Monitoring blood sugar You can reduce your risk for developing
kidney, eye and nerve problems by keeping your blood glucose
near normal levels, the ADA says. Testing it regularly is the
only way to know what your levels are. If your testing procedure
makes you uncomfortable, ask your provider about other test
kits. Some brands need less blood. Others allow you to prick
your forearm instead of a finger. Most blood glucose meters
today are simple to operate, accurate and virtually painless.
Listening to your team Even if daily monitoring indicates that
your blood glucose levels are fine, it doesn't provide a
complete picture of how well you're doing over time. That's why
you need to see your provider as often as recommended for an A1C
blood test. Typically, the A1C test is done every three to four
months. It provides the patient and provider with an overall
view of how well blood sugar was controlled in the preceding
months. A result of 7 or less indicates good control; values
greater than 7 suggest that more a