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How to Test Your Blood Sugar
Has your doctor told you to monitor your blood glucose? Relax, it’s easy. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to test your blood sugar (blood glucose).
FAQs About Blood Glucose (Blood Sugar) Monitoring
Blood glucose monitoring refers to testing how much glucose is in the blood stream (or, glycemia.) Many people often refer to blood glucose as “blood sugar” because glucose is a form of sugar. Although the proper medical term is “glucose” your doctor will know what you mean if you use the term blood sugar.
What is hyperglycemia?
How your body uses glucose, the role insulin plays in moving glucose from the bloodstream, and the causes of hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels.)
Can prediabetes be cured?
Yes! In most cases both pre-diabetes and the effects of insulin resistance can be reversed.
Pre-diabetes is not yet diabetes so you still have a chance to swing the odds of not developing type 2 diabetes back into your favor.
There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but pre-diabetes can often be completely reversed if you take it seriously.
Definition: Body Mass Index (BMI)
The BMI is a measurement of the ratio between height and weight. It is not an accurate tool to determine if someone is overweight or at risk for pre-diabetes. A more accurate method of determining metabolic health risks is calculating waist-to-hip ratio…
Why does insulin resistance cause weight gain?
People with insulin resistance often make too much insulin in response to eating. They may also produce too much insulin in order to maintain normal blood sugar (blood glucose) levels. The body cannot excrete excess insulin made by the pancreas; excess insulin is stored as fat in the body. This is just one of the reasons why people with insulin resistance gain weight more easily than those who are not insulin resistant…
Who should be tested for pre-diabetes?
There are many health disorders than can be associated with pre-diabetes. If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid disease, or a family history of type 2 diabetes, you should consider being tested for pre-diabetes. If you experience unexplained rapid weight gain, you should ask your doctor about insulin resistance and pre-diabetes. Use our list as a guideline to determine if you should be tested for pre-diabetes!
Who should be tested for insulin resistance?
The following chart is intended only as a guideline of risk factors to help you decide if you (or your child) should be tested for insulin resistance. If you have any signs or symptoms of insulin resistance be sure to tell your doctor…
What is insulin resistance?
When a person is insulin resistant, their cells do not respond to a normal secretion of insulin from the pancreas. The pancreas has to work harder and make more insulin than normal than normal to move blood glucose (sugar) out of the blood stream and into cells and tissues.
What is Metabolic Syndrome X?
Insulin Resistance Syndrome (IRS) is also referred to as Metabolic Syndrome, or Metabolic Syndrome X and was previously simply called Syndrome X. Pre-diabetics may also have Metabolic Syndrome X, but pre-diabetes is a separate condition.
