Why Regular Blood Sugar Monitoring Works for Me

It has been quite a while since I was first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, a little over 30 years ago. During my time with diabetes, I have learned a lot, including information on how to best monitor my blood sugar levels. And at the beginning of my journey with type 2 diabetes, it wasn't easy.

Regularly monitoring blood sugar

Today, I will explain why monitoring blood sugar levels is essential in managing diabetes. Checking my blood sugar levels throughout the day helps me understand how my body reacts to food, sleep, and activity. It feels like I'm doing detective work, but it's for my health. Over time, closely monitoring my blood sugar allowed me to make better choices about managing my diabetes when I knew what to look out for.

Anticipating highs and lows

One of the most valuable aspects of monitoring sugar levels is knowing your high and low blood sugars before eating or exercising. For me, diabetes is all about finding the right balance with the blood sugar levels. Sometimes, even the slightest change can throw off controlled blood sugar. It is good to catch any potential changes beforehand. This keeps me on track and helps avoid many complications.

Evaluating the effectiveness of treatment

Routine blood sugar monitoring is not only about evaluating how well my diabetes treatment plan is working; it also tells me how effective it is. Whether taking several medicines or just trying to focus on a nutritious diet, the blood sugar levels help me and my doctors know what lifestyle factors support my diabetes management or what needs to be changed.

Preventing diabetes complications

Unfortunately, my mom died at the age of 38 from complications of diabetes, so there are risks related to high blood sugar levels. Daily blood sugar monitoring helps me stay updated to prevent any long-term complications. Monitoring is not just about knowing the numbers. It gives me the power to make decisions at that moment.

If I know my blood sugar level, I can easily decide whether to eat anything sweet at the moment. If my levels get high after a meal, I can adjust what I eat or go for a quick walk to lower them. Having a glucometer is like having a mini control panel of my health.

Let's get to the point here: I won't lie; living in the fear of low blood sugar levels is real. I have so many family members who have passed on because of this. It's like you are walking on a high rope, and there is always a danger that you might fall.

Cultivating peace of mind with diabetes

However, checking my blood sugar levels gives me peace of mind and helps me take action when necessary. Because I keep track of my numbers, I share my statistics with my doctors. This helps them treat my T2D better. They can see how well I'm doing and see if I need changes in my treatment plan. Managing this is teamwork, and by monitoring my levels, I do my share of the work.

Overall, managing sugar levels isn't just any task. It's a superpower that helps me take control of my type 2 diabetes journey.