Diabetes Blood Sugar - Checking and Monitoring your Lifeline

Every diabetic knows the importance of blood sugar in relation to diabetes. Controlling diabetes blood sugar plays an important role in preventing the disorder from causing complications that will impair the nerves, eyes, kidney, and blood vessels of the diabetes sufferer. n Hence, upon confirmation of your diabetic condition by way of tests and consultations, you were advised to avail the services of a dietitian who will plan your diet in order to keep the blood sugar levels in check. Diabetes blood sugar therefore should be constantly monitored and this will involve diabetes blood glucose monitoring checks. nnBlood Sugar Monitoring Checks Keeping a log or chart of your blood sugar is very vital in managing your diabetic condition. Your health care provider may require you to bring such records of information during checkups in order to determine how your body responds to your diabetes blood sugar medications. Finding out which part of your health care plan aside from the medications prescribed, will help your doctor, your dietitian and your diabetes educator to implement the necessary changes in treatments. Here is a list of the information needed in making your diabetes blood sugar chart or logs: n 1. A1Cn2. Preprandial plasma glucose (checked before a meal) 3. Postprandial plasma glucose ( checked after a meal) 4. Blood pressure 5. Lipids 6. LDL (Low Density Lippoprotein) 7. Triglyceridesn8. HDL (Heart Disease Lowering) The information listed above will of course require the assistance of someone knowledgeable like your diabetes nurse in order to gather the correct information regarding your diabetes blood sugar levels and composition. In time, as you learn to live with your diabetes and its management, you or a member of your family will eventually learn how to monitor your blood sugar and the relevant information. Just to give you an idea, below is the basic procedure involved in checking your diabetes blood sugar: nnUsing a Blood Glucose Meter This is a compact computerized machine designed and equipped to read your blood glucose or sugar. Through a sample of your blood, your blood glucose level will be shown on the screen in terms of numbers. The doctor or diabetes nurse will teach you how to extract your blood sample and how to use the blood glucose meter. nnLog Your Test Results When writing down your test results, indicate the food, the activity and the medicine that directly affects the results. Compare your results with the previous day’s log to ascertain whether the level is rising or descending. Immediately refer any noticeable or abrupt changes that transpire especially if the results are considerably out of the normal range. By immediately, you don’t have to wait until your next visit but can be done through phone, since any changes might prove to be critical for your condition. nnUrine Checks In relation to the diabetes blood sugar checks, you may also be required to monitor your urine as they may also contain relevant information regarding your blood sugar. Information about “ketone” presence in the urine will indicate whether your body is making use of fat for fuel instead of glucose. This is indicative that there is still not enough insulin to enable glucose absorption. Based on the results of your blood sugar monitoring, your doctor or nurse will advise you when to test your urine for ketones. The life of a diabetic is about managing and controlling which you will have to learn to live with in order to maintain a normal life as a diabetes sufferer. Checking your diabetes blood sugar and logging the test results are your vital tools for a better life.