You can check your blood sugar levels in one of two main ways. The first is as simple as heading to your doctor’s office and having him or her run a blood test on you. This works but it is expensive in that you are employing a doctor to do work for you and your insurance company. The other option is a little cheaper and simpler to do especially if you have to check your blood sugar levels very often. In the case of people with diabetes then this is usually the way you want to do it. You can check your blood sugar levels yourself at any time.
The second option is cheaper because you don’t have to take the time to visit your doctor and your doctor doesn’t have to take his time to simply run a blood test on you. It is not however without costs. You have to buy a blood glucose monitor and test strips up front which may cost a bit at first but over the long haul it easily pays for itself in the time you save and copays you may have to fork out to a doctor’s office.
Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Levels
There are huge arrays of blood sugar monitoring systems on the market. Some are quite cheap like this OneTouch UltraMini Blood Glucose Meterwhich is a very basic system. Others are quite expensive as they are higher quality, require a smaller amount of blood, are more reliable, and multitask by doing different things. One good example of a high end blood sugar monitoring system is this Aviva Blood Glucose Monitoring System by Accu-Chek which is worth it if you have the money to spend but probably not exactly necessary.
Probably the best blood sugar monitor on the market is the Aviva Blood Glucose Monitoring System by Accu-Chek which is one of the bestselling monitors you can find. It is sold in many traditional off-line stores as well as with online retailers. Usually you can find better deal online than in stores and it’s much easier to order online than go to stores anyway. I recommend checking it out.
You will want to stock up on test strips to go with the monitor. These are always best purchased in large quantities as they are cheaper per strip when you buy them in bulk. The Accu-Chek Aviva Blood Glucose Test Strips are a good buy and should work just fine with the Accu-Chek Aviva System blood glucose monitor.
In addition to the blood sugar testing monitor and the glucose testing strips you will also need a finger prick. There are many kinds of pricks to choose from but one of the most commonly used by individuals is the pen finger prick which should only be used by you alone. The Invacare Lancing Device is an good option for an affordable and dependable finger prick but of course shop around and find something that works for you.
Test Your Blood Sugar Levels Yourself
Once you have your blood sugar monitor and test strips in hand the process of checking your blood sugar levels is as simple as:
• Washing Your Hands Thoroughly
• Turning Your Glucose Meter On
• Loading a Test Strip Into Your Meter
• Using a Finger Prick To Draw Blood From Your Fingertip
• Allowing The Blood Drop To Form Freely (don’t squeeze as this can alter the results)
• Touching The Test Strip To Your Drop Of Blood
• Reading The Results As Processed By Your Meter
It’s important to do this frequently and at various times throughout the day to get a good handle on how your sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day and after certain types of foods. Once you have a good idea of what levels are normal for you throughout the day and after meals then you can scale back your monitoring to a couple times a day or on an as needed basis.
Although blood glucose meters are quite accurate at checking your blood sugar levels they can be wrong. Make sure you properly calibrate your meter before your first use and on occasion and make sure to compare your meter’s results to those of your doctor’s when you go in for a regular checkup. If your meter is not recording your numbers accurately you may want to consider getting a more accurate meter.
Blood Glucose Meter Tips For Better Accuracy from the FDA
For more helpful hints on accurately checking your blood sugar with a glucose meter give this short video from the FDA a look.
If you find your levels are too high too often and you know your meter is accurate then you should try to find ways to add more of these foods that lower blood sugar into your diet and try to fit some more physical activity into your daily routine as well.
See this post to learn more about what normal blood sugar levels are and this post to learn how to lower blood sugar levels naturally and try to get your glucose levels under control. You will be healthier the better you are able to control your glucose levels and your feet will be far less likely to experience foot neuropathy or diabetic vascular disease.
