Your blood glucose readings measure the amount of sugar in your bloodstream that has not yet been absorbed by your cells. According to the American Diabetes Association, monitoring your blood glucose level is the most important tool you have to keep your diabetes under control and avoid serious health complications. Most doctors recommend you test your blood sugar levels three times a day -- regardless of whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Keeping an accurate record of your glucose readings can help determine if your diabetes treatment plan is effective.
Step 1
Test your blood sugar soon after waking, before you eat breakfast. This is called a "fasting" glucose level if you haven't eaten for at least eight hours. This reading should be between 90 and 130 mg/dL. If your blood sugar is too low, you may feel tired and shaky. The Diabetes Monitor website recommends eating 15 g of carbohydrates, which is about 4 oz. of fruit juice, if your blood sugar is below 70 mg/dL.
Step 2
Always test your blood sugar level before a meal. Technically, this is called your "preprandial plasma glucose" and it should be between 70 and 130 mg/dL. If your levels are on the lower end of the scale, you may either need to eat more carbohydrates or take a little less insulin. Higher readings may indicate that you need more insulin, more activity or less food. Remember that exercise, stress, illness and pregnancy can affect your glucose levels.
Step 3
Check your blood sugar levels one to two hours after eating. Called the "postprandial plasma glucose" reading, it should be below 180 mg/dL, This reading tells you how effectively your body, and any additional diabetes medication, is processing sugar. It's normal to see a small spike in your blood sugar reading after eating, but as the insulin in your body transports the sugar out of your bloodstream and into individual cells for use as energy, this number should drop. Two hours after eating, if your glucose reading is above 180 mg/dL, it means you ate too many carbohydrates or didn't take enough insulin.
Tips and Warnings
- Look for patterns of high or low blood sugar. Use these patterns to help plan your meals, activities and medication schedule.
- Glucose test strips can expire -- if your glucose readings don't match the way you are feeling, check your testing equipment.
