***Diabetes Glucose Testing

Blood glucose values change often daily and bounce around from day to day. Situations can trigger an unexpected rise. Incidents like illness or infection can boost your blood glucose; even a minor upper respiratory illness or a scraped foot can cause a significant jump in your numbers. Stress is no exemption, it too can trigger stress related hormone to get in on the action.

Having some up and down swings in blood sugar is normal, but if your glucose remains high day after day, it will increase your risk of medical complications. At the other extreme, if blood sugar is too low it can be dangerous. It is important to talk to your doctor in either situation whether your blood sugar is too high or too low. You should also talk with your doctor before you make any changes to your diet and exercise habits. As you begin a healthy diet and exercise program, your numbers are likely to fall significantly.

Below is a guideline that you can use to make sure you are testing often enough.

If you have type1diabetes or you are using insulin for type 2 or gestational diabetes, check your glucose at least three times a day or according to the schedule your doctor recommends.

If you have type 2 diabetes and are using oral medications, there is no optimal testing frequency. As a rule of thumb, when your diet , yourmedication, exercise routine, or health status changes, you should test more frequently.

It is important to test glucose regularly especially if you are taking diabetes medications, such as insulin or medications that cause your body to release insulin. These drugs are powerful and actively push your blood sugar down. The combination of drugs, diet and exercise may end up pushing it too low.

A good habit to practice is to keep track of your blood sugar. You can easily write it down in a logbook.

Hemoglobin A1C Test

Your blood glucose test will tell you how you’re doing at the moment you take the test, but how about tracking your health over the long haul? The main method for assessing your progress and treatment over a period of several months is the A1c test (short for glycated hemoglobin A1c”). The higher your A1c levels, the greater your risk of circulatory problems. Evidence suggests that keeping A1c low is particularly important for the health of your eyes and kidneys.

Your A1c level should be checked every 6 months, or every 3 months if your diet, medications, or general health is changing or if previous values have been too high. If your A1c is high, your doctor will be concerned, and you should be, too. If it is low, you are doing well. The American Diabetes Association recommends that A1c should be less than 7 percent, for people for whom further reductions are possible, it should be closer to 6 percent.Only a small percentage of people with diabetes in the United States manage to achieve A1c levels lower than 7 percent.

An oral diabetes medication can bring down A1c by an average of 1 point or a bit less. The effect of a good diet on A1c varies depending on how good your control is when you start, how well you follow the diet, and how much excess weight you lose. Your result will also be affected by exercise, genetics and other factors.