Higher than normal blood sugar levels damage every tissue in the body - that's an alarming statement, I know, and while it does not happen overnight or in the short-term, given time and if left untreated, dire consequences can follow.
Even slightly higher blood sugar levels lead to health complications.
High blood sugar levels are usually associated with diabetes, the disease that is caused by too much sugar circulating in the blood but even if not actually diagnosed as being diabetic, a person with continued elevated blood sugars may also face health complications that affect the quality of life and of course, the diabetes condition may eventually be diagnosed anyway.
An early outcome of high blood sugars that is noticeable is damage caused to blood vessels and nerves throughout the body.
Because of this, blood circulation is impaired and affects hands, feet, legs, arms and the body's vital organs.
Many people with diabetes report the sense of tingling or pain in their feet, legs, or hands.
More serious is that a restricted blood flow increases the risk of heart problems, stroke, the eye disease called retinopathy that leads to blindness, and foot or leg amputations.
The American Diabetes Association and other health authorities report that diabetes is the leading cause of those conditions and their outcomes.
Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney disease and kidney failure.
There are other ailments resulting from poor blood circulation and damaged blood vessels.
Loss of memory can occur because the brain depends on a constant unimpaired volume of blood.
One study that tracked the performance of people with high blood sugars who eventually became diabetic showed that even before being diagnosed as having diabetes they were at much higher risk of suffering memory loss.
This is because the excess sugar levels cause damage to the blood vessels that connect to the brain.
And they also similarly damage other blood vessels leading to the heart and other organs.
People with elevated blood sugars often also experience difficulties in controlling levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, making a triple-threat to health and well-being.
For men, there is an added early problem caused by the poor blood circulation or nerve damage resulting from higher than normal blood sugars - impotence.
Not a happy condition for some who are theoretically still in the prime of their lives.
Blood sugars and diabetes The source of the sugars in the bloodstream is the foods eaten each day to stay alive.
The cells of the body need the sugar obtained from foods to fuel their multitude of activities that sustain life, so we cannot do without sugar but too much can harm us.
The problems are often not just the amount of sugars in the foods eaten but are also caused by an impairment in the process in the body that normally enables the cells of the body to utilize the sugars.
It is a complex process that takes place and is governed by systems in the body, but blood sugar levels can be controlled and managed by the individual, usually by the implementation of dietary modification that avoids the worst of the highly sugared foods, reducing body weight, especially body fat for those persons who are overweight - and most diabetics are, as are most Americans.
An added amount of exercise, where possible, helps too, Exercise can burn off calories and aid in weight control and also use up some of the excess sugars in the blood.
Probably the easiest way to avoid the above listed problems is to stay fit and healthy.
That can get progressively more difficult as age and affluence becomes a primary factor, but it is worth the effort, diabetes is a life shortening disease for which there is no cure.
Don't let that happen to you.
Even slightly higher blood sugar levels lead to health complications.
High blood sugar levels are usually associated with diabetes, the disease that is caused by too much sugar circulating in the blood but even if not actually diagnosed as being diabetic, a person with continued elevated blood sugars may also face health complications that affect the quality of life and of course, the diabetes condition may eventually be diagnosed anyway.
An early outcome of high blood sugars that is noticeable is damage caused to blood vessels and nerves throughout the body.
Because of this, blood circulation is impaired and affects hands, feet, legs, arms and the body's vital organs.
Many people with diabetes report the sense of tingling or pain in their feet, legs, or hands.
More serious is that a restricted blood flow increases the risk of heart problems, stroke, the eye disease called retinopathy that leads to blindness, and foot or leg amputations.
The American Diabetes Association and other health authorities report that diabetes is the leading cause of those conditions and their outcomes.
Diabetes is also the leading cause of kidney disease and kidney failure.
There are other ailments resulting from poor blood circulation and damaged blood vessels.
Loss of memory can occur because the brain depends on a constant unimpaired volume of blood.
One study that tracked the performance of people with high blood sugars who eventually became diabetic showed that even before being diagnosed as having diabetes they were at much higher risk of suffering memory loss.
This is because the excess sugar levels cause damage to the blood vessels that connect to the brain.
And they also similarly damage other blood vessels leading to the heart and other organs.
People with elevated blood sugars often also experience difficulties in controlling levels of cholesterol and blood pressure, making a triple-threat to health and well-being.
For men, there is an added early problem caused by the poor blood circulation or nerve damage resulting from higher than normal blood sugars - impotence.
Not a happy condition for some who are theoretically still in the prime of their lives.
Blood sugars and diabetes The source of the sugars in the bloodstream is the foods eaten each day to stay alive.
The cells of the body need the sugar obtained from foods to fuel their multitude of activities that sustain life, so we cannot do without sugar but too much can harm us.
The problems are often not just the amount of sugars in the foods eaten but are also caused by an impairment in the process in the body that normally enables the cells of the body to utilize the sugars.
It is a complex process that takes place and is governed by systems in the body, but blood sugar levels can be controlled and managed by the individual, usually by the implementation of dietary modification that avoids the worst of the highly sugared foods, reducing body weight, especially body fat for those persons who are overweight - and most diabetics are, as are most Americans.
An added amount of exercise, where possible, helps too, Exercise can burn off calories and aid in weight control and also use up some of the excess sugars in the blood.
Probably the easiest way to avoid the above listed problems is to stay fit and healthy.
That can get progressively more difficult as age and affluence becomes a primary factor, but it is worth the effort, diabetes is a life shortening disease for which there is no cure.
Don't let that happen to you.