PT health Life – People with diabetes should test their blood sugar levels regularly. This will help patients make and adjust their daily schedule. So when should you test your blood sugar? Should you only test your blood sugar early in the morning, before eating?
1. Benefits of regular blood sugar testing
Regular blood sugar testing can also help you avoid long-term health problems such as:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Stroke
- High Blood Pressure
- High cholesterol
- Blind
- Kidney diseases
- Skin diseases
Research also shows that for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, keeping abreast of blood sugar levels and HbA1c levels will reduce the risk of other diseases.
2. Ways to test blood sugar
There are many ways to test your blood sugar:
From your fingertip : You can take blood from your finger with a lancet and put the amount on a test strip. Then you put the test strip into the meter to measure blood sugar. Results are available in just 15 seconds and you can keep these results for future use.
Some meters can also save your results over time and graph them for you. Test strips and meters are often sold in pharmacies.
From other parts : New types of meters can measure blood sugar from parts other than the fingertips such as the upper arm, forearm, thigh and thumb. Measurements from other parts may yield different results from the fingertip. Blood from a fingertip will show changes more quickly, as shown when measuring blood after just eating or exercising. If you have symptoms of hypoglycemia, you should take blood from your fingertip because it will be most accurate there.
CGM meters : These devices, also called continuous blood glucose monitors, have built-in insulin pumps. Measurements from this device are similar to those obtained from blood extraction and can also be statistically analyzed to show trends over time.
3. When should I test my blood sugar?
You may need to measure your blood sugar several times a day, such as before eating, exercising, driving or when you feel your blood sugar is low.
Every person is different, so you should ask your doctor when and at what intensity to test your blood sugar. If you are sick, you may need to measure your blood sugar more often.
