Articles | Diabetes Healthy Solutions

Glucose Meter Review

There are so many different kinds of glucose meters on the market today that a glucose meter review can be of great help to anyone who is thinking of buying a new glucose meter.

Many magazines, some that don’t have even the slightest bit of medical inclination often carry adds for glucose meters, and a comprehensive glucose meter review can be had online with just a few clicks of the mouse, but it is important for the prospective buyer to be sure and get all the information before making a purchase.

Many of today’s glucose meters are so small that even in a carrying case with test strips, lancets, and alcohol pads they will fit neatly in a purse or even a pants pocket and often take up no more room than a medium sized wallet.

The modern glucose meter can have enormous amounts of memory to keep track of glucose readings throughout the day, and may even have time and date stamps for each reading and even low and high glucose alarms built in. With so many options available this is when the glucose meter review really comes into its own when selecting a new glucose meter for purchase. Especially since the best glucose meter to have is the one that most fits your preferences and lifestyle so it will be used regularly as it should be instead of being left in a dresser drawer and seldom turned on.

One thing to keep in mind when looking over a glucose meter review is that the source of the review should be an independent testing agency. It is not to say that any modern company would publish flawed data in order to sell its product, but an independent review generally means that there is no bias in any of the testing and the information is one hundred percent correct. If you or someone you know is in the market for a new glucose meter, check the reviews, gather the information, and choose the one that fits personal preferences best.

What is a Healthy Blood Sugar Level?

As the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise the question of what is a healthy blood sugar level has become one of the most frequently asked questions in doctor’s offices all around the world. While there are no hard and fast rules, normal blood glucose is generally thought to be between 60 and 100 milligrams per deciliter.

Though this the normal rule in some cases blood sugar levels can be affected by other underlying medical conditions, including the age, weight, and overall health condition of the patient, the only one who can determine what is a healthy blood sugar level for the individual is the individual’s physician.

If you are a diabetic, the best way to keep your diabetes in control and in check is by regularly checking your blood sugar level and maintaining them as close to normal as possible. Only by maintaining a healthy blood sugar level can the worst of the health effects of diabetes be headed off.

A healthy blood sugar level is the only way to prevent diabetes related neuropathy, blindness, kidney disease and other long term effects of abnormal blood sugar levels. Whether you have type one or type two diabetes, whether you control your blood sugar by diet alone, or with a combination of diet and medication, the blood sugar is the key to the prevention of long term detrimental health effects.

A healthy blood sugar level can be maintained, but it does take a great deal of discipline, especially when it comes to counting carbs and regulating sugar intake as a means of keeping the sugar in check. Let’s face it the foods that we love the most are the ones that are highest in sugars and the kind of carbs that we shouldn’t be eating if we want to keep ourselves healthy. Regardless of the difficulty the only way to stay healthy is to wake up each morning aware of what is a healthy blood sugar level and do what it takes to maintain it.

The Continuous Blood Glucose Monitor

The continuous blood glucose monitor is a bit of new technology that may someday revolutionize the treatment and monitoring of those with blood glucose abnormalities brought about by the metabolic diseases known as diabetes. For anyone with diabetes the key to keeping the disease under control and the effects and symptoms in check is to maintain a blood glucose level that is as close to normal as possible, for as much of the time as possible. In some diabetics maintaining proper blood glucose levels may be no trouble at all, and in others blood glucose levels can fluctuate very rapidly. It is in those with rapid swings in blood glucose levels, or particularly hard to maintain blood glucose levels that the continuous blood glucose monitor really comes into its own.

The continuous blood glucose monitor of today, such as the glucowatch, is usually worn on the wrist like a wristwatch. The monitor checks blood glucose levels by administering a painless electric shock which draws interstitial fluid from the pores and this is read by the monitor to obtain a blood glucose level. This testing can be done with no pain or other side effects as often as every 20 minutes and the readings are recorded by the monitor, which can also be set to alarm if readings are too high or too low. With this kind of continuous sampling tracking and trending changes in blood glucose levels throughout the day is relatively easy.

While the present generation continuous blood glucose monitor cannot replace the finger stick blood glucose reading for spot on accuracy and dependability and should not be relied on as the only source of blood glucose level data, companies such as Abbott and Medtronic are diligently working on improving the technology. One day soon, the diabetic will be able to simply strap on their continuous blood glucose monitor and never have to suffer through another irritating finger stick to keep track of their blood glucose level.

Diabetes Testing Equipment

Diabetic testing equipment usually consists of a device usually referred to as a glucometer. Diabetic testing equipment is designed to read the level of glucose, or sugar, in a drop of blood so that the blood sugar level can be tracked.

The use of diabetic testing equipment is pretty simple and straight forward. To use the machine a special test strip is placed in the machine, then a drop of blood is collected by pricking the skin (usually on the finger) with a lancet, the drop of blood is placed on the test strip and the machine “reads” the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Though there is a huge variety of different makes and models of diabetic testing equipment on the market, they all work in virtually the same way, some may require a little smaller drop of blood and some may “read” the sugar level quicker than the others, but the basic principal remains the same.

Diabetes testing equipment has become quite common since one of the chief concerns in the proper management of diabetes is to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. With the use of the glucometer the diabetic patient can check their blood sugar quickly, and almost painlessly in the convenience of their own home. The ease of use of the diabetes testing equipment makes it possible for the blood sugar to be tested many times per day so that the blood sugar levels can be manipulated via dietary changes or medication administration.

The key to the proper treatment of diabetes lies in the ability to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. While insulin and other medications and dietary changes can be used to manipulate blood sugar levels, without the humble diabetes testing equipment this would be an impossible task.

Low Blood Sugar Range

Diabetes can be any one of several metabolic diseases that affect the way the body metabolizes glucose, this means that for many people staying above the low blood sugar range can be a real concern. While diabetes isn’t the only culprit, it is usually to blame whenever a person suffers a bout of low blood sugar, and low blood sugar can lead to feeling weak, the inability to think clearly, and even coma and death. Usually the blood sugar should be somewhere between 60 and 100 mg/dl, though in some cases those with blood sugar abnormalities may have unknowingly functioned outside the normal range for so long that their blood sugar may be as high as 300 without their feeling it and a low blood sugar range could go as low as 30-40 mg/dl. At 30 mg/dl a normal person would at least be unable to think clearly and would probably be comatose.

When a diabetic or someone suffering from a similar metabolic disease begins to suffer from low blood sugar it is important that they get some type of simple sugar into their body while they are still conscious and able to swallow correctly. Fruit juices, sugar, non-diet colas, and candy are great sources of fast acting sugars that can quickly raise the blood sugar level. It should be remembered, however, that these types of sugars are a quick-fix, and will rapidly raise the blood sugar level and just as rapidly be depleted and allow it to fall. In order for blood sugar to be maintained for the long term, the person suffering from a low blood sugar range needs complex carbohydrates like peanut butter and crackers, or better yet a full meal.

If the sugar continues to fall into the low blood sugar range unconsciousness will quickly result. Never attempt to give any type of food or drink to an unconscious or nearly unconscious person as this can lead to the material being sucked into the lungs which will result in a severe infection or death. If the person has lost consciousness due to low blood sugar the only way to take care of the problem is by rapid emergency medical treatment which will consist of a glucose solution being given directly into the bloodstream via IV.