Articles | Diabetes Healthy Solutions

The Top Smartphone Apps for Diabetes Care

Post updated: 8th April 2023

From medications and blood sugar readings to physical activity and meals, it’s particularly essential for diabetes patients to keep track of lots of important information. Although such information can be recorded with pencil and paper, diabetes management apps may be able to simplify the lives of diabetes patients by giving them a convenient place to log their data, set goals, track progress and see patterns.

Poor glucose control can lead to long-term diabetes, macro, and micro-vascular complications leading to higher mortality and morbidity. Therefore, anything that makes your life easier is a win.

Moreover, research shows that using smartphone diabetes apps to keep track of information can keep you in touch with your diabetes and improve your health. You’ll be more engaged with your diabetes and that is the main goal.

With an increasing number of smartphone users globally, research shows that it’s possible to apply smartphone app technology to help diabetes patients better manage their condition. In this review, we explore the use of digital health and newer technologies in diabetes self-management to improve diabetes-related outcomes.

Glucose Buddy Diabetes App

This app guides you through the activities of monitoring and recording glucose, carbohydrate intakes, exercise, AIC results, and medications and allows data to be synchronized online to glucosebuddy.com (the Diabetes Buddy Website).

It’s for both type 1 and type 2 Diabetes patients. Glucose Buddy offers reminders to take your meds and check your blood glucose at specific time intervals. Moreover, the reminders can be easily tailored to your preferences.

The app also incorporates various social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to communicate to users about changes and updates to the app. There’s also an active online forum that allows users to have questions answered by other users and share their experiences regarding other topics such as gestational diabetes or insulin pumps.

Pros

Glucose Buddy offers reminders to take your meds and check your blood glucose
Apple iPhone users can register at glucosebuddy.com to sync their logs to the site, input their glucose values or print medication and blood glucose logs for healthcare providers. You can also send reports to your healthcare provider via the website or app.

Cons

The app does not sync with CGMs (continuous glucose monitors), pumps, or meters.
Both Apple and Android users can access the Glucose Buddy website but only Apple users can sync the app with the web portal. Android users must manually input their data on the website. Since there’s no way for Android users to back up their logs, if they lose their devices and haven’t manually entered their logs on the web portal, they have to start over.
A built-in food database and calorie tracker have been planned, but the release date has not yet been set.
Users are required to pay a $3.99 fee to enable weight and blood pressure logging.

Diabetes Pilot App

Diabetes Pilot allows you to record your data in one convenient place: insulin, glucose, and other medications, exercise, meals, weight, and blood pressure averages for up to 90 days. It also contains a database that includes important nutritional information on a wide range of food items in addition to information about protein, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, cholesterol, fiber, and other nutrients.

Diabetes Pilot also features an insulin calculator that is designed to take into account the protein, carbohydrate, and fiber content of foods you enter for meals in order to calculate the number of insulin units you need to reach your targeted blood sugar level.

Pros

Record and track your data including medications, exercise, weight, blood pressure, and meals in one place. You can also use the Flexible Note Records to record your events, test results, and any other data you may like.
The integrated food database allows you to count calories carbohydrates and other nutritional information. Moreover, you can use the updated food database to search and scan barcodes.
The app generates comprehensive graphs and reports that allow you to find trends in your medications, blood sugar levels, and other areas. Save and print reports in order to share them with your doctor.
The app allows you to sync data between devices.

Cons

There are additional charges to buy the software to sync food information and data to a computer.
The insulin does not take into consideration additional factors such as previous dose, exercise, and other factors that could affect your insulin dose.

Check out the article on Non-Invasive Glucose Meter Here!

WaveSense Diabetes Manager

WaveSense Diabetes Manager allows you to keep track of your blood glucose results, insulin doses, and carbohydrate intake.

The main features include :

video content from dLife,
a log book,
email reports,
trend charts,
color-coded results,
and fully customizable mealtime schedules and target ranges for hyper-/hypoglycemia limits.

Pros

Attractive design and easy navigation
Ability to easily customize for target blood glucose range, insulin use, meal schedules, and targets for pre-/post-prandial meals.
Easy food lookup
Allows for detailed notes regarding exercise, blood glucose entry, abnormalities in medication regime, excessive fat intake, alcohol, sick days, or skipped meals.
Recipes with detailed nutrition data.
WaveSense Diabetes Manager includes a share function allowing users to email their logbook data to their dietitians or other health professionals.
Videos featuring interviews and recipe demos with diabetes patients (both celebrities and regular people).
No intrusive advertisements

Cons

The app doesn’t include an option for food journaling or a food tracker. A food journal has proven to be very helpful especially for people who have been newly diagnosed with diabetes especially when it comes to understanding how food patterns affect their blood sugar outcomes.

Read more about Diabetic Watches HERE!

There’s much enthusiasm, especially among diabetes patients, caregivers, and the industry to use a wide range of digital tools, particularly for diabetes self-management. Although large control trials are still needed to establish the cost-benefits and effectiveness of digital tools in improving diabetes outcomes, the future is promising.

Check out our article on the very popular, Liberty Diabetic supplies Here

Read about the new DARIO smartphone app for Diabetes HERE!

Can Low Level Laser Irradiation Help Diabetes?

LLLT (low level laser therapy) has been suggested for the treatment of a wide range of chronic pain disorders. Low level laser irradiation has been advocated for relief of many symptoms of inflammation, pain and is used in nerve regeneration and wound healing.

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most disabling and progressive diseases. The prevalence of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes worldwide is about 371 million people.

People living with diabetes mellitus may experience insensitivity or numbness to temperature changes and pain, cramps or sharp pains, a tingling, pricking or burning sensation, loss of coordination and balance, and extreme sensitivity to touch.

What is Diabetic Foot Syndrome?

The most complex diabetes-associated complication, is diabetic foot syndrome a condition which is mainly characterized by long-lasting or non-healing chronic skin ulcers in people living with diabetes.

Diabetic foot syndrome is the most prevalent cause of limb amputation in diabetic patients. This has a significant impact on diabetic patients’ quality of life and the national health system.

Diabetic foot ulcers are categorized according to severity as:

Severe (accompanied by metabolic perturbations or systemic signs),
Moderate (more extensive or deeper skin ulcers) or
Mild (superficial or limited in depth and size).

Conventional treatment methods of diabetic ulcers include various kinds of wound cleaning skin grafting debridement, vasodilators, pain management, antibiotics, and even the use of fly maggots. However, even in multidisciplinary therapeutic treatment methods for diabetic foot syndrome, treatment results are usually unsatisfactory and treatment is often difficult.

Is Low Level Laser Therapy Effective in Alleviating the Symptoms of Diabetic foot Syndrome?

Since diabetic ulcers are often impossible or very difficult to treat using available conventional treatment methods, researchers are relentlessly looking for alternative treatment methods.

Low level laser irradiation, also known as soft laser is a treatment method that supplies bio-stimulative light energy to cells.

The laser energy is absorbed in order to stimulate atoms and molecules of cells without causing any significant changes in tissue temperature. LLLT (Low Level laser Therapy) is a pain-free, non-invasive treatment method with minimal side effects. There’s no single explanation of how laser therapy functions in the treatment of diabetic foot syndrome. However, there are several studies trying to examine various effects of low level laser therapy on tissue repair mechanisms.

Animal and cell studies conducted In vitro suggest that laser irradiation promote wound healing mainly as a result of improvement of various factors that play essential roles in tissue repair mechanisms. Moreover, histological and biometrical analysis show faster lesion contraction indicating reformed connective tissue and quicker re-epithelization with collagen fibers that are more organized in irradiated wounds.

Low level laser irradiation promotes proliferation of myofibroblasts and reduces inflammation in experimental cutaneous wounds. Growth of fibroblasts and an increase in cell division play a critical role especially in wound healing.

Researchers have tested different wavelengths of LILI (Low Intensity Laser Irradiation) on cellular proliferation, viability, and migration in both unwounded human skin and diabetic wounded fibroblast cells. Cells that were irradiated at 632,8 nm showed a significantly higher degree of ATP luminescence as well as migration and haptotaxis as compared to cells that were irradiated at 830 nm.

The results of this study show that diabetic wounded cells benefit more particularly in wound healing in the low level irradiation (visible range) than in the higher range (infrared). However, near infrared laser therapy might be beneficial for deep ulcers because it has a deeper penetration capacity compared to visible red light.

Both blue light laser (470 nm) and red light laser (630 nm) help improve perfusion by stimulating the release of nitric oxide, elevated keratin-10 mRNA level, and enhanced epithelialization. Blue light laser also facilitates the recovery of mitochondria that is inhibited by NO gas hence improving wound healing through the NO pathway. This also activates growth factors and increase keratin expression which induces endothelial cell migration.

The anti-inflammatory effects of low level laser irradiation can be explained by the inhibition of interleukin, cytokine, and prostaglandine in animal and cell models. Moreover, experiments with a low level laser (415nm) show an antibacterial effect on E.coli and S.aureus by induction of ROS.

Low level laser irradiation can also increase the blood flow velocity and diameter of the peripheral arterioles hence enhancing microcirculation. According to studies, LLLT showed positive results as a treatment method for diabetic foot ulcers.

Conclusion

Since most conventional therapies for treating diabetic foot syndrome are variable in their ability to offer complete healing, there’s need to develop alternative treatments that can accelerate or improve the healing process. Available studies show that LLLT is effective for most diabetes patients, easy to learn and cost effective. The studies give encouraging results and warrant further investigations in order to understand the exact mechanisms of low level laser irradiation effects particularly on diabetic ulcers.

Check out our article on the best lotions for circulation in diabetic feet!

The Precision Pro Glucose Meter

The Precision Pro Blood Glucose and Ketone Monitoring System is designed for outside the body (in vitro) diagnostic use for measurement of D-glucose and ketone in capillary blood samples. The Precision Pro System is not designed to diagnose diabetes, but is rather meant for professional use and as an aid in determining and monitoring the effectiveness of various diabetes management programs.

Features of the Precision Pro Monitoring System:

Tests blood ketone and blood glucose levels all with the same system, using the Precision blood ketone test strips and Precision blood glucose test strips.
Simple icon-driving menu helps simplify blood sugar monitoring
Intuitive and simple set-up
Easy-to-view results
Offers the ability to easily scroll back and forth
No coding required
The test strips are neatly wrapped in foil to help prevent errors as a result of contamination

Key features and specifications – Precision Pro Glucose Meter

Easy data entry

Precision Pro Blood Glucose System allows you to choose between the alphanumeric keypad and built-in barcode scanner for data entry according to point-of-care policy. The system can be easily configured to accept operator identification, patient identification, comment code, test strip lot number and two text fields.

Patient ID Confirmation

The system can display useful information about the patient such as the patients name, gender, date of birth, and supporting patient identification procedure. For confirmation, the system can require entry of the patient’s year of birth.

Data integrity

Precision Pro Blood Glucose meter offers many options to ensure that accurate data is collected. These include specifying the maximum and minimum length of the ID, verifying the barcode, restricting the number of barcodes that can be accepted. The system can also require repeated data entry on the keypad especially when you’re not using the barcode scanner. The system also keeps a record of the operator and patient data entry method (manual versus scanned) co help in identification and correction of errors.

Fast, simple testing

To perform tests on the system, you simply need to insert the test strip into the port, apply the sample and wait for results to be displayed. For convenience, the sample can be applied to either the end or top of test strips. The test only starts when the sample applied is adequate. This safeguard is meant to strip wastage, prevent errors, and unnecessary repeat tests.

Automatic calibration

You can automatically calibrate the system by simply scanning the barcode on test strips before use. This also allows the system to check the expiry date to ensure accurate and reliable test results.

QC Lock-out

Users can configure the system to require periodic testing and lock out the systems if tests are not performed using control solutions or if the tests are incomplete. QC tests results are usually displayed as pass or fail only in order to prevent testing while the system is in control test mode.

Operator management

Access to the system can be restricted to authorized or certified operators in order to prevent use by untrained users.

Result Storage

The Precision Pro Blood Glucose and Ketone Monitoring System can store up to 1,000 control test results and 2,500 patient test results. It can also store 2 linearity panels and up to 20 proficiency test results. Moreover, users can automatically upload all stored data to the data management system. This requires an upload cable (optional), docking station (optional), or wirelessly in WiFi (optional) enabled facilities.

Network connectivity

The system can easily upload data wirelessly, via a docking station or cable. This offers an automated and simple way to manage multiple systems.

System components

The Precision Pro Blood Glucose Meter includes the following components:

Meter
Control solutions
Blood glucose test strips

Optional components for use with the system

Blood ketone test strips
Calibration verification controls
Abbot single use lancet
Docking station
Data management system
Carry case
FreeStyle isolation bags
Wireless set-up utility
Data upload cable

In addition to being used by patients to monitor their blood sugar level and the effectiveness of their diabetes management systems, Precision Pro Blood Glucose and Ketone Monitoring System can also be used by doctors and other health care professionals. It is ideal for quantitative measurement of glucose in arterial, neonatal or venous whole blood ketone and blood sugar levels.

However, the sample should be used within 30 minutes upon collection. Precision Pro Blood Glucose Monitoring System is designed to help simplify point-of-care testing for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. It provides features that improve the reliability and efficiency of the testing process.

Read about the non invasive glucose meter HERE!

OMELON Glucose Monitoring System

Omelon is intended for noninvasive and automatic measurement of blood sugar levels, blood pressure value, and determination of heart rate in both healthy patients and patients with type 2 diabetes. This automatic tonometer and noninvasive glucometer does not require blood sampling making it much easier to monitor and control blood sugar levels.

The process of measuring blood sugar levels is safe, non-traumatic, and absolutely painless. Omelon glucose monitoring system is developed by Russian Scientists and is patented in the United States and Russia. The developers applied the most advanced engineering and manufacturing solutions to ensure that the device significantly improves the user’s health.

Noninvasive Glucometer and Tonometer without test strips

Omelon measures glucose level and blood pressure by analyzing the pulse wave that occurs successively on both hands. The results are presented in digital form on the device’s indicator. Glucose is used as an energy material by vascular cells and muscular tissue.

Depending on the concentration of insulin and glucose in the blood, the vascular tone can change considerably. Omelon determines blood glucose levels based on the analysis of blood pressure, pulse wave, and vascular tone.

How does Omelon Glucose Monitoring System Work?

Omelon is intended for the measurement of diastolic and systolic pressure by indirect oscillometry. The device also measures blood sugar levels and heart rate in a non-invasive manner (without blood sampling) using a compressive cuff fixed on the forearm. The device uses parameters of the pulse wave as an informative signal for indication of the blood sugar level and for measurement of the minimum and maximum pressure.

Scope of application:

For measurement of pulse rate blood sugar level and blood pressure and present these indices on the device’s display:

Ideal for medical supervision in health care as well as health resort institutions
For personal use

For monitoring and controlling blood glucose by patients with type 2 diabetes (insulin-independent) as well as healthy people.
For monitoring and controlling blood glucose by patients with type 2 diabetes administering insulin and patients with type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent).

Omelon glucose monitoring system is designed to help diabetics monitor their blood sugar levels so they can participate more actively in their treatment, control treatment results on a daily basis and improve the quality of their lives. The device is calibrated according to the Somogyi-Nelson method and the lowest levels of biological control. The normal blood glucose value during measurements with this system is 60-100 mg/dl.

Blood glucose level should be tested on an empty stomach or at least 2 hours after food intake. Read the manual and select the scale correctly before the beginning of measurements. It’s also important to sit down and relax for at least 5 minutes before taking your blood glucose measurements.

When comparing measurements with other testing methods, consider which technique or method has been used to calibrate the other device and what blood glucose level is considered normal.

Now it is much easier to monitor and control blood sugar levels. The process of using Omelon to measure blood sugar levels is safe and absolutely painless.

Non Invasive Glucose Meter Wins FDA Approval – read MORE

Why Should you Join Diabetes Chat Rooms?

Can Diabetes Support Groups Online Help Me?

Caring for a diabetic person or living with diabetes usually means constant stress as well as constant decision-making. Unfortunately, in some cases, healthcare providers are not always available to answer diabetes-related questions.

For instant for diabetes-related information, and diabetes support, diabetics and caregivers sometimes turn to peer support rooms and DOCs (Diabetes Online Communities) such as diabetes chat rooms.

What are Diabetes Chat Rooms?

Many diabetes support communities are created by diabetics and are safe places where people affected by the disease can learn from others, provide information, and seek advice from others without judgment, stigma, or fear. People with diabetes reap numerous tangible benefits from joining a Diabetes Online Community.

Some of these benefits include greater social connectedness, lower levels of diabetes distress and anxiety, improved stress management, improved blood sugar management, and reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications.

These and other numerous benefits are part of the reason why these communities are catching on all over the globe. Not only are we seeing more people participating, but we are also seeing more communities each year.

Diabetes educators and diabetics alike have been discussing the benefits of joining DOCs for decades. Although they knew the facts, they just didn’t have the research and data to back it up. However, now researchers have started collecting more and more data on the benefits of diabetes chat rooms.

Online peer support groups were the trending topics at the 2019 ADCES (Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist) conference, largely due to a review of 47 studies published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology in May 2019. More recently, a meta-analysis of 9 DOC reviews shows that being involved in a diabetes chat rooms is associated with significant improvements in behavioral, psychological, and clinical aspects of health.

Science-backed benefits of joining peer support groups

Social Connectedness

Diabetes can have a negative impact on the social lives of people living with diabetes, caregivers, as well as their friends and relatives. This is particularly true for people living with type 2 diabetes particularly because they avoid sharing their diagnosis with friends, colleagues as well as family members due to the fear of stigma.

Diabetes chat rooms help diabetics create and join support networks that understand the nuances of managing diabetes on a deeper level. Therefore, they don’t feel alone.

The May 2019 review also found that diabetics who join and are actively involved in diabetes chat rooms experience a higher quality of life as compared to the general population of diabetics. This results in part from social support, empowerment, and shared experiences resulting from social connections created in diabetes chat rooms.

May Improve Glycemic and A1C Levels

According to the same 2019 review, diabetes chat rooms were also associated with stable A1C levels in adolescents. This is a positive sign, particularly because adolescents’ A1C levels tend to increase especially during this life stage.

On the other hand, the use of diabetes chat rooms in adults is associated with improved A1C levels. A1C shows the average blood glucose levels over the last 2 or 3 months. Besides being used to diagnose diabetes, A1C is also used to monitor and determine the efficacy of diabetes eating plans.

Although everyone with diabetes has different goals, generally, A1C levels of less than 7% mean better blood glucose control and a significantly lower risk of complications related to diabetes. According to a study published in the JMIR Diabetes journal in 2009, highly engaged diabetes chat room users tend to have better glycemic levels than diabetics with lower engagement.

This can be attributed to the fact that involvement in diabetes chat rooms offers accountability, which tends to motivate users to be keener about their blood glucose levels.

Encourages Healthier Self-Care Activities

The Future Science OA July 2018 issue published a study that showed that diabetes chat rooms tend to encourage users to perform better self-care activities compared to non-users. These activities include eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, checking glucose levels, and taking medication and insulin.

Diabetes chat rooms also provide convenient places for people with diabetes to crowd-source answers and solutions to self-care concerns such the best systems for monitoring blood glucose levels, weight loss, and the best foods for people living with diabetes. This helps set up diabetics for long-term success

Although there are numerous benefits of joining diabetes chat rooms, it is essential to keep in mind that they don’t replace advice from medical practitioners. This is particularly because misinformation in the digital era is a real concern. However, according to a study published in the Current Diabetes Reviews, misinformation in diabetes chat rooms was uncommon (ranging between 0% and 9% of all posts).

Visit a Diabetes Chat Room HERE!

Glucose Buddy Diabetes App

Diabetes Pilot App

WaveSense Diabetes Manager

What is Diabetic Foot Syndrome?

Is Low Level Laser Therapy Effective in Alleviating the Symptoms of Diabetic foot Syndrome?

Features of the Precision Pro Monitoring System:

System components

Optional components for use with the system

Noninvasive Glucometer and Tonometer without test strips

How does Omelon Glucose Monitoring System Work?

Scope of application:

Can Diabetes Support Groups Online Help Me?

What are Diabetes Chat Rooms?

Science-backed benefits of joining peer support groups

Social Connectedness

May Improve Glycemic and A1C Levels

Encourages Healthier Self-Care Activities