#Diabetics: You're Low, Sugar's High. #diabetic #T1D

Illness: You're Low, Sugar's High

Illness and the stress that sometimes precipitates it can boost blood-sugar levels by stimulating the release of hormones that work against the action of insulin and cause glucose to be released from storage sites in the muscles and liver. Naturally, you mainly need to treat the illness, but you also need to take some extra steps to keep your blood-sugar levels down.

• Drink more water. If blood sugar is higher than usual, your kidneys are probably working harder and producing more urine. The result: You become dehydrated from the unusually high urine output. Therefore, keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least a cup of water every half hour or so.
• Avoid exercise. Even if you think it might bring blood sugar lower, there's the possibility that exercise will cause the release of glucose from muscles. In any case, it's more important that you rest in order to fight the illness.
• Consider adjusting insulin. If you're taking insulin, ask your doctor if and when you should take additional or increased doses while you're sick.

Morning: The Dawn Phenomenon

You'd think blood sugar would be low when you wake up. After all, you've gone an entire night without food. Often, however, blood sugar is high in the morning. The reason: Your body clock triggers the release of hormones that inhibit insulin so that more glucose is available to the body at the start of the new day. This is natural and not necessarily a problem. But if monitoring reveals that your blood sugar becomes excessively high in the morning, you may want to consult your doctor about what actions you can take.

• Take insulin later. If you're using insulin and take an evening dose, you may find it works better to inject it closer to bedtime for longer-lasting control during the night.
• Skip the bedtime snack. Try eating less food at night so there's not as much glucose in the blood when morning rolls around. You may also want to eat less at breakfast.

Exercise in the evening. Because the glucose-lowering effects of exercise can last for many hours, a workout shortly after dinner can help keep your blood-sugar levels under control the following morning.