Why does my blood sugar go up when I don’t eat?
Your body releases hormones that help you regulate your blood sugar. One of these hormones is glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which helps you control your blood sugar levels when you’re hungry. However, when you’re not hungry, your body produces little or no insulin or GLP-1, which can make your blood sugar stay up for several hours.
You might be able to make changes in the timing of your meals, medications, or insulin injections to help prevent this. First, keep a detailed record of what’s happening in the evening and in the morning, including your blood sugar levels, eating habits, medications or insulin, and physical activity. Then, talk to your health care provider or diabetes educator about changes you can make to prevent or reduce your risk of this happening.
How often should I eat to control my diabetes?
The amount of food you eat each day depends on many other factors, including your diabetes, physical activity, and calorie intake. If you’re taking insulin, your daily limit is 800 calories from fat and protein. If you exercise regularly and don’t eat, your daily limit is 800 calories from carbs and glycerin. Most people with diabetes don’t need to eat more than this amount to control their levels.
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you can eat whatever you want to eat when your blood sugar levels are low. Your treatment centers sometimes ask if you want to eat a certain number of calories or grams of carb per day to help you manage your blood sugar levels. If you decline this test, your treatment center may ask if you want to eat less or keep your levels in check by eating less.
