Importance of self-testing your blood glucose levels!

Many diabetics I talk to are in denial about their disease. It is easier for diabetics to forget about their diabetes until they feel or see the effects of this disease. It amazes me that most people are more obsessed about knowing what their cholesterol level is or what their blood pressure is than know what their glucose levels are. Be pro-active about your health. Prevention of potential problems in most cases be avoided if you take steps to educate yourself as much as possible about diabetes and take control by managing it. Now the ABC's of diabetes teaches us to monitor our A1C,cholesterol and blood pressure. The ABC's are very important in keeping diabetes and our total wellness in check, however the importance of self-monitoring is also extremely important. Self monitoring of blood glucose ,or SMBG with a blood glucose meter helps you see how food,physical activity,and medicine affect your blood glucose levels. The readings you get can help you manage your diabetes day by day, or even hour by hour! Keep a record of your results and view it every day, at each visit with your health care team and or with your designated care-taker if you have one. Diabetes does not just effect seniors. It effects people of all ages. As soon as your diagnosed it's important to start good habits from the get-go. Do you know that the American Diabetes Association states that your glucose testing results are likely to match up with your A1C results? The higher your self-testing numbers are over a 3- month period,the higher your A1C result is going to be. So don't kid yourself. If your physician recommends you should be self-testing,do it! Most states have passed laws that require insurance coverage of SMBG supplies and education! Check your coverage. Medicare covers most of the cost of diabetes test strips, lancets and  blood glucose meters for people who have diabetes.Today the meters are truly simple to use. Some meters have the ability to talk, with the ability to switch to Spanish! Most have multiple testing sites, meaning you have choices besides sticking your finger over and over again, most have no coding involved and some have discs that can load several strips at one time, some  have USB cables so your testing information can be downloaded on a computer. Your doctor will write a prescription stating how often they recommend you test,this help the diabetic supply company know how much supplies to send you. So there is no reason or excuses not to self-test. Write in and let me know how you feel about self-testing and if you have encountered any problems being able to get your supplies.