Our blood glucose level, or blood sugar level, is the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. The amount of glucose in the blood is measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/l).
Normally, blood sugar levels stay within a narrow range during the day. A good level is between 4 to 8mmol/l. After you consume food, your blood sugar level will rise and after you have had a night’s rest, they will usually be lowest in the morning.
What should my blood sugar level be?
The recommended range of blood sugar levels are:
- 4 to 7 mmol/l before meals.
- < 10 mmol/l one to two hours after meals
- About 8 mmol/l at bedtime.
When to contact your docotor
When your blood sugar levels are in the extreme ranges – either a fasting blood sugar greater than 15-20mmol/L or less than 3-4mmol/L, and especially if there are two or more abnormal readings, you should seek medical attention.
Symptoms of a high blood sugar such as thirst, urinating frequently, lethargy and vomiting.
Insulin resistance is a precursor to a variety of metabolic abnormalities, including systemic inflammation, visceral obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance is also a risk factor for cardiovascular abnormalities, including hypertension, dyslipidemia (increased triglycerides and LDL and decreased HDL), disordered fibrinolysis, and endothelial dysfunction.
All of these aberrations contribute to the atherosclerotic process.
