose

Learn more about blood glucose, also known as blood sugar

20 Cards
Glucose is the molecule of life meaning we must have some glucose available at all times. The amount of glucose molecules floating around in the bloodstream is very tightly regulated by the body. Not enough (hypoglycemia) and too much (hyperglycemia) are both very dangerous.
The body is constantly sensing the blood glucose level and adjusting it to stay in the tight range of normal. Too few molecules and it makes some more. Too many molecules and they have to be disposed of.

Checks and balances happen constantly throughout the day.

This is a fairly complex process and the main driver of glucose regulation is insulin. Insulin’s primary job is to get excess glucose out of the bloodstream. It works like a one-way door: when insulin molecules are present, cells know they are supposed to move glucose inside.

Part of being healthy is keeping these fluctuations to a minimum. Experiencing high highs and low lows isn’t healthy.

Most people don’t feel poorly when their glucose spikes up too high. Unless you checked your glucose and saw an elevated number on a monitor, you likely wouldn’t know it was high.

Having high blood glucose acutely (suddenly) isn’t usually dangerous to the body. The risk of high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) has more to do with chronic exposure. Hyperglycemia wreaks havoc on the small blood vessels of the body.

When people have prolonged exposure to hyperglycemia, blood vessels get damaged. 

When the blood supply to cells and organs is damaged and they can no longer get the things they need, those cells and organs die.

Prolonged hyperglycemia is associated with many conditions directly related to cell death:

  • Amputation is a common result of an injury or infection in an extremity that can’t heal due to poor blood supply

The human body has 7 to 8 liters of blood.

The entire blood volume gets filtered approximately 20 to 25 times each day!

Hyperglycemia is a significant cause of kidney damage and the leading cause of kidney failure.

Damage to the nerves in the extremities (called peripheral neuropathy) is a common result of hyperglycemia. 

Peripheral neuropathy can cause a lack of sensation or it can cause abnormal sensation (tingling or pain).

Although many of our cells can repair themselves or regenerate (make new ones), some can’t.

Once a nerve cell dies, it’s gone and cannot regenerate.

Diabetes is a group of diseases characterized by high levels of blood glucose. People with diabetes are at much higher risk of developing diseases of other organ systems - such as diseases of the heart, kidneys, liver, and brain (back to those nerve cells!).

Many clinicians have started calling Alzheimer's disease “type 3 diabetes” because of the strong association of neurodegenerative disease with blood glucose levels.

Typically, the progression from “normal” to “diabetes” is a long, slow process marked by chronic slightly elevated glucose levels that gradually increase over time. The diagnosis isn’t made until the levels get “really high” - at which time, a lot of damage has already been done.
We understand this when it comes to pre-cancer, but so often, we don’t take the diagnosis of prediabetes with the same degree of alarm.
In fact, the disease of insulin resistance is essentially pre-pre-diabetes and should raise the same red flag - only sooner!

The other reason people with type 2 diabetes have such increased risks of developing other diseases related to blood flow is likely due to the elevated insulin levels that accompany the disease.

Most of our treatments for type 2 diabetes focus on lowering the levels of blood glucose (which is valid) but many ignore the elevated insulin levels. High levels of the hormone insulin cause plenty of problems to the blood vessels and organs.

Health isn't as simple as keeping blood glucose in check! It plays a big role, but focusing only on one metric at the risk of sacrificing other hormones means we aren’t seeing the whole picture. Learning about insulin and focusing on the way the body reacts to food is very important in improving health.

ACTION PLAN

  • Continue tracking all pillars
  • Remember to let your purpose continue to be your catalyst for change
  • Continue building the habit of incorporating fermented foods
  • Remember the importance of fibrous foods and their impact on the bloodstream (goal is 25-30 grams daily from whole food)

Change before you have to.

-Jack Welch