SMBG, i.e., self-monitoring of blood glucose stands for home blood sugar testing for people with diabetes.
Cleveland Clinic actually uses regular blood testing in order to understand the diabetes control of an individual and give information about any possible changes to improve that same control.
This type of testing has been a disputed problem for many years, especially when it comes to individuals that have type 2 diabetes and are not using insulin.
As a matter of fact, this blood sugar test tells you about the amount of sugar in the blood at the time you take the test.
By doing this test properly with an accurate BGM, you will know whether your drugs, meal plan and exercise schedule work as they should in order to help with your diabetes management.
4 Benefits of SMBG
1. Helps inform the doctor and patients about how the drug regime is working
2. Helps determine which diet or foods are best for the patient’s control
3. It is crucial for undertaking risky tasks that might be influenced by low or high blood glucose, like handling dangerous machinery or driving
4. Increases understanding and lowers anxiety of hypoglycemia
How Can Blood Glucose Testing Help You?
Self-testing might be a crucial component in terms of helping you learn what causes your blood glucose to be too low or too high.
You should know that when the blood glucose is in its normal range the risk of potentially developing problems related to diabetes with your nerves, heart, feet, eyes, kidneys, and brain is reduced.
When Should You Test the Blood Glucose?
According to AADE, i.e., the American Association of Diabetes Educators individuals with type 1 diabetes need to check their blood glucose levels from 6 to 8 times on a daily basis. This includes:
- Before driving
- Before and after meals
- When adjusting drug
- When you suspect low blood glucose level (you need to check and re-check after around fifteen minutes)
- More often during pregnancy or illness
However, to stay on the safe side make sure to consult your doctor. Your doctor will help you choose the time when you will need to do the test, and he or she will explain how to read the results. In fact, the number of tests on a daily basis is different for every individual.
It is like that since things like stress, eating, drugs and exercise might influence your blood glucose. Therefore, testing the blood glucose at different times throughout the day is a good thing to do.
The more you are aware of how the activities throughout the day influence your levels, the better you can take control of your diabetes.
