Life with diabetes involves making about 8 more decisions a day than anyone else’s. These decisions have to do with your sugar. Since to prevent future complications it’s necessary to maintain correct blood sugar control.
Blood glucose levels can be monitored in two ways. Thanks to a blood sugar meter or a continuous glucose monitoror CGM.
CGMs (Dexcom, freestyle Libre, etc.) are the most complete solution since they allow you to view not only the glucose from the specific measurement but also the data from the last 8 hours. These sensors are usually placed on the arm or abdomen and transmit information to a monitor that shows blood sugar levels every few minutes, which helps to have adequate blood sugar control.
However, a blood sugar monitor measures the amount of glucose that is in a drop of blood at a specific time, usually on the finger.
How do I measure my glucose with a sugar meter?
To do this, follow these steps:
- Wash your hands.
- Have your meter, a lancet, alcohol, and a test strip close by.
- Rub your hands and fingers to stimulate blood flow.
- Turn on the glucose meter and insert the test strip.
- Clean the finger that you are going to use for the measurement and let the alcohol evaporate
- Gently prick your finger with the lancet
- Gently squeeze your finger until a drop of blood forms
- Put the drop of blood on the test strip.
- Wait for the meter to show the result
- Record the results in Cori, adding notes on any scale that may have affected that glucose, such as food or physical activity.
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People with diabetes are especially vulnerable to the dangers of colds and the flu, but there are things you can do to control your symptoms and avoid getting sick in the first place. You may maintain your health even when you’re feeling under the weather by constantly monitoring your blood sugar levels, staying hydrated, getting enough of rest, and adhering to your diabetes management plan. Additionally, you may lower your risk of getting sick and safeguard yourself from any problems by maintaining proper cleanliness, being vaccinated, and generally maintaining good health. Make sure to discuss any worries you may have with your healthcare team for advice and support if you have diabetes and are worried about managing colds and the flu.
Depending on the country, the units for measuring blood glucose levels may be different. For example, Mexico, Spain and the United States use milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood mg/dl. However, in other countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom, glucose is minimols/liter (mmol/ L).
The conversion of these data is very easy to perform, you just have to multiply the mg/dl by 18 to obtain (mmol/L) or divide the mmol/L by 18 to convert them into mg/dl.
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