Blood Sugar Monitoring and Adjustment
Self testing blood sugar is important for diabetics to monitor their treatment plan and to prevent long term complications from happening. Diabetics should self monitor so they understand how diet and exercise effect their blood sugar levels, to help judge how well they are reaching their overall treatment goal and to observe how medication effects their blood sugar levels. It is recommended for diabetics with Type 1 diabetes to check their blood sugar levels more than 3 times a day. Most doctors recommend to check it before and after a specific meal, before and after exercising and before bed. Newly diagnosed diabetics are often suggested to check their blood sugar levels in the middle of the night. Target ranges of blood sugar levels vary for person to person. Target ranges depend on the type and severity of diabetes, age, duration of the disease, pregnancy status, presence of complications and overall health. Many certified diabetic educators suggest diabetics keep a log to help monitor their ranges.