When you find out that you suffer from diabetes it can be a big shock, as this is a disease that stays with you for life. There is no cure yet, although a proper diet, medication and exercise can keep it under control and enable you to lead a normal life.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease by which your body does not produce sufficient insulin to break up the sugar in the blood, causing your blood sugar level to rise. Lack of assimilation of glucose from the blood will result in many symptoms, such as constant fatigue since the glucose does not reach the muscles and tissues in the required amounts, continuous thirst and hunger, loss of weight and so on.
There are only two ways to fight this disease: (I) increase the insulin in the body with the help of injections and other medications, (II) control the intake of sugar to prevent its build up in the blood.
Measuring Your Diabetes Blood Sugar Level
When you are first diagnosed with diabetes, your diabetes blood sugar level will be measured through a blood test specially prescribed for this purpose. Subsequently, you can test your blood sugar level in the safety of your home with the help of the glucose meter kits that are generally available.
Your doctor should have advised how to use this kit to measure the diabetes blood sugar level. Also make sure to carefully read the instructions that come with the kit. Generally the process is simple and similar for most home kits.
The following steps will be needed to measure your diabetes blood sugar level at home:
1. Clean your hands by washing them for at least 3-4 minutes under warm running water.
2. Clean the area that you want to prick with a pad wet with surgical spirit. Most of the glucose meters will need blood from the finger tip. In rare cases you can also get blood from the forearm, palm or any other fleshy part of your body.
3. When you prick a finger, do not prick the pad unless instructed to do so. Rather prick the side of the finger - it is less painful.
4. Once you pricked your finger, collect a drop of blood on the glucose meter.
5. The meter will almost immediately show you what your diabetes blood sugar level is.
Once you have your blood sugar level reading, follow the instructions from your doctor carefully. If you have any doubts or are confused about what you need to do, get in touch with your local diabetes center or doctor immediately.
