Illness and Blood Sugar:

When one is diabetic or has another issue with their blood sugars rising too high, their diet and exercise needs to be adjusted from what it was prior to their health issue.  One other issue rarely considered by those outside the medical profession, however, is that the body draws sugar into the blood stream when it needs to fight off most infections.  With someone without these health issues, this is normally not a problem, but for one who does, it becomes yet another balancing act.  Eating little while ill will certainly lower blood sugar a little, but at the same time they will be weaker and take longer to heal.  Those who take insulin can and should use it in order to lessen the blood sugar numbers due to the body improperly regulating the blood sugar, though taking too much will make the illness take longer to heal as well.  The best option is to eat low carb foods that are high in nutrients, hydrate properly and with a little more than usual, take insulin as needed to keep the blood sugar within the normal range, and try to avoid activities that will worsen the illness such as dealing with ice, spoiled food, etc.