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The main piece of arsenal in the management of diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2, is the testing of the amount of sugar in your blood. While every other aspect of management is also important, they all hinge on the success of this one area. That’s why it is important to know when to check your levels and why you should do so.

Checking your blood sugar levels isn’t that difficult, but let’s face it: it can be annoying to have to keep up with. If you feel fine then there should be no reason to have to go to all of the trouble of checking it anyway, right? After all, who better to know if there was a problem than the diabetic?

Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. If we could go strictly off of feelings then there would be very little need for glucose meters. The fact of the matter is they provide an invaluable service to the diabetic. Without them, proper blood sugar management would be nothing more than mere guesswork.

Before you understand when and why to check your levels, you first have to know what it is that you are looking for.

Do you know what your optimal range is? Your doctor should have discussed it with you at some point.

You will need to know three key numbers:

*your fasting blood sugar… suggestion could be 70 to 100 mg/dL (or less than 5.5 mmol/L),
*2 hours after the start of a meal… suggestion could be 70 to 145 mg/dL (or less than 7.9 mmolL), and
*randon or casual level… suggestion could be 70 to 125 mg/dL (or less than 7 mmol/L)

Once you are armed with this data, then you can move on to the “when” part of the discussion.

Besides the three times just mentioned, you will also want to have your glucose meter on hand at all times. This is so you will be ready if your levels start to go out of whack in between these times. Sometimes you will know when this is and sometimes you won’t. Again, you can never fully rely on how you feel as this is not a good indication that something may be wrong. If you are on insulin, your doctor may recommend that you check it additionally.

Now for the “how” portion of checking. There are many ways this can be done with a lot riding on which type of glucose meter you are using. Some will use a sample from your finger while others can utilize blood from the thigh, forearm, etc. You will find the location that is right for you. Diabetics will often change locations to give their testing area a chance to heal properly.

Regardless of where you take a sample, it will need to be a clean site in order to maximize the accuracy of the result. First, wash your hands thoroughly before you begin. Next, after drying them off, make sure your meter and the test strip you will be using is also free of debris and dirt. Dirt on any of these areas can skew the results.

If you are using your fingertips to extract blood, you will want to rotate to different fingers periodically as they will become sore over time. Plus, after multiple testings there is going to be a formation of scar tissue, making the testing sites tough and harder to penetrate.

So, why do you have to test? There are actually several reasons why it is imperative to check levels. You need to know if there is a problem with your diabetes, as unbalanced blood sugar levels can lead to a plethora of other medical conditions. It doesn’t take long for low or high levels to trigger a glycemic episode that can render you partially or even completely incapacitated.

You also need to know how your diet is affecting your health… either in a good way, or a bad one. This signals whether or not you need to make some changes to your eating plan.

Besides the obvious inconveniences associated with being a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, such as constantly monitoring what and when you eat… the biggest of them all has to be monitoring your blood sugar levels. The thought of having to consistently pull out your meter in order to take a sample is bad enough, but no one ever enjoys having to prick their skin. The development of noninvasive or no-stick blood glucose monitoring is changing that…

Noninvasive monitoring means that there is no need to stick the skin in order to retrieve a blood sample. This is not only good news from a pain standpoint, but any diabetic will tell you that, over time, constant sticking will lead to scar tissue forming on their fingers. This then makes it much more difficult to get a sample and requires sticking the skin harder and deeper.

While standard glucose meters have their own level of accuracy, they can be quite a challenge to keep up with. There are so many variables that go into whether or not a reading is as accurate as it could be. The slightest factor can have a negative effect on whether or not you receive an accurate reading.

Some of the factors that come into play involve the meter itself. Of course, there are times when you get what you pay for.
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Factors include:

• the age of the meter,
• whether or not it is within calibration, and
• the age of the test strips themselves will also matter,
• the amount and quality of the blood sample,
• cleanliness of the meter and the strips, and
• even temperature and humidity levels
• all make a difference.

Noninvasive devices on the market incorporate their own technology in order to get a sample. So, how can they check your blood without actually drawing blood? Well, it almost sounds like something out of a science fiction movie. A few use a light beam in order to penetrate the skin to retrieve a blood reading. Other companies are implementing research and development to come up with their own unique branding methods to make the job of sampling easier, and less painful.

Currently, there are companies working on models that use everything from infrared radiation, ultrasound waves, and radio waves to secure a sample. Others are using a different form of science such as testing the thickness of fluids in the tissue beneath the skin. All have the common goal of one day being lancet free. Now, that’s good news for all diabetics.

Many studies show that a Mediterranean diet lowers heart disease. But recent studies are showing that it is also a super way to lose weight and therefore it may play a part in the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. According to an article published in Nutrition and Metabolism in Cardiovascular Disease, July, 2010… that would probably be a good plan for people with Type 2 diabetes.

Researchers in the Faculty of Health University of Canberra, the Department of Medicine University of Melbourne and St. Vincent’s Hospital in Victoria, Australia looked at the diet of 27 study participants aged 47 to 77 who had Type 2 diabetes. The subjects were randomly assigned to either a Mediterranean diet, where they ate foods of their own choosing as long as they were in the Mediterranean diet plan, or their usual diets for the first 12 weeks. After 12 weeks the volunteers switched to the alternate diet. While eating the Mediterranean diet, volunteers showed a decrease in their hemoglobin A1C level, a test that measures and shows the level of blood sugar control over the past 120 days.

The ratio of plant to animal food improved and plasma lycopene and lutein/zeaxanthin increased. Lycopene, a substance related to vitamin A, is found in tomatoes and tomato sauce and is thought to play a role in lowering the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. According to one study published in 2006, it might lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes. Lutein and zeaxanthin are related to lycopene and might help to prevent cataracts, one of the complications of uncontrolled blood sugar levels.

When volunteers were eating the Mediterranean diet their plasma saturated and trans fatty acids decreased and their monounsaturated fatty acids increased. The saturated and trans fatty acids are the ones partly responsible for heart and blood vessel disease. The unsaturated fats are the healthful kind. The researchers in this concluded that blood sugar control and dietary quality was improved while patients followed the Mediterranean diet.

• fruit
• vegetables
• whole grains,
• olive oil
• beans
• nuts
• legumes
• seed
• herbs and spices

People in Greece average nine servings per day of fruits and vegetables. Whole grain bread is eaten without butter or margarine, but plain or with olive oil. A moderate amount of wine is a controversial part of the Mediterranean diet, but grape juice can be substituted for wine.

Chef Jamie Oliver, on his mission to get the world eating healthy foods, suggests this recipe for Mediterranean chopped salad:

• a small handful black olive
• half a red onion
• 1 red chili
• 3 firm ripe tomatoes
• a Romaine lettuce
• a bunch of fresh basil,
• extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and freshly ground black pepper.

The principles of a Mediterranean-style diet… olive oil as the staple fat, the abundant use of fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish and other lean protein sources, and whole grains… are easy to adapt.

Obviously weight loss is important with a diagnosis of Type 2 diagnosis, but what is more important is the effect this style of eating has on blood sugar levels.

Where type 2 diabetes is concerned there is no shortage of approaches that just might lower blood sugar levels. Sadly, the type of advice you can hang your hat on is few and far between. This is a list of methods that you can rely on whenever you need to put the kibosh on those “sugar spikes”.

1. A vigorous walk. Exercise of any kind will reduce your sugar levels considerably, but one of the most effective methods that works quickly is simply to walk. Twenty to thirty minutes of walking can sharply lower blood sugar, as long as you keep up the pace.

2. Eat some cinnamon. A teaspoon or partial teaspoon of cinnamon added to your daily diet has an ameliorating effect on blood sugar levels. While this won’t help with a meal you ate an hour ago, when taken with meals, cinnamon can make a serious dent in the glycemic response.

3. Eat protein with carbohydrates. When eaten alone carbs can make blood glucose level shoot through the roof. Give your carbs a lean meat friend at every meal and watch your blood sugars fall into place. Lean meat, fish, chicken, and the like are all effective at canceling out a response to carbohydrate. The fats found in olive oil and nuts are also efficient counterbalances to blood sugar boosts from carbs.

4. Space out carbohydrates over the course of the day. Forget “three square meals a day”. Spacing carb-rich foods out over the course of a day in small portions, will help your body cope with the blood sugar spikes they cause. Some research also suggests that this can help with appetite regulation and weight loss. This technique can be paired with the protein method mentioned above.

5. Drink a small amount of wine. Wine causes your liver to stop converting carbohydrates into glucose, because it shifts into detoxifying mode. Don’t worry: red wine in moderation won’t harm the liver one bit. This can be a double-edged sword however, and imbibing beyond a certain point can actually cause your blood glucose levels to take a sudden and dangerous nose dive.

6. Drink tea. Drinking green or other herbal teas can lower blood sugar, although the effect varies from person to person and is not as strong as some other methods. Tea also helps with the process of relaxation, and the reduction of stress is another of the ways that blood sugar can also be reduced.

7. Chill out. Speaking of stress, one of the best non-diet or non-exercise approaches to blood sugar control is… simply relaxing. With deadlines, traffic jams, and difficult bosses, relaxation isn’t going to just “happen”. Like any change it takes work. Try meditating, taking up a long-lost hobby, or yoga… anything to get the problems of the day out of your head.

A healthy diet is very important to everyone. Especially for diabetics, a healthy and well controlled diet is highly recommended. Health experts in the United States have noted the importance of following a strict American diabetes diet. The type of food a diabetic eats can either be helpful or detrimental. Because it can turn out into a matter of life and death, an American diabetes diet is very crucial.

Diabetes refers to a health condition where a person’s body is unable to metabolize the glucose. A person also cannot efficiently maintain and control blood sugar levels as most people do. Previously, diabetes is a rare case. However, with the drastic transformation in the way people eat and what constitutes their diet, the condition is now prevalent. Nearly all parts of the world have their own case of diabetes. In different sectors and in almost every age range, there is a case of diabetes. Because of the alarming rates, health experts are continuously trying to mitigate, control and help people to deal with diabetes. The relevance of diet to a person’s health condition became extremely relevant in the treatment and management of diabetes. As diabetes has no absolute cure, following an American diabetes diet is the best thing to do.

The Ideal American diabetes Diet

Just like everyone else, a diabetic person also needs the same amount of nutrients each day. The only difference is that the type of food a diabetic eats should not increase blood sugar levels. Weight is also more controlled for diabetics. Whereas people generally need to take care of their weight, diabetics need to make sure their weight remains within the safe zone. Exercise is very important. Another difference of the American diabetes diet with the average diet is that it is tailored to match a diabetic medication. The diet, exercise and the medication all help maintain blood sugar levels. The control of the body’s glucose levels makes diabetes a more manageable health condition.

Calorie Limit

A diabetic diet usually has a calorie limit. For instance, there is the 1200 calorie diet and the 1800 calorie diet. Excluding foods that can trigger an increase in blood sugar levels, any food combination should do so long as the total calories for the whole day do not exceed 1200 or 1800. Some of the more common foods included in a diabetic diet include: cereals, vegetables, yogurt and a piece or two of fruit.

Alternative Sweeteners

Ideally, a diet for diabetics should be sugarless. Fortunately for technological and scientific advancements, there are now artificial sweeteners. These artificial sweeteners are designed to provide the same flavor as sugar does without the added calorie and glucose intake. The most important thing in a diabetic diet is to keep glucose intake in check. To make sure that the diet is correct, it is necessary to consult a doctor and a professional nutritionist.