How To Check Sugar At Home?

Are you tired of your regular sugar testing visits to your doctor? What if we say you can test your blood sugar levels on your own?

Yes, we are not kidding. You can conveniently get accurate readings of your blood sugar levels using the best glucometer. Care enough to know? Read along for the simplest steps to check sugar levels. Also, find the best time for checking blood glucose with some practical tips you can follow in the end.

 

Who should regularly check their sugar levels?

Although, regular sugar testing is recommended for all of us, but if you are amongst the following, you should never skip your sugar testing appointment:

• You are taking insulin
• You are pregnant
• You have a history of blood sugar
• You have symptoms of blood sugar without prior warnings or signs

Let’s now find out the right way of checking your blood sugar.

 

How to check your blood sugar level at home?

The most popular and common way of checking blood sugar at home is using a blood glucose meter or glucometer. It is an easy-to-use device and is available at an affordable price to be the preferred choice of many.

It comes with test strips that are inserted in the device with your blood sample on it. These devices can be used anywhere, thanks to their portability. Moreover, the test results are accurate and quick.

Here are the steps which should be followed to use a glucometer for measuring blood sugar levels:

1. Before starting with the test, make sure to clean your hands properly to maintain hygiene. Use warm soapy water to clean the testing area. Also, be sure that the area is completely dry before moving any further.
2. Carefully insert a test strip inside the machine.
3. Some testing kits allow the users to decide how deep the skin penetration should be. Set a mark to avoid getting deeply injured.

It is suggested that people with dry or thick skin should penetrate deeper.

4. Position your finger against a solid surface to avoid any hassles during the test. Use the side of the finger.
5. Lance the finger firmly without any struggle or forcing
6. Now, peacefully squeeze your finger, keeping it close to the chest level.
7. Take a small amount of your blood on the testing strip
8. Allow the device a few minutes to record the blood glucose level reading.

You should maintain a record of such readings to ensure the stability of your blood glucose levels. Besides these following steps, consult your doctor to know the proper testing schedule and accurate frequency to conduct the test.

 

How to choose the best glucometer?

The test strips, glucometer, and lancet – are all quite essential for measuring blood sugar. Some kits offer a complete package of all these essentialities, while some require buying them separately.

Be it any case; you should know how to choose the best glucometer. Here are few tips to keep in mind:

• Consider the price of a glucometer to find the one within your affordable decided range. Do your research and compare the costs of the possible choices.
• Check any special features you need in your glucometer. Do consult with your health expert to choose a particular device for all your needs and requirements.
• Choose a glucose meter that can quickly monitor the readings
• Look if the chosen glucometer can store the required readings
• Look for an easily maintained glucometer to cut through the hassles. It also makes cleaning the device much easier

 

The best time to test your blood sugar:

So, what is the best time to check your blood sugar? This is one of the most common concerns of most people.

According to health experts, blood sugar should be tested at 3 different times to reach a conclusion. This is when you should test:

1. In the morning – testing sugar in the morning gives an idea of how your body processes glucose throughout the day. The reading is taken in the morning, usually on an empty stomach, sets a baseline number that gives information about blood glucose levels.
2. Before a meal – generally, the levels of blood glucose before a meal are low. Thus, if you have a high body glucose level just before your meal, it indicates difficulties in properly managing sugar levels. This can be dangerous and may need medical assistance.
3. After the meal – testing your blood sugar after consuming the meal indicates how your body reacts to food. In simple words, it gives an idea of the sugar is reaching the blood cells. The readings, in this case, diagnose gestational diabetes, which is a common symptom during pregnancy.

The best time to take these readings is 2-hours after consuming your meal.

 

Quick tips for effective blood sugar testing at home:

Getting some valuable tips always makes the task easier. The same is the case when you are testing blood sugar at home. Don’t you agree?

Here are some quick tips which you can follow and ensure to get the most benefit of testing blood sugar at home on your own:

1. Trust an authentic glucometer – a branded glucometer ensures quality and result accuracy; therefore, it should be preferred.
2. Understand the working of the testing machine – rather than using the testing machine impromptu, it is better to use it after proper understanding to avoid any possible mistakes.
3. Buy quality strips – buy only the best testing strips made especially for the particular meter.
4. Maintain your hygiene – maintaining proper hygiene is a must when using the machine for testing blood sugar.
5. Use enough blood on the strip – not taking enough blood on the strip is a common mistake. Avoid making that by taking sufficient blood amount on the strip.
6. Keep the meter in a suitable place – the blood testing meter should not be exposed to sunlight directly.
7. Test at different times and keep track – it is suggested to track your readings at various times to get an approximate idea of your blood sugar level.

 

Conclusion:

Testing blood sugar is undoubtedly an important task, especially when you have diabetes or have some health issues. Knowing the proper way of testing your blood sugar at home will make our lives so convenient, isn’t it?

Just be sure to follow all the proper steps and procedures to get accurate and appropriate results. Trust us; it is no rocket science, just a little awareness with the glucometer, and you are sorted.

To get more information or details, write to us in the comment section. You can also connect for any of your doubts or queries.