How To Test Your Blood Glucose

Testing your blood sugar is vital if you're a diabetic.

It allows you to inform yourself on what you can eat, do and how much insulin you require. Otherwise it's a complete shot in the dark. Blind folded. After someone has spun you around 17 times.

There are plenty different ways to test your blood glucose with various products out there on the market these days but the one I use and have done since I was first diagnosed uses a lancet, a blood glucose meter and glucose test strips. When I first started testing I kept a log of all my results as well to spots patterns and adjust where necessary.

1) To get a more accurate result it's best to wash your hands with warm water and dry off before testing.
2) Using a fresh lancet always helps - I don't know anyone who uses a new lancet with every test but changing them every couple of days ensures minimal pain and fuss.
3) Put a glucose test strip in your meter.
4) Prick the side of your finger. Rotate which finger you use to avoids a build up of tiny scars. The ring and middle ringers are the ones recommended by the World Health Organisation.
5) When the meter is ready transfer the blood from your finger into the test strip and wait a few seconds for the reading.
6) Hopefully you'll get a reading on the first time, but if for whatever it's unsuccessful, remove the test strip and go back to Step 3.
7) If successful, clean your finger, check the result and log if necessary.
8) Put the test strip in the bin and make sure any disposed lancets are thrown away with care in a sharps/ needle bin.

Until next time.

Dan