Diabetes is quickly becoming one of the greatest health care concerns of modern times, and if you are a diabetic the best way to keep a handle on your diabetes is by keeping track of your blood sugar by using blood glucose charts. Diabetes, if not properly treated, can lead to heart problems, kidney failure, peripheral neuropathy, coma, and even death. The only way to keep these things from happening is to keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible for as much of the time as possible and this can be done with blood glucose charts.
If you are in the market for a new glucose monitor you can easily type the words glucose monitor review into your search bar and be inundated with information. You can also find a glucose monitor review, glucose monitor guide or even list of glucose monitor specifications in healthcare magazines, at the doctor’s office, and even in some pharmacies. While this is a vast amount of information to have at your fingertips, you should remember, when it comes to glucose monitors, it is your fingertips that will pay the price if you purchase the wrong one. So if you follow a printed glucose monitor review you may be setting yourself up for a disappointment.
How bad are high blood sugar numbers? For many people this question never comes up because their body metabolizes glucose correctly and high blood sugar isn’t a concern. This is easily understandable as most people never bother to care about things that don’t directly affect them. The concerning thing is that the number of diabetics diagnosed every day is growing and many of them choose not to be concerned about high blood sugar numbers despite the negative health effects that high blood sugar numbers can and will cause.
Blood sugar, or glucose, is used by every cell in the body as fuel. When we eat sugars or carbohydrates the body metabolizes them into glucose which circulates in the blood stream. As the body needs the glucose for fuel the brain signals the pancreas to release insulin, which is a hormone that is responsible for allowing the blood glucose to enter the cells and be used as fuel. In diabetics either the pancreas has ceased to produce insulin, or the cells of the body have become resistant to the action of insulin. While it may not sound too bad to have an extra amount of fuel circulating in the blood, the fact is that high blood sugar numbers mean that the glucose has built up to the point that it can begin to cause damage to the bodies systems.
Those with high blood sugar numbers must follow their prescribed treatment regimen as closely as possible in the effort to maintain their blood sugar numbers as close to normal as possible. High blood sugar numbers that are left untreated can cause heart problems, kidney damage, liver damage, damage to the walls of blood vessels, glaucoma, blindness, coma, and even death. In order to live a long, healthy and normal life the diabetic should always strive to keep high blood sugar numbers from happening.
Lets shed some light on blood glucose meters comparison and see what the difference is… Just what are the blood glucose meters differences?
Blood glucose meters ratings are rated just like almost anything else these days. They are rated based on portability, ease of use, cost, accuracy and many other features. Blood glucose meters comparison are a great tool to use when wanting to purchase a blood glucose meter because why would you want to purchase one that doesn’t give accurate readings and cost way too much?
Blood glucose meters test work on a rating scale and a test just like when they test a car before they place it on the market. Blood glucose meters ratings are given in the same manor because they let various people use the blood glucose meters at different times of the day and for trial basis and then give them questionnaires which allows various people to score the machines.
If you or someone you know has a family history of diabetes or has already been diagnosed with diabetes a normal fasting blood glucose is one of the most important things that can be had to control the detrimental health effects of the disease.
While glucose is important to the body because every cell in the body uses glucose for fuel, when glucose levels rise to the point where a normal fasting blood glucose cannot be maintained the high glucose levels can begin to damage nearly every body system. Most people are familiar enough with diabetic complications to know that highly elevated blood glucose can lead to heart and kidney problems, neuropathy, coma, and even death.
A normal fasting blood glucose is generally considered to be between 60 and 100 mg/dl, but of course this isn’t a hard and fast rule because it can be affected by age, weight, and underlying health conditions. Only a doctor can say for sure what your normal fasting blood glucose should be. Once this has been determined it is up to you as the patient to work with the doctor, keep track of your blood glucose levels, take your medications and follow dietary restrictions as prescribed. This is the only way to maintain your normal fasting blood glucose level as much as possible.
If you or someone you know begins to develop the three most common indicators of high glucose, which are increased thirst, increased appetite, and increased urination, it may be time to visit your doctor for a glucose tolerance test. This painless test involves ingesting a known quantity of a glucose solution then having your blood glucose checked periodically over what is generally a 2 hour period. In this way you will know if your body is able to maintain the normal fasting blood glucose.