Blood Glucose Monitoring

Your personal check up for more flexible living
What if you were told that you were about to be given a wonderful tool that could help you learn more about your diabetes, your body, and why you feel the way you do at certain times of the day? And what if you were told that this tool could offer you more lifestyle flexibility that you might not have been aware of before?

Such a tool already exists: blood glucose monitoring. It puts the management of your diabetes firmly in your hands.

It can help you maintain your target blood glucose levels. At the same time, it can tell you how effective your diet, exercise, and medications are. When you feel tired, shaky, or dizzy at certain times of the day, blood glucose monitoring can help to give you a clear picture of why you feel that way.

In fact, there are many reasons you should monitor your blood glucose. Let's explore them.

New control - and flexibility.
"With new medications, advances in blood glucose monitoring, and patient education, people with diabetes have been given the freedom to manage their blood glucose and better control their diabetes," reports Dr. Buse* who spoke at a special media briefing hosted by the American Diabetes Association and the American Medical Association.

Blood glucose monitoring can offer you a more flexible lifestyle. For example, you may find that you can more easily control what and when you eat, improve your ability to exercise safely and potentially decrease your risk of hypoglycemia. Being more awareness about your blood glucose level at a given time can enhance your participation in living life to its fullest.

Monitoring helps you and your diabetes-care team with:

an appropriate medication dose
a meal plan
a snack for exercise
an appropriate medication dose during illness and stress

*John Buse, M.D., Ph.D., is Associate Professor and Director of the Diabetes Care Center at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.