10Jun

Diabetes Management Is So Important

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Unfortunately at the present time, there is not a cure for type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be reversed to a certain degree with a good diet and exercise. I know that this is not what most diabetics want to hear. However the fact is that even though there is no cure, there certainly are ways to manage your diabetes and keep yourself in good health.

Good diabetes management can give you many years of healthy living. I was reading the other day of a man of 90 years old who had had Type 1 diabetes since the age of 5 and was in excellent health( other than having diabetes). And this was because he had learned how to manage his illness.

Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, you need to learn as much as possible about the appropriate diet, exercise and medication that you will need to keep your diabetes in check. Your doctor and diabetes health team will help you with this task.

Controlling the glucose ( blood sugar) cycle is the main aim of a diabetic. The glucose cycle is affected by two things, entry of glucose into the bloodstream and blood levels of insulin to control the transport out. This is done with medication, and in the case of Type 1 diabetics with insulin injections. (some Type 2’s also administer insulin if they do not respond to oral medications such as metaformin.

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Your glucose levels will react sensitively to diet and exercise, and you will be guided by your health team on how to keep your blood sugar within a certain range. Proper management of diabetes is not always easy and just when you think you have the whole thing sorted, your blood sugar levels spike again.

Management of diabetes requires a complete lifestyle change and frequent, sometimes multi-daily, checks of glucose in the blood. This is quite a shock when you are first diagnosed because it seems to take over your life. However you do get used to it – there is no other choice! It does help if you get a chance to meet up with other fellow diabetics for a chat. We all have different tips and ideas that work for us. But never try something new without telling your doctor.

Today it is easy to measure blood sugar levels. Glucose meters are readily available and are quite easy to use with a little practice and patience. Just a little prick on the side of your finger, a small drop of blood on to the testing strip attached to the glucose meter and the meter will show your blood sugar level. This in turn will let you know if and when insulin is needed.

Once you have the result, you administer the appropriate dose of insulin to bring your blood sugar back into the safety range which should be between 4mmol/l- 7mmol/l before meals and 9 mmol/l two hours after a meal.

It can seem like a constant battle to keep your diabetes in check and there have been times when I have felt like chucking all the testing paraphernalia out of the window. But there is no positive alternative.

By managing diabetes we can avoid all the complications we have been warned about, such as heart attack, stroke, blindness etc.etc. Yes, management is good because, despite the diabetes, it can lead to a healthy happy lifestyle.

08Jun

Kidney Disease and Diabetes – How Are They Related?

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Generally, not anyone who has diabetes contracts kidney disease. This is just another common misconception relating to the illness. While it is true that uncontrolled hyperglycemia can cause kidney disease, diabetics who maintain their appropriate blood glucose levels can avoid developing kidney failure.

Primarily, diabetes can progress to kidney disease when the renal organs are unable to dispose of the byproducts of sugars and starches. These foods stay in the system and do not break up and get eliminated, as they definitely do in others without the disease. These wastes dwell in the body and abnormally cause the blood sugar levels to rise to unsafe, high levels. It makes disposal of proteins difficult as well.

Efficiency of the kidney function is highly altered when there is uncontrolled diabetes. Due to that, the kidneys must work harder beyond its usual process to eliminate body wastes, and clean out sugars and starches at the same time. As the kidneys strain excessive amounts of blood, protein and other waste products begin to leak into the whole body system. Eventually, waste products start to build up in the blood.

A progression of kidney disease is common among diabetics. The kidneys become overworked and they shut down inevitably. When this happens, the person is automatically put on dialysis where a machine functions as an artificial kidney. At most times, an individual with kidney disease could opt for a transplant, however, this is hardly an option to patients that have diabetes.

Without their kidneys, people definitely cannot sustain their lives. For that reason, it is certainly vital that an individual with diabetes recognizes how their kidneys function and what ways can they do to assist these organs to work proficiently. A diabetic doesn’t have to contract kidney disease, as well as the majority of complications following the disease. A simple implementation of the doctor’s prescription and advocating a healthy lifestyle is more than enough.

The only drawback is that many diabetics are non-compliant individuals, those who refuse to do what their doctors instruct them. They do not follow the diet plans strongly suggested in the Glycemic Index, a record developed to educate those with diabetes of what meals to have and avoid. Meals that are high in the glycemic index take the longest to digest and do the most harm to the kidneys.

Furthermore, tracking their blood sugar levels is another problem. A diabetic is normally prescribed a blood monitor that he has to use several times a day to check their glucose levels. These levels are noted and presented to their physician on their next visit. However, many diabetics don not conform to this essential part of their care.

In addition, medications such as insulin shots and oral hypoglycemic drugs are commonly prescribed but are occasionally overlooked and avoided. These drugs aid the kidneys in eliminating waste by metabolizing foods. There are several programs present for those who cannot afford these drugs, so there is no basis to not take these medications.

Lastly, exercise and weight control are very important to keeping a healthy body. Not only for diabetics, but also for the general population. Diseases are easily fought back when the body is functioning well. Yet, most people simply refuse to adhere to these essential measure.

In conclusion, kidney disease and diabetes are two different illnesses. Diabetes is not invariably a marker to kidney disease. One does not always lead to the other. Discipline is the key to achieving a desirable life. If a person is only apt to take care of his body, nothing grave is going to happen.

25May

Choosing Health Insurance Plans for Diabetics

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Diabetes is a disease that is defined as a metabolic condition in which someone has high blood sugar because their body is unable to create substantial insulin or because the cells in their body are unresponsive to the insulin that is produced. It can have a great negative effect on certain body organs like the heart, the kidney and eyes and can cause damage to them or even lead to strokes. Currently it is approximated that 18 million Americans have diabetes. Similarly, 1 million people are diagnosed with this condition annually.

The control of this disease can be mastered quite well but the treatment can be rather very expensive. The American Diabetes Association estimates that around $11,744 is spent on medical issues pertaining to diabetes; monitoring it, treating it and generally trying to control the blood sugar levels. Someone who has diabetes can actually take up full time employment and also be in line for health insurance benefits.

It is estimated that most diabetes patients are financially unable to cope with the demands of the disease and are therefore not able to properly look after themselves.

It is not exactly easy to come across a cheap health insurance program because the majority of the insurance companies look at diabetics as difficult to insure because there is a great likelihood that there will be complications arising every now and again.

In addition, the complications that arise during diabetes usually call for specific and special medical care systems. Ordinary health issues that affect these diabetics will still require specialized treatment because of the nature of the disease which needs extreme attention.

There are instances where coverage is given but at a very high cost. Sometimes it even forces the person to begin living a less comfortable life because they are trying to cater for these expenses. This is why many people decide to remain uninsured. There are however some plans from the Government that one can rely on to help them with the diabetes.

One such program is Medicaid which is jointly offered by the State Government and the Federal Government. This program offers help to people who are suffering from diabetes but are financially unable to cater for all the medical expenses related to the disease. Original Medicare in turn covers the expenses in terms of services, equipment and supplies. It also caters for preventive coverage for individuals who might be at risk of getting diabetes.

The Government also offers SCHIP which offers health insurance to children who are from families that are not able to cater for themselves when it comes to health costs. This program is very low cost and is offered to children who are under 19 years of age.

In case one works in a company that offers health insurance state laws call for such a person to receive appropriate attention and help with the condition. Most times when companies go for health coverage, they include diabetes and therefore are able to provide supplies for the diabetics who are covered. This might be quite expensive but it is the most reliable alternative

23May

What Do You Need To Know About Diabetes Supplies?

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The treatment for diabetes can be quite expensive and it is estimated that about $11,744 is spend on health care with particular reference to diabetes supplies. This figure is much higher than that spent on other health issues outside diabetes. Many people require some kind of assistance with the problem of diabetes.

Anyone who has Medicare will find this very useful because it offers some great help with the supplies. Individuals who are 65 years or older are entitled to this Federal Health Insurance. Also those who are younger than 65 but have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or may have disabilities are entitled to this insurance. Apart from that, individuals of any age who might have the end-stage renal disease are also entitled to this insurance plan.

It is up to you to decide upon how you would like to receive your prescription and drug coverage as well as the Medicare Advantage Plans (HMOs PPOs). Also, you need to know that Original Medicare is helpful when it comes to catering for services of diabetes for instance supplies lancets, glucose monitors, insulin pumps as well as insulin and test strips.

Those who are recipients of the Medicare Advantage Plan need to constantly seek for information pertaining to their membership and how their membership can help them get supplies for diabetes and the treatment. It is helpful to make inquiries be ready with all the information that is needed. You should call the Medicare hot-line to get as much information as you can.

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Medical Assistance which is also known as Medicaid, is yet another path that one could decide to take as they look for a way to battle their condition of diabetes. This program is run by the state government together with the federal government to help sort out the medical expenses which would otherwise be incurred by individuals who can not afford these resources. Each state has different programs, benefits and limitations in this respect. One should go to the Medicaid office to find out if they are eligible for these benefits or not.

There are also many pharmaceutical companies that are ready to offer some of these supplies at a discount for people who are not lucky to have an insurance to cover them. These discounts can also apply to people who just can not afford these benefits because their financial position is not good at the moment.

Take some time and find out if there is a provision for the group insurance coverage in your state. This one is usually for people who are unemployed or totally uninsured because of low income levels. You also need to look for more information on the internet to see where you can get some of these diabetic supplies.

27Apr

Diabetic Erectile Dysfunction

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For men suffering from type 2 diabetes, life is difficult enough without the added frustration and embarrassment of experiencing sexual problems and erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction can be described as a consistent inability to have an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. Estimates of the number of males that suffer from this condition vary from as low as 20% to as high as 70%. Because of the embarrassment associated with this dysfunction, nobody can be sure what an accurate percentage could be.

Diabetic men are three to four more times more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than the average non-diabetic man. It is difficult to make the connection between erectile dysfunction and pre-diabetes, as most people with pre-diabetes are unaware of their condition. Aware or not, pre-diabetes problems can affect erectile dysfunction.

Erectile dysfunction is a problem with the nervous system. It is believed that diabetes and high blood sugar levels can damage nerves, which seems to lead to the erectile dysfunction. It is also important to factor in that high blood sugar levels play in altering hormone production. This altered hormone production can cause a male to take on more female hormone characteristics. This means that a male could have increased estrogen levels and decreased testosterone level because of diabetes and high blood sugars. With decreased testosterone levels, the male will experience a low sex drive and an inability to get and sustain an erection.

Most men with erectile dysfunction use medication to correct their problem. Using medication may be an effective to improve ‘performance,’ but it really does nothing to fix the cause of the real problem. Medications in general are an effective way to help certain conditions like blood flow, they rarely get to the root cause of the problem.

If the real problem is high blood sugar levels, then it is very important to get them under control. Too many people suffering from type 2 diabetes do not make an effort to get their blood sugar under control. Instead of doing the education needed for their condition, they are given medication after medication. This is not as effective as it needs to be, and so there has to be another way.

If you, or someone you know is, or thinks they may be a type 2 diabetic, please see a physician as soon as possible and have tests done so you learn exactly what you are dealing with. Type 2 Diabetes is a very serious disease and if left untreated can create serious permanent damage. Go get treated today, you deserve the very best!

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26Apr

The Side Effects Of Selected Diabetes Medications Part 1

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Diabetes is a formidable chronic illness to be seriously considered. It sadly affects millions of people who move about without knowing it. If left unchecked diabetes can turn out to trigger to many other ailments which may include kidney failure, loss of sight and limbs. The condition itself is associated with problems with insulin which is essential for facilitating the absorption of blood glucose into the body. The disease is divided into two namely type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

There are a range of medications used to treat diabetes. To begin with these medications are also divided into two. Type 1 diabetes is usually treated using regular insulin injection. Type 2 diabetes can be treated using oral medications such as drugs.This can happen over a period of time for many years even. However it has been noted that individuals who suffer from type 2 diabetes and are on oral treatment may at a later stage require insulin injection as a result of oral drugs failing.

Just as many other medications, diabetes drugs vary and also carry some side effects. It is important for patients to known these side effects and report them immediately to the doctor when ever they occur;

Side Effects Of Sulfonylureas

One of the leading drugs for diabetes which has been in use in America for some a long time. Insulin is produced in the pancreas. When the pancreas fails to produce insulin glucose fills your blood stream leading to diabetes. These drugs are designed to force your pancreas into producing insulin. Sulfonylureas drugs are for patients with pancreas that is weak in producing insulin yet producing some. This is why it is for type 2 diabetes. Were there is absolutely no insulin this drug will be useless. Some side effects;

1 Nausea
2 Low blood sugar
3 Weight gain
4 Rash

Generic names of drugs under this medication include glipizide, glyburide. Brand name drugs include Amaryl, Glucotrol amd DiaBeta.

Side Effects Of Thiazolidinediones

Drugs that fall into this category again are for type 2 diabetes and work by facilitating the better usage of insulin by cells and also reducing glucose levels produced by your liver. The side effects;

1 Damage to patient’s liver
2 Fluid retention
3 Nausea
4 Feeling tired/fatigue
5 Abdominal pain
6 Colored urine

As mentioned earlier, type 1 diabetes patients will need to rely on injected insulin considering that in this category of diabetes the pancreas is absolutely failing to produce any insulin. You will need to work with your doctor all the way to ensure effective control of a diabetic condition.

22Apr

Diabetic Health Maintenance: Should Be As Regular As an Oil Change

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For the millions of individuals suffering from juvenile diabetes, sticking to a health maintenance schedule should be as routine as changing the oil in your car’s engine. Considering the multitude of life threatening complications that can develop, if this disease is not kept under strict control, your actions will determine the difference between a healthy life and a short one.

Type one diabetes what is it?

Juvenile diabetes can strike at any age. In some cases, a person can be classified as a juvenile diabetic up till the age of twenty-four. It’s all predicated on dependence of insulin. While only about five percent of the population falls under this definition, the primary factor that distinguishes between juvenile and adult diabetes is that in juvenile diabetics, the pancreas no longer creates the hormone insulin at all.

What does this hormone do?

This hormone is vitally necessary in order to convert sugars and food that we consume to energy that our body needs. Sugar is the gas in the human gas tank. When the beta cells in the pancreas no longer make insulin, the sugar level in our system gets elevated and literally dries out our body. One of the primary indications that you may have developed diabetes is excessive thirst.

What are the complications?

As the body becomes dehydrated from high levels of sugar in your system, sight will be affected quickly. Other complications include circulatory issues and damage to the liver, kidneys, and heart. Until the early nineteen twenties, when scientists figured out how to manufacture insulin to make up for the lost production of insulin in a diabetics pancreas, the complications from the excessive glucose levels assured death in a matter of years. Today, the first part of the problem has been solved. We know how to get insulin into the system via syringe or with an insulin pump under the skin.

How will this affect my life?

Make no mistake; diabetes will change your life forever. You will have to be ever vigilant in monitoring what you eat, your blood sugar levels, and regular checkups with the doctor to make sure the complications are not over taking your hard work to remain healthy. The good news is that as opposed to some diseases, diabetes isn’t the death sentence it once was. When you think of it, most of us are very diligent about taking care of our car. Why should we be any less diligent in taking care of our health?

What can I do to stay healthy?

There are natural remedies that can help control some of the complications caused from damage by the strain that uncontrolled sugars cause to your body. Omega 3 fish oil is strongly suggested for several reasons. First, one of the most common complications from diabetes is inflammation to the cardio vascular system and body organs. Fish oil high in fatty acids works to combat inflammation throughout the body. In addition, Omega 3 fish oil has proven to fight high levels of cholesterol naturally. Cholesterol is a major cause of coronary heart disease in the general population. In diabetics, this is exacerbated by a factor of three because of blood sugar elevation. High blood pressure is another complication more prevalent in diabetics. For this reason, in addition to prescription drugs to fight high blood pressure, your doctor will most likely recommend Omega 3 fish oil as a health supplement to lower blood pressure naturally.

Conclusion

Now that you know the many benefits that rich Omega 3 fish oil can deliver to diabetics in the quest for good health, it’s vitally important to remember that the most important job for a diabetic in protecting his or her health is proper regulation of blood sugars. Omega 3 fish oil can do wonders to help protect your organs and arteries, but job one is always your blood sugars. Many people have led healthy lives by following these rules, you will too!

21Apr

Selected Frequently Asked Questions About Glucose And Diabetes

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Diabetes just like high blood pressure and heart disease is a chronic disease that affects millions of people all across the globe. In fact millions more people are living with diabetes without knowing it. When left unchecked diabetes can even cause loss of sight, limp loss through amputations and may cause other existing diseases to deteriorate rapidly such as high blood pressure, heart disease and even kidney disease. The following are some questions often asked about glucose and diabetes;

What Is Glucose Monitoring?

Glucose monitoring involves a keeping watch of the levels of blood glucose. This prevents a diabetic condition from deteriorating any further. It helps diabetes patients to be in control of a diabetic condition. Results of a glucose monitoring will inform what food one eats, the activities they engage in and the medications they need to take. Using a blood meter a patient pricks the tip of a finger with a special device to obtain a blood sample which the meter uses to interpret blood sugar levels.

What Is Whole Blood and Plasma Calibration?

This is a simple concept which yet confuses many that is used to define how blood glucose is measured. A blood glucose meter can be calibrated to measure glucose levels in the blood using whole blood or plasma. Plasma is a part of whole blood. Plasma calibrated measurements are often used in labs.

Both whole blood and plasma measurements numerically point to one and the same thing. It is best understood as temperature measurements. temperature can be measured in degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit. Both mean the same thing in as giving us an understanding of the accurate state of the weather.

What Is Continuous Glucose Monitoring?

A fairly new technique, CGM as it is also known in short involves the insertion of a tiny device under the skin to continuously provide glucose levels for days on end and even up to a week. This device sends signals to yet another device that is attached to the belt like a pager of the patient. This does not eliminate the need for a standard meter. The user will still need it to take a sample of their blood in order to program the CGM device.

These are some of the often asked questions about diabetes and glucose. It needs to be remembered that diabetes is a chronic disease which can be managed for a life time. Monitoring and measurement is only but a part. A lot more depends on what a person eats, exercise and so on. Our eating habits will need to change to accommodate a diabetic condition.

15Apr

Introduction to the Diabetes Diet Menu

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Diabetes has several adverse effects to a person’s body. It may even lead to very serious complications that in the worst case scenario can lead to paralysis, amputation of extremities, or even death. Fortunately for those suffering from type 2 of the disease the dangers can be greatly minimized through proper exercise and a diabetes diet menu. A healthy meal plan is essential not only to ensure that the diabetic meets all his nutritional needs without causing his blood glucose level to become too low or two high but also to help him maintain a desirable weight. Being overweight is a major handicap for a diabetic because it greatly increases the dangers of having the illness.

A diabetes diet menu can help type 2 diabetics more than any available medicine. It helps stabilize blood glucose levels more effectively by guiding the diabetic in consuming the proper amounts of nutrition. A meal plan usually comes in the form of a seven-day eating program. It includes the preparation and composition of each meal including the size of each component as well as when each meal should be eaten. Most plans provide six small meals in even intervals of two to three hours. The small size of the meals helps avoid sudden spikes on the blood sugar level after a meal. The increased number of meals helps compensate for the reduction in meal size. And the regular interval between each meal helps stabilize the amount of nutrients in the body.

Adjusting to the diabetes diet menu may be really hard at first especially since small meals tend to not be satisfying enough. Keeping track of the time also has a high chance of being overlooked. But the biggest hindrance in following a meal plan is the taste. This is why one’s food preferences should always be considered when creating an eating program for him. Avoid including foods he does not like to eat and replace them with alternatives he finds more appealing. Alienation can also slow down the adaptation process. Eating something different from the rest of the family members can be very discouraging. It is best that other family members also follow the diet. Healthy eating will never hurt anyone.

It will take some time before you and your body can fully adjust to the diabetes diet menu. Be patient. Eating right is will not only allow you to keep the illness under control, it will also help you avoid other sickness.

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04Apr

Hypoglycemia – The Dangers of Low Blood Sugar Levels

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People with diabetes are normally concerned about their blood sugars, especially if they are experiencing higher than normal blood sugar levels, because that is the major diabetic problem in life that a person with diabetes normally has to deal with. But it is also important for the diabetic to be aware of a situation that is “opposite” to high blood sugar levels, a condition that doctors call hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia is characterized by an abnormally low level of blood sugar. The sugar carried in the bloodstream, called glucose, is an essential nutrient for the body and is the body’s main source of energy, needed constantly by the body’s cells.

Episodes of hypoglycemia are not common and are not often experienced by most adult diabetics or diabetic children of 10 years and older, but they do happen and the condition should be quickly recognized and treated promptly when it does. Hyoglycemia must be treated promptly because it can become progressively worse in a relatively short time, sometimes after tens of minutes, and can lead eventually to additional problems and in some extreme cases, it can become a life-threatening event.

From my own experience as a diabetic I suspect that most of my fellow diabetics have had a few such lower than normal blood sugar occurrences. Food is the source of the blood sugars, especially the carbohydrate content of food. One reason that a hypoglycemic event might occur in a diabetic person is when they have not eaten any food for too long a period of time. An additional or alternative cause might be when they have deliberately avoided consuming carbohydrates, ironic perhaps, because by not eating carbohydrates they wish to combat their own above normal blood sugars that they know can be caused by a high carbohydrate intake.

Just as the avoidance of too many high-carbohydrate foods is a standard recommendation in the treatment of diabetes, so too is the recommendation to participate in some form of exercise. However, sometimes too much exercise can cause blood sugar problems. The muscles involved in exercise require sugar, and low blood sugars can occur after having been involved in vigorous exercise at a time when the body has insufficient blood glucose to supply the necessary energy for the extra activity.

For the person with diabetes, it is not easy to know, without taking a blood test, whether or not they have above normal blood sugar levels but in the case of lower than normal blood sugars, the symptoms experienced are usually noticeable. When glucose levels become too low it can have an effect on the brain and often a sense of confusion and an inability to perform routine tasks becomes apparent. Should that happen, fortunately it can serve as a warning, an alert for the diabetic who is familiar with such symptoms to take immediate action to rectify the situation, usually by eating food that can provide a quick boost of sugar to their system.

Some other recognizable possible symptoms are sweating, anxiety and a sense of unease, trembling hands, perhaps heart palpitations, hunger pangs, blurred vision or other visual disturbances.

The important thing is to know what to do if and when it happens. Whenever a low blood sugar event occurs, a prompt response is needed.

The quick solution is to eat or drink a fast-acting glucose food item. The condition has occurred often enough to me to know what to do, my personal choice is to first drink half a glass of apple juice and I try to always keep a supply of apple juice available.

Possible food items to raise blood sugar levels back to normal, any one of the following:

a half glass or half cup, 4 ounces, of apple juice, orange juice, or similar fruit juice

a teaspoon of honey or sugar

glucose tablets, usual 3 or 4 are sufficient

5 or 6 pieces of hard candy

an 8-ounce glass of milk

a half glass of non-diet pop

Something containing about 15 grams of carbohydrate such as a fast acting energy bar or a serving of glucose-gel snack.

Be ready for an emergency even though it is a rare event

If a hypoglycemic event is not promptly treated and then progresses to a more serious stage, it can lead to a diabetic coma or seizure, even to the extent of becoming life threatening, I’m reluctant to say death but it can happen. The fact that this is known to happen underscores the need to be ready for an emergency of any degree. Try to always have a suitable supply of a fast acting glucose source readily available.

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