Monitoring your blood glucose can assist you to make the right decisions for keeping your growing fetus and you safe.
If you are faced with gestational diabetes, the best way to care for yourself and your baby is to manage your blood glucose levels well. Frequent blood glucose monitoring can assist you to decide on the exercise and diet which is suitable for your growing fetus and you. Furthermore, the record of your blood glucose readings will help the doctor to decide whether there is a need for you to take insulin.
Blood Glucose Monitoring: How It Works
When food is consumed, the body digested the food and glucose is obtained. It is then absorbed into the cells with the help of insulin, and there, it is changed into energy. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas to regulate the levels of blood sugar. However, when gestational diabetes is present, it indicates that no insulin is released by the pancreas or the insulin released is not able to function properly, and this results in higher levels of blood glucose. So, if test your blood, you find the blood glucose too high and this indicates that blood glucose cannot be absorbed into your cells for energy.
Blood Glucose Monitoring: Knowledge Essential for Making the Right Choice
We have always been told that vegetables are an important in our diet but it is seeing the results on the sugar monitor that make us realize how true it really is. So, when you test your blood glucose before as well as after exercise or meals, the results can indicate how well your food has been used by your body. You will realize how carbohydrates can raise your blood glucose levels while whole grains and vegetables give you blood glucose levels which are lower.
What you drink and eat, as well as the exercise you do at any time of the day can change your blood glucose levels. When you monitor your blood glucose levels, you know for sure what ought to be done to keep them within the safe range.
How often blood glucose levels need to be checked differs from one individual to another, but it should be from one to four times each day. With consideration into factors like the need for insulin, exercise, and diet to control your gestational diabetes, your doctor can determine how frequent you ought to check your blood glucose.
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Blood Glucose Monitoring: How to Do It
Many blood glucose monitoring systems are available. Although their basic components are no different from one to the others, they differ in speed, size and cost. The basic components are:
- Lancet or needle: It is needed to obtain the blood droplet which is to be analyzed. The blood is usually taken from the fingertips. A new lancet or needle ought to be used every time and proper disposal of the lancet is necessary after use.
- Paper strip: The blood droplet is placed onto a paper strip in certain systems. This paper strip is then inserted into a meter. The drop of blood is placed onto the glucose meter in some other systems.
- Glucose meter: The gadget which reads your blood glucose level is called a glucose meter. It possesses a screen on which is shown in numbers the result of the analysis. The implication of this number on the screen will be explained to you by your doctor.
You can purchase one of the available systems at medical supply stores and pharmacies. After getting the system, you should get your diabetes educator or health-care specialist to give you some practice with the system before returning home with it to try it out by yourself. Do not forget to ask questions to clear all uncertainties.
It is necessary to know how your purchased system works as it can provide you with much important information. A healthy and safer pregnancy is possible with blood sugar monitoring.