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Food
"Although I can't eat loads of chocolate all the time, being well controlled lets me do the things I want, so I don't feel too bad about it"
Liam, 15
Where the glucose in your blood comes from?
There are two main sources of glucose in your blood:
- Digesting the carbohydrate you eat
Carbohydrate foods are sugars and starches such as sweets or potatoes. Carbohydrates from the food you eat are the main source of glucose in your blood. In your gut you break down carbohydrates into sugars, mainly glucose, and absorb them into your blood. - Producing glucose inside your body
Your body can also produce glucose internally from a special store in the liver, called glycogen. Glycogen is your body's emergency glucose store. If your blood glucose falls too low your liver immediately starts breaking down your glycogen stores to make glucose. (Unfortunately you are unlikely to have glycogen stores big enough to prevent a hypo).
When you eat
- Everyday testing
Why not use regular testing to see how your favourite meals affect your blood glucose? If they make it rise quickly, consider how you could lower the GI to slow absorption down - Varying mealtimes
Mealtimes aren't always predictable. Your blood glucose testing can help you decide how long it is safe to wait before you eat or whether you need a snack to keep you going - Partying and meals out
Test to see whether you might need to adjust your insulin dose when you eat out. Curries, for example, can look like they need a bit extra, but they are very slowly absorbed - Losing weight
When you cut down what you eat to lose weight you may be at risk of hypos. Discuss at your clinic how testing can help you balance a smaller food intake with your insulin dos