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What is Blood Sugar Testing?
Glucose is a type of sugar that is found in your blood. Blood sugar (glucose) testing is a big part of caring for your diabetes. A blood sugar test tells you how much sugar is in your blood at any point of time. Many things affect your blood sugar levels each day. Self-monitoring blood glucose testing will let you know if your meal plan, medication and exercise are working to keep our blood sugar in good control.
How Can A1C Testing Help Me?
An A1C higher than 7% is a warning sign that your diabetes is out of control and may increase you risk of developing complications. If your A1C is high, your healthcare team may change your diabetes plan to help control your blood sugar better. Changes in your plan are expected from time to time and will help bring your A1C closer to normal. When your A1C is close to normal (4-6%), you are doing all you can to stay healthy.
How Do I Make Sense of Different Blood Sugar Levels at Different Times?
Blood sugar levels 1-2 hours after eating are called postprandial. Research shows that blood sugar levels in people with diabetes can more than double after eating, even when their blood sugar before eating is normal. It is helpful to talk about your fasting and postprandial sugar goals with your healthcare team.
Do I Really Need to Keep Records?
Yes, keep a written record (logbook) of your blood sugar readings, Today, most blood glucose meters have a memory. Also, write down the date, time, and whether the self-testing was done before or after eating. Other information or how you are feeling is useful. Always bring your record book when you visit your healthcare team. Together you can look for patterns in your blood sugar readings.
Resources for Meal Planning
Successful meal planning can be overwhelming! For help you can team up with a dietitian. A dietitian can help you develop a meal plan that will work for you. Make sure you let the dietitian know which foods you enjoy and don't enjoy as well as your schedule for eating meals. Plan to visit with your dietitian several times to fine tune a meal plan to best meet your needs.
Diabetes and Foot Care
Living with diabetes makes it even more important to take care of your personal healthcare needs. This is especially true for the care of your feet. People who have diabetes are more likely to have problems with poor blood flow and a loss of feeling in the feet. This can lead to a variety of foot problems including dry skin, cracked heels, heavy callus formation, changes in the shape of the foot, and skin ulcers. The good news is that if you know how to take care of your feet, you may be able to lesson or even prevent these problems. Poor blood flow results in less oxygen reaching the cells in the feet. If this happens you may experience changes in nail growth, painful foot ulcers and slower healing. Some people with diabetes may have nerve damage in the feet, causing problems with feeling. This typically occurs as a result of poor blood sugar control over an extended period of time. Loss of nerve function means that you may have little or no feeling in your feet in response to temperature, pressure or pain. If your feet get too hot, such as with the use of a hot water bottle or hot bath water, your feet can suffer a burn, and you will not feel it. You may not feel injuries such as blisters developing if your shoes are too tight. You may not feel anything when you step on a sharp object. This loss of feeling makes the feet more likely to be injured without you being aware of it. Your feet require regular attention. Make sure that your doctor or diabetes educator checks your feet during every visit. It is helpful to remove your shoes and socks while waiting for the doctor to enter the exam room. Always seek help from a healthcare professional at the first sign of a problem. Podiatrists are healthcare professionals who specialize in the care and treatment of your feet. These specialists can treat your foot problems, or fit you with special shoes or inserts if you require them. Ask your doctor or diabetes educator if you should visit a podiatrist.
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