Healthy Blood Glucose For a Healthier Life

The purpose of keeping your blood glucose levels within a healthy range is to help you minimize or eliminate symptoms of diabetes and have more energy. Doing so also helps to reduce your risk of developing diabetes-related complications in the future. 

But everyone is different. Only you know all the intimate details of your life, and how willing and able you are to work to reach your objectives. Therefore, only you can set your own goals. Work with your health care team to develop a plan that will help you reach your target blood glucose levels.

Your strategy may include:

• Meal planning. This is the first step in treating diabetes. Eating a well-balanced diet will improve your blood glucose levels and help you reach the weight you want. A dietitian can help you create a meal plan that fits your lifestyle. Get started now by choosing foods high in fiber and low in saturated fat and sodium. Your dietitian can also help you learn to count carbohydrates so you can have more flexibility with your meal plan.

• Activity planning. Increasing daily physical activity is important for everyone, but even more so for people with diabetes. Increasing physical activity can help you manage your weight, lower blood glucose and use the insulin your body makes more effectively. It can also help you handle stress better, which in turn can lower your blood glucose level. If you already have a program of physical activity, keep it up! If not, discuss a safe plan for regular activity with your health care provider. Look for ways to become more active in your daily routine or try taking a walk several times a week.

• Glucose monitoring. Self-monitoring your blood glucose checks and A1C tests helps you assess your diabetes control. This information will allow you and your health care provider to see how your treatment plan is working. A number of easy-to-use machines are available that allow you to check your blood glucose by using a blood sample from your fingertip or from other areas of your body. Your diabetes educator or pharmacist can help you select a meter that fits your needs. Every three to four months, your health care provider should order an A1C test, which measures your blood glucose level over that period of time. You may also consider checking your urine for ketones if your blood glucose is greater than 250 mg/dL, particularly if you have type 1 diabetes.

• Diabetes medications. These are used by many people to help keep their blood glucose under control. People with type 2 diabetes may take one or more kinds of oral medications, insulin or a combination of both to reach their blood glucose goals.  People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin injections in order to live.

• Get educated. Diabetes education is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. It is not easy to change habits and make diabetes management part of your daily life. Learning about diabetes and getting the skills you need to take charge of your own care helps you gain control of your blood glucose levels and your life.

Q &A

Q:        Why should I monitor my blood glucose?

A:        Checking your blood glucose gives you the information you need to understand how your diabetes treatment plan is working. Check your blood glucose several times per day at specifically designated times, such as before and two hours after you eat a meal. Look at the results from a period of several days or a week. This way, you can see patterns in the times your blood glucose is up or down. You can also see how your food, a regular walk, a stressful day or the addition of a new medication affects your blood glucose.

Q:        Where do I begin?

A:        First, talk with your health care providers to set your blood glucose target levels. If your blood glucose is not within your target range most of the time, work with your health care provider, diabetes educator and/or pharmacist to review your blood glucose monitoring records. Perhaps a simple change in your lifestyle, such as being more physically active on a regular basis or eating different foods, can help you get closer to your targets.

Q:        What is the A1C test?

A:        Whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the A1C test is the most accurate and important test for monitoring your overall glucose control. The A1C shows your average blood glucose over the two to three months before the test. It also tells you your risk for problems related to diabetes. Research has shown that the closer your A1C is to your target range (7% or less), the less likely you are to develop complications, such as damage to the retina, kidney disease or nerve damage.

Q:        How does the A1C test compare to regular glucose testing?

A:        It’s helpful to compare the A1C test result with your blood glucose monitoring results. Ask yourself if they make sense together.  If they don’t, you may need to check your blood glucose more often or at different times. Your A1C level tells you that changes are needed. Your blood glucose test results give you clues about what needs to change. Checking your blood glucose at different times can help you answer questions about why your A1C doesn’t match your blood glucose readings. If your A1C test result and your blood glucose values are not on target, discuss with your health care provider ways to make changes in your diabetes care.