Diabetics have many tools available to better control blood sugar levels and overall health. These diabetes instruments prove pivotal in glucose control and insulin dosing. Your insurance company may provide the instruments and implements at no cost to you based on proof your diabetes diagnosis. Diabetes tools and instruments can help the diabetic to control blood sugar levels and live a long, healthy life.
Journals
For the newly diagnosed diabetic, using a journal daily to keep a log of ingested foods, exercise, illness and blood sugars is an effective diabetes instrument. Use a journal to track blood sugar responses to certain foods, illness or exercise to better understand how diabetes affects you. The American Diabetes Association encourages, at the very least, ongoing journaling of blood sugar results. You can discuss the results at every doctor's appointment to help him impact changes in medication used to control your diabetes blood glucose levels.
Monitors
Blood glucose, or sugar, monitors are hand held devices that check a drop of blood's sugar content within seconds. If you have insulin dependent diabetes, then you need a blood sugar monitor to safely dose insulin. If your insurance will not cover this needed expense, the ADA suggests considering cost, durability and ease of use while shopping for a monitor. Most monitors require a specialized strip that collects the blood drop sample and provides the blood sugar readout. These strips are monitor dependent; each brand of glucose monitor has an accompanying strip to match it.
Ketone Test Strips
Diabetics, especially type I diabetics, have the potential to dump a substance called ketones into their urine, which can be identified with a urine test strip. When the blood sugars are out of control, the diabetic burns fat resulting in a ketone build up, says the ADA. After checking blood sugar levels, if you experience thirst, lethargy or confusion this may signify a need for ketone testing and medical attention, the ADA suggests. The test strips are simple to use and can measure the amount of ketones, which should be none, in the urine almost immediately.
