How to Measure Your Glucose

Avoiding refined sugars and simple carbohydrates is only one aspect to controlling diabetes. Monitoring your blood sugar, or blood glucose, is a crucial part of managing the disease; in fact, according to the American Diabetes Association, checking your blood sugar levels is the primary method for ensuring that your blood sugar levels are under control. Regular monitoring is particularly important if you are on insulin, diabetes medications, pregnant or experiencing difficulties in controlling your blood sugar.

Things You'll Need

• Soap
• Water
• Hand sanitizer
• Alcohol swab
• Lancet
• Blood glucose meter
• Journal
• Pen

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. If you do not have access to a sink or water, use hand sanitizer as a substitute. Hand washing is important to provide a bacteria-free environment for pricking your skin and to ensure that you will receive a correct reading from your meter. If your hands are soiled, you may receive an inaccurate reading.

• 2

  Remove a new test strip from the container, replacing the cap immediately to prevent test strip contamination or damage. Insert a new test strip into your blood glucose meter and a new lancet into the lancing device.

• 3

  Prick the side of your finger or other area of your body as directed by the instructions included with your meter. Avoid pricking your fingertip to prevent soreness on the most frequently used part of your finger.

• 4

  Massage and gently squeeze the area to form a drop of blood. Touch the edge of your test strip to the blood and wait for the meter to calculate your results. The amount of time required to receive results varies from meter to meter; however, it generally takes less than one minute.

• 5

  Record your blood sugar reading in your log or blood sugar diary. MayoClinic.com suggests writing down the time, date, results, medication, exercise and food consumption. This will allow you to identify how your activities affect your blood sugar. It also provides a written record for your doctor. If your blood sugar is not being controlled by diet and medication, your doctor may suggest making adjustments to your diet or changing the dosage of medications that you are taking.