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What is normal blood sugar? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is normal blood sugar? What should people with diabetes be aiming for? That’s a question we get all the time.

normal blood sugar

Diabetes is such a balancing act – don’t go too high or there are long-term complications to worry about. Don’t go too low, or you could need emergency help. In between, there’s a magic range. Here’s what it is.

Normal blood sugar range

The goal for people with diabetes is 4mmol/l to 7mmol/l. Lower than 4mmol/l (and particularly lower than 3mmol/l) is low (hypoglycemia) which is immediately dangerous and can lead to an emergency situation where you lose consciousness (pass out). Here’s what low blood sugar feels like.

Between 7mmol/l and 10mmol/l is also a good zone, although some doctors and diabetics like to keep tighter control and don’t go higher than 9mmol/l. Higher than 10mmol/l is too high. Here’s what high blood sugar feels like.

teel

How to keep your blood sugar balanced

If you’re struggling to see the numbers you want, there are a few things you can do. The simplest way to remember how to manage your diabetes is to think of TEEL:

  1. Take your medication
    Taking medication every day is so important for good blood sugar control. If your medication makes you feel unwell, we can help. Here are all the diabetes medication tips you need.
  2. Eat healthy food
    Are you eating a healthy diabetes diet? Do you need to cut your carbs (starches) to control your blood sugar? Here’s a simple way to eat LCHF. And here’s the one article you need to read about diabetes and diet.
  3. Exercise, a little every day
    No matter what kind of exercise you choose to do, it’s important to get active for 20 to 30 minutes every single day. Take a look at our ultimate guide to exercise with diabetes
  4. Lose weight, if you need to
    We know how hard it can be to lose weight with diabetes – that’s why we’ve written this step-by-step guide. You can do it!
how to get normal blood sugar with diabetes

Just do your best

We are all living different lives, and our blood sugar reacts differently to different things. Just do your best – that’s all you can do. We’re all in this together!

It can be really helpful to have the support of other people with diabetes to chat to. South Africans with Diabetes is SA’s largest online diabetes community – please join us!

Would you rather listen to this information?

Here’s an episode of our podcast about it!


What to read next?

Take your diabetes medication: All the medication tips you need to stop diarrhea and make injecting easier.

Sweet Life 7 day meal plan: At last! The one meal plan you need for diabetes, for free!

Managing Type 2 diabetes: All you need to know to manage your condition, with terrific food and exercise tips.


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13 Comments

  1. Dicko Dicko

    My sugar is about69000
    Am I good?

  2. colette chetty colette chetty

    does magnesium intake improves blood sugar level?

  3. Tommy Tommy

    Good Day

    I am 68 and have type 2diabetics. What should my sugar levels be?

    Tommy

    • Hi Tommy,
      It’s best to check with your doctor as you may have other factors that they need to take into account. But in general, 7 is the magic number to aim for, and between 4 and 10mmol/l is the goal.

  4. Mark Mark

    Hi, im a type 1 diabetic of nearly 26 yrs (im 47 now). Im looking for any other diabetics that do long distance running…. trail running in specific. Can you please contact me…..

  5. THABO JEFFREY SIBISI THABO JEFFREY SIBISI

    when do i have to take my diabetic medication before or after meals?

  6. Maura Tarpey Maura Tarpey

    I have 43 blood sugar my Dr wants to bring it down to 42 is that normal I’m 72

    • 43mmol/l, Maura? What country are you in, and is this a blood glucose test or an HbA1c? In South Africa we measure blood glucose in mmol/l and HbA1c in %, so this doesn’t align with either of those…

What do you think?

Sweet Life is a registered NPO/PBO (220-984) with a single goal: to improve diabetes in South Africa. We are funded by sponsorships and donations from aligned companies and organisations who believe in our work. We only share information that we believe benefits our community. While some of this information is linked to specific brands, it is not an official endorsement of that brand. We believe in empowering people with diabetes to make the best decisions they can, to live a healthy, happy life with diabetes.

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