Most people who track their blood glucose levels do so to manage their diabetes, a disease that prevents the body from making enough insulin or using insulin properly. Normally, sugar in your bloodstream is moved into your cells. In people with diabetes, the sugar builds up in the bloodstream, leading to high blood glucose levels and serious health problems. The American Diabetes Association recommends that diabetics monitor their blood glucose levels daily to control blood sugar and prevent or delay serious medical conditions that result from diabetes. Tracking blood glucose levels helps diabetics look for patterns and understand how to manage their diabetes.
Step 1
Obtain the medical supplies needed to test your blood glucose level, including a blood glucose meter, test strips, lancets and alcohol pads. Many health insurance providers pay for blood glucose monitoring supplies.
Step 2
Find a notebook or journal in which to record your testing results. Diabetes Forecast, a service of the American Diabetes Association, provides a journal online that you can print out and use. This form includes information about blood glucose levels and space to list the foods eaten and other information.
Step 3
Keep your blood glucose testing equipment in a handy carrying case so you can take it with you if you plan to be away from home for more than a few hours or if you plan to have meals away from home.
Step 4
Talk to your doctor about how often and when you should test your blood glucose levels, your recommended glucose levels and which levels are too high or low. You might need to test your levels before or after meals or perform fasting tests in the morning before you eat. Keep this information with your testing supplies to help you understand your results.
Step 5
Stick to the guidelines for testing provided by your doctors and check your levels when you do not feel well, when your stress level is high, when there are changes to your medications or when any condition out of the ordinary could affect your blood glucose levels.
Step 6
Write down all testing results in your journal and include information about your meals, medications taken, emotional state and level of activity during the day. The extra information helps determine how your blood sugar is affected by your daily activities. This information can also reveal patterns that help you and your medical team know where to make changes.
Step 7
Keep the appointments your doctor makes for you to have A1C testing of your blood glucose levels. The A1C test provides information about your overall blood glucose levels over a two- to three-month period. Your doctor will use this information, along with your daily testing results, to assess the management of your blood glucose levels. Add this information to your journal of testing results.
Things You'll Need
- Blood glucose meter
- Test strips
- Lancets
- Alcohol pads
- Journal or notebook
- Pencil
