How To Track Diabetic Glucose Levels
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects nearly 21 million Americans, with 800,000 new diagnoses every year. If you're diagnosed with diabetes you'll need to track your blood sugar levels and share your records with your doctor, dietician or diabetes educator.
Step 1: Create A Logbook
If your healthcare provider or diabetes educator didn't provide you with a logbook, you can create a logbook as a spreadsheet on the computer, download free forms from the internet or just use a plain notebook. Whatever your method, your logbook will need to have 6 main sections: day and time, your pre-meal glucose level, medication , the type of meal – breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack: your post meal glucose level - 2 hours after eating, and a notes section so you can write down your exercise, issues or the specific foods you ate. At the front of your logbook, you'll want to note your doctor-recommended blood sugar range so you'll know when you're glucose level is too high or too low.
Step 2: Fasting Level
Your fasting glucose level measures blood glucose after you've gone 8 hours without eating. You should test your fasting glucose level in the morning before you've eaten and before you take your insulin.
Step 3: Before Meals
Test and log before each meal or insulin shot. If the meal is breakfast, use your fasting level as your pre-prandial reading. In your medication section, note the amount of insulin you plan to inject.
Step 4: After Meals
Two hours after eating check your glucose level again. If your glucose level is above the healthy range of 140 milligrams per deciliter, write down why you think your level was high.
Step 5: Exercise Log
Log before, during and after exercise.
Always exercise after eating a meal and check your glucose level 30 minutes before starting. Then check your levels every 30 minutes during your exercise and also after you finish.
Step 6: Illness
If you're sick or feel symptoms of high or low blood sugar, it's important to test your levels and jot it in your logbook.
Step 7: Before Bed
Before bed. You may have to test your glucose a final time for the day right before you go to bed. Your healthcare provider or diabetes educator may ask you to do this to determine what happens to your levels over night. Remember, the more help you can give your healthcare provider the more help they can give you.
