Diabetes is one of the most widespread illnesses in the West. However, with the right treatment and the necessary equipment it is also one of the easiest to treat.
Diabetes comes about when the body fails to convert sugars and other foods into the energy which it needs to function normally. This can result in abnormal sugar levels in the blood, which can , potentially, be dangerous. Diabetes results from the body's inability to produce, or react normally to, the hormone insulin.
A staggering 7.8% of the US's population has diabetes - that's 23.6 million men, women and children across the country. In addition, it is thought that almost 25% of this number are oblivious to their condition.
So far, there isn't a cure for diabetes, but, fortunately, it is easy to control using medical insulin. A healthy lifestyle is also vital. No smoking, no drinking and eating well can all help prevent complications caused by diabetes.
It is essential that diabetics regularly check their blood sugar levels with a device called a glucometer. This is a compact tool that allows you to monitor the levels of glucose in your blood and tells you whether your blood sugar levels are high, low, or in the right range.
Because of their compact size and portability, glucometers can be used just about anywhere. Monitoring your blood sugar level with a glucometer involves placing a small sample of blood on a custom made test strip. Your glucometer should give you an accurate blood sugar reading in seconds and you can take the necessary action.
Glucometers normally have a small display which shows the levels of glucose in your blood. In addition, they will record the day and time, and save old results to help you and your medical practitioner monitor your condition.
The glucometers themselves are not very costly. In fact, a lot of distributors supply them for free. The glucometer test strips, however, can be expensive. They range in price from around 35 cents to a dollar. Some patients may use over 10 test strips a day, so the costs can soon add up.
When picking the a glucometer to help you manage your illness there are a a number of factors that you should consider. For example:
* How large is the glucometer? * How large are the testing strips? * The cost of the glucometer * The price of testing strips * Testing speed * The amount of blood needed for a test * The glucometer's memory and data capacity * The size of the glucometer's display
Regular blood tests using a glucometer help prevent many of the complications associated with diabetes, like eye, heart and kidney issues. Keeping tabs on the glucose levels in your blood also helps you determine how effective your medication is in treating your diabetes, and, most importantly of all, guards against life-threatening emergencies.
Diabetes comes about when the body fails to convert sugars and other foods into the energy which it needs to function normally. This can result in abnormal sugar levels in the blood, which can , potentially, be dangerous. Diabetes results from the body's inability to produce, or react normally to, the hormone insulin.
A staggering 7.8% of the US's population has diabetes - that's 23.6 million men, women and children across the country. In addition, it is thought that almost 25% of this number are oblivious to their condition.
So far, there isn't a cure for diabetes, but, fortunately, it is easy to control using medical insulin. A healthy lifestyle is also vital. No smoking, no drinking and eating well can all help prevent complications caused by diabetes.
It is essential that diabetics regularly check their blood sugar levels with a device called a glucometer. This is a compact tool that allows you to monitor the levels of glucose in your blood and tells you whether your blood sugar levels are high, low, or in the right range.
Because of their compact size and portability, glucometers can be used just about anywhere. Monitoring your blood sugar level with a glucometer involves placing a small sample of blood on a custom made test strip. Your glucometer should give you an accurate blood sugar reading in seconds and you can take the necessary action.
Glucometers normally have a small display which shows the levels of glucose in your blood. In addition, they will record the day and time, and save old results to help you and your medical practitioner monitor your condition.
The glucometers themselves are not very costly. In fact, a lot of distributors supply them for free. The glucometer test strips, however, can be expensive. They range in price from around 35 cents to a dollar. Some patients may use over 10 test strips a day, so the costs can soon add up.
When picking the a glucometer to help you manage your illness there are a a number of factors that you should consider. For example:
* How large is the glucometer? * How large are the testing strips? * The cost of the glucometer * The price of testing strips * Testing speed * The amount of blood needed for a test * The glucometer's memory and data capacity * The size of the glucometer's display
Regular blood tests using a glucometer help prevent many of the complications associated with diabetes, like eye, heart and kidney issues. Keeping tabs on the glucose levels in your blood also helps you determine how effective your medication is in treating your diabetes, and, most importantly of all, guards against life-threatening emergencies.
About the Author:
Michael is a national correspondent with more than 12 years writing experience. Michael is currently consulting as a publicist with the fuzing.com portal and has become the local guru on diabetes and hyperglycemia. Visit our web portal for more information on Glucometer and Blood Glucose Test Strip.
