Most individuals without an underlying disease have very little reason to ever need to check their own blood sugar levels. Diabetics, however, need to do so regularly. Diabetes, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology," is a disease in which the body is incapable of either producing or responding to insulin from the pancreas. As such, diabetics must monitor their blood sugar levels to avoid potentially life-threatening complications.
Step 1
Insert a blood sugar test strip that has been loaded with a drop of blood into a blood sugar monitor. Monitors vary in their mechanism, so familiarize yourself with how your blood sugar monitor functions prior to attempting to read blood sugar levels.
Step 2
Read the number on the sugar monitor. Some monitors have have digital displays, while others give sugar levels in the form of a color or other indication. For the color-type monitor, the monitor's instructions will contain a key of colors and corresponding sugar levels. Track your blood sugar in a journal by recording the number that you read from the monitor.
Step 3
Determine whether the blood sugar level is normal or abnormal. The American Diabetes Association notes that pre-meal normal blood sugar levels run anywhere from 70 to 130 mg of sugar, or glucose, per deciliter, or dL, of blood. Just after a meal, blood sugar is generally higher, but should still be below 180 mg/dL.
Tips and Warnings
- Digital monitors are generally easiest to read.
- Consult a physician before beginning to monitor blood glucose at home. If you notice that your blood sugar is significantly above or below normal ranges, either follow prearranged instructions from your physician, or contact your physician for instructions. Improper use of a monitor will result in improper readings. Pre-meal sugar levels will be significantly different than post-meal sugar levels, so make sure to record whether testing took place before or after a meal.
Things You'll Need
- Blood glucose monitor
- Test strips
References
- "Human Physiology"; Lauralee Sherwood; 2004
- American Diabetes Association: Monitoring Glucose
