What is a blood sugar test kit?

 

blood sugar test kit
blood sugar test kit

What is a blood sugar test kit? A diabetic depends on blood sugar test kits to stay alive and to live with few health problems. A blood sugar test kit is a kit that allows diabetics to check their blood sugar level. This is very important to the diabetic as it means life or death. Diabetes is a disease that is taking over the world with today’s sugar filled diets. Also thanks to modern technology diabetics live to older ages and are allowed to pass on the defective gene that causes diabetes. Diabetes is where the organ known to many as the pancreas manufactures to little of the chemical called Insulin. Insulin is a chemical used by the body to change sugar in the blood into fuel that the body’s cells can use. So when the Insulin levels are low the sugar levels begin to rise to dangerous levels. At a certain levels the excess sugar begins to cause damage such as heart damage, kidney damage, nerve damage, and eye damage. This means that the blood sugar has to be monitored so that it doesn’t cause damage. So that is what the blood sugar test kit.

A proper blood sugar test kit has several items including a lancet, test strips, and a blood glucose meter.

A lancet is a small needle like tool that is used to prick the finger. The blood that is drawn with the lancet is then tested. The test strips (which are small plastic strips with chemicals in them) then take the blood in a little groove in them and through chemical reactions show the blood sugar level. The blood glucose meter is a small handheld device that reads the reactions in the test strip and displays the results on a small screen. This is what a proper blood sugar test kit is and what it is for.

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Do you know the signs of being a diabetic?

signs of being a diabetic
signs of being a diabetic

Do you know the signs of being a diabetic? Diabetes is a very serious disease and should be checked out at the first thought of having the disease. Diabetes is where the body produces too little of the chemical known as insulin. Insulin is one of the body’s most important chemicals. It is responsible for the energy that you have. It takes the glucose in the blood and changes it into fuel that the body’s cells can use.

So when the pancreas produces to little insulin the glucose levels rise to very high levels. The high glucose levels wreak havoc upon the body damaging the heart, kidneys, nerves, and eventually blindness. Making knowing whether you have or are risk of diabetes a need to know. This is the causes of being a diabetic.

There are many signs of being a diabetic that can tell you of nearing diabetes, including test your doctor can perform to give an accurate diagnose. Many of them may seem normal for a short amount of time but are not normal. Excessive thirst, excessive urination, unexplained weight loss, altered mental status, and excessive eating are all symptoms. Excessive thirst is caused by excessive urination; the body urinates to rid itself of the excess glucose that is damaging it, thus creating the need to replenish the body.

Unexplained weight loss is formed by the body seeking nutrients and glucose that it is not getting but this does nothing because the real problem is with the insulin levels. Excessive eating is caused by the body seeking more energy. The body is then stimulated to take in more food. But this does nothing but fuel the growing glucose levels. Altered mental status is formed when the glucose beings to irritate the body giving irritability, confusion, and anger. So talk to your doctor about signs of being a diabetic. See if you have the signs of being an insulin dependent diabetic too.

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How to test for diabetes

how to test for diabetes
how to test for diabetes

Knowing how to test for diabetes is extremely important. Diabetes is a disease that has taken America by storm. The large amounts of sweets in today’s world have a large effect on this (plus the defective diabetes gene being passed on). Diabetes changes lives for better and for worse and is a complicated life to live.

Diabetes is where the organ known as the pancreas stops or slows in the production of a chemical known as insulin. Insulin is responsible for all of your energy as it converts the glucose in the blood into fuel that the body cells are capable of using. So when the insulin levels are low the glucose is high and this can cause a severe amount of damage. The damage that can be done include heart damage, kidney damage, nerve damage, blindness. So knowing how to test for diabetes and knowing whether you have it is vitally important. So do I have diabetes?

Some of the tests that you can give yourself and your doctor can do include a blood sugar test and keto test. A blood sugar test is done with a blood glucose unit. This small handheld device can accurately measure your blood glucose level in seconds. The unit has small plastic strips that take a small amount of blood and measures it. The small unit then displays the results on the side where it is easily read. Some units also store up to 500 tests and their information. Diabetes symptoms include excessive eating, weight loss, urination, and altered mental status. So if you are concerned due to these symptoms contact your doctor or give yourself a test. If you have been diagnosed a small glucose meter will be needed. Also talk to your doctor about it and how to test for diabetes.

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Do you suffer from high glucose levels symptoms?

high glucose levels symptoms
high glucose levels symptoms

Do you suffer from high glucose levels symptoms? There are many symptoms associated with high glucose, high insulin levels and high diabetes what do your symptoms say about you and your health condition?

Some of the symptoms that are associated with high glucose levels symptoms can be similar to the same as high insulin levels symptoms and high diabetes symptoms which can often times lead to misguided diagnosis. Symptoms can range from sweating, frequent urination, fainting, lightheadedness or dizziness can’t get enough to drink or fluids and loss of energy.

Many times what we eat can have a great impact on our sugar levels such as foods with high sugar content, sugary snacks and sweets that have a high sugar level will lead to high glucose levels which can lead to symptoms arising.

When high blood glucose levels symptoms or high blood glucose and sugar levels stay high for long periods of time many things can happen such as dehydration, strokes, dizziness and even more serious complications can occur.

Diabetes is a very dangerous disease and can lead to many lifelong problems if it is not kept under control and watched closely or monitored. Diabetes can lead to kidney failure, strokes, heart attacks and even death.

The best way to keep a check and keep a hold of your diabetes and high glucose levels are to keep a blood glucose monitor handy which you can monitor your blood glucose frequently or on a regular basis. Most people who have diabetes check their blood glucose levels in the morning as a fasting level before they eat and then before bedtime as their food has had a chance to settle.

High glucose levels symptoms can be very dangerous, so it is a definite desire and need to keep a watch on your blood glucose level in order to stay healthy and live a long productive life.

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What is Normal Glucose Level?

What is Normal Glucose Level
What is Normal Glucose Level

Understanding what is normal glucose level will give you a target to aim for when you are checking your blood sugar levels.

Depending on if you live in Canada or the United States, the Diabetes Associations in each country reports the blood sugar numbers slightly different because of the differences in imperial and metric measurement systems.

American and Canadian Diabetes Associations
Normal Glucose Levels Chart

Association Fasting Glucose 2 Hours After Eating A1C**
American Diabetes Association (mg/dl) < 100 < 140 < 6%
Canadian Diabetes Association (mmol/L) < 6.1 < 7.8 < 6%

**A1C is the major component that makes up your blood sugar and the A1C measurement is an average of your blood sugar levels over the past 120 days.  Please also note that the numbers for pregnant women and children age 12 and under are different than those listed in the char.

A normal blood sugar level is anywhere between 80 mg/dl to 140mg/dl. The sugar amounts that diabetics have are often way above the normal 140 mg/dl. At this point damage is permanently suffered, so it is very important that steps are taken to regulate these levels through diet, exercise and medication.

Working with a Health Professional

The guides listed above on this page are just guides.  In order to obtain a more precise Normal Gluclose Level range, you will need to work with a health care professional.  There are several factors that can influence your normal range including:

  • Age
  • Medical Condition
  • Other Factors

By working with a professional you will get a better picture of what your normal glucose level will be, and then from there you can start to design your life around staying within that range.  

While it may sound bad, what you’re more likely to find is that your improved lifestyle that focuses on keeping your blood sugar at bay will actually have a lot of hidden benefits.  There’s no time like the present to take control of your life, and even thought you could look at getting diabetes as a negative situation, if you look on the bright side, this is a good wake up call to start living a more healthy, active life.

An Explanation of the Different
Glucose Level Measurements

what is normal glucose level
what is normal glucose level

It’s important to understand what each of these different blood sugar measurements actually means and why they are important:

  • Fasting Glucose
  • 2 Hours After Eating
  • A1C

The reason why this is important, especially if you are a new diabetic, is that during your fasting glucose test you may not show signs of diabetes.

The problem arises however when you measure your blood 2 hours after eating you may clearly see that you are out of the recommended range.

Fasting Glucose

The fasting glucose measurement is taken after you haven’t eaten or drank anything for 8 hours.  This gives you a base measurement of how your body is handling the blood sugar when it is ‘at rest.’

Normal Range: 

  • < 100 mg/dl – American Diabetes Association,
  • < 6.1 mmol/L – Canadian Diabetes Association

2 Hours After Eating

This test is important because it helps you to see how certain meals are affecting your blood sugar, so that you can deal with the situation accordingly.  The two hour marker is also important because after 2 hours, the blood sugar of non-diabetics will have returned to its normal state.

Normal Range: 

  • < 140 mg/dl – American Diabetes Association,
  • < 7.8 mmol/L – Canadian Diabetes Association

A1C

This test shows if your treatment is working over time, which is important to see how you are progressing and if any adjustments need to be made.

Normal Range: < 6%

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