Proper blood glucose management, helps prevent diabetes complications.

What is blood glucose?

Blood glucose or blood sugar as we know it, is the body's main source of fuel or energy. This fuel resource is obtained from various foods that we consume on a daily basis. This blood sugar is controlled by a hormone called insulin. Insulin is the key that unlocks the cell doors of the muscles, so that the glucose can enter.

This is how the cells receive their energy. If the body fails to produce or utilize the insulin hormone, to much glucose stays in the blood stream and can lead to major health problems for individuals.

Whenever an individual's glucose level stays to high for too long (a condition referred to as hyperglycemia), a doctor would diagnosed them as having diabetes. This is a chronic disease that affects the entire body in adverse ways.

Symptoms of high blood glucose

Individuals that display any of the symptoms listed below, and who have not yet been tested for diabetes will be at considerable risks of developing serious diabetes complications. Symptoms of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar include:

• Frequent urination.
• Excessive thirst.
• Extreme hunger.
• Weight loss that is unexplained.
• Tingling or numbness in both the hands and feet.
• Blurred vision.
• Constant fatigue.
• Wounds that heal slowly or not at all.
• Susceptibility to many infections.

Fortunately as long as an individual, diabetic or non-diabetic control their blood sugar level, they can avoid any serious diabetes health problems.

Controlling blood glucose, is controlling diabetes!

To properly control diabetes, a diabetic must know and understand the numbers that are associated with their blood sugar levels. These are the numbers that will indicate the level of the glucose in their blood.

The levels of an individual's blood sugar are tested with two known test procedures. They are:

• The A1C test. This test measures the glucose level of a diabetic individual over the last three months. The A1C test is the best choice if diabetics wants to know their overall blood glucose levels during this period.

• The meter blood glucose test. With the use of glucose meter and special test strips, a diabetes individual can test their glucose level. A small amount of blood is required for this test which is placed on the test strip and then inserted into the meter. Once the meter is finish testing the blood sample, the results of the test are displayed on screen.

  This particular test is normally referred to as a self monitoring of blood glucose or SMBG for short. Ideally using both the SMBG and the A1C tests can help a diabetic person and their health care provider figure out exactly how well their glucose is being controlled.

Achieving long term blood glucose control

As I mentioned earlier, the A1C test is the best of the two test procedures that diabetics, along with their health care team can use to determine how well their blood sugar management is going. This is a good way for the doctor to tell if blood sugar levels have been normal or as close to normal as possible. They can also use this test to tell if the individual's glucose level have been too high at any time.

If a diabetic has high blood sugar levels, the results of their A1C test will also be high as well. When this occurs, a diabetic person is at greater risks for developing serious diabetes complications. An important task for all diabetics is to achieve an A1C test score that is under 7.

Anything higher in this particular glucose test, is an indication that serious action has to be taken immediately to lower it. Failure to lower your numbers, put you at greater risks for developing complications such as:

• Diabetic eye diseases such as glaucoma and cataracts
• Kidney disease.
• Diabetes neuropathy. This is a serious nerve disorder, that can affect the entire body.

Subsequently if a diabetic is able to achieve low results on their A1c test, even by a small amount, it can help in improving their life dramatically.

Controlling blood sugar

Now I know that there women out there, that wants to become mothers but because of there diabetes, may be a little reluctant. If you are thinking of becoming a mother, it is extremely important that you plan a head of time and work closely with your health care provider, to get your A1C numbers down. This is only providing that it is above 7.

If a woman becomes pregnant, working hard to keep their A1C blood glucose score below 6 can help ensure that they maintain the health of their unborn baby throughout their pregnancy. As diabetics, we should seek to have and A1C test done at least twice a year.

However if your treatment plan is changed by your doctor, or if the glucose in your blood is constantly high all the time, then you may need to have the test more frequently.

Monitoring your own blood glucose!

Diabetics that have decided to self monitor their own glucose levels (SMBG), using a glucose meter, will noticed that their results will vary depending on certain factors. These factors include:

• The amount of food consumption.

The frequency of their physically activities.

• The prescription medications that they are on.

Whatever the results of your SMBG, they are required for you to if you are properly managing your diabetes condition. Your daily testing could be either day by day, or hour by hour, depending on the frequency of your glucose monitoring.

Understanding you glucose meter

If you are self monitoring your blood sugar levels yourself, it is a must that you understand the way that your glucose meter is suppose to work. This will ensure that you are using the meter correctly and that you are getting the most out of it.

It is also important that you know, if your meter gives you your results in either plasma or whole blood values. Remember to record every result after each test because this is good way for you and your doctor to keep track of how well you are maintaining your blood sugar on your own.

Blood glucose results for SMBG testing

The chart below indicates what type of test results, a diabetic doing their own glucose monitoring should strive to achieve using the two different blood sugar values.

Normally the frequency of the SMBG test is set by the diabetics' health care provider and is mostly carried out before meals, after meals, and/or at bedtime. Unfortunately diabetics that require an insulin injection in their treatment as well, have to self monitor their blood sugar more frequently.

Comparing the A1C and the SMBG tests

According to The American Diabetes Association, the results of a diabetics' blood sugar level, is more likely to match up with their A1C results. In other words, the higher their blood glucose levels are, the higher their A1C test results will be. Looking at the chart below, you can see the comparison of the two tests.

diabetes is a chronic disease that put individuals diagnosed with it, at high risks for developing conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. This is why it is extremely important that diabetics control their diabetes ABCs. These are as follows:

• Your blood glucose levels.
• Your blood pressure.
• Your cholesterol.

As we can see, there are serious consequences that can result for poor control of your blood glucose.

Proper blood glucose monitoring will keep you healthy.

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