If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it may be necessary to begin tracking your blood glucose levels. Your blood glucose levels are an indicator of how your body is handling the foods in your diet. This is important because you may find that certain foods cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, in which case you should limit your intake of that food. Alternatively, you may test low at some point in the day, which should prompt you to eat something to bring your blood sugar level back up to a normal range.
Step 1
Wash your hands and clean the testing site. Anytime that you break the surface of your skin, you risk having pathogens enter your body. Wash your hands with soap and warm water before handling the lancet and wipe your finger or arm with an alcohol swab to sterilize the testing site.
Step 2
Prepare your glucose meter. Insert the needle into the lancet and press the button once to make sure it is properly installed. You should hear a click and may see the needle pop out of the tip. Next, you will need to code your machine before using. This involves entering the code found on the test strip container so that your machine knows what type of strips are being used. Take a test strip and insert it into the glucose meter. You are now ready to test your blood glucose.
Step 3
Take your blood sample. Prick your finger with the lancet on the side of the tip of your finger. Squeeze your finger gently to produce a drop of blood. Alternatively, you may be able to test on your arm if your glucose monitor is specialized for that type of testing. Once you have a drop of blood on the surface of your skin, lower your arm or finger to place the droplet on the test strip. Wait for the screen to display your results.
Step 4
Document your results. Some glucose meters will keep an electronic record of your results along with the date and time the sample was taken. If not, write the results in your blood sugar log. You may need to discuss blood sugar trends with your physician, nurse or dietitian.
