People who have difficulty controlling their blood sugar because of conditions like diabetes should continue to monitor their condition even when hospitalized according to doctors at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

They studied more than 4,300 admissions at the hospital and found that many diabetes patients suffered hypoglycemic episodes that increased the length of hospital stays and ultimately affected longevity.

For each day that a diabetic’s blood sugar was too low, they said that the risk of dying in the hospital increased by 85 percent and lengthened one’s stay by two days.

The findings "serve as a useful indicator for the necessity of increased monitoring," noted the authors.

Using herbal supplements containing cloves and cinnamon may mitigate some of those risks, according to a study from the University of Georgia.

Researchers there found that chemicals in the two spices called phenols helped to reduce tissue damage and inflammation caused by blood sugar fluctuations.

"They’re a great way to get a lot of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power into your diet," said study co-author James Hargrove.