Diabetes logbook

Diabetes logbook

Diabetes is a disease that requires daily effort to manage. If you take the right precautions and live your life diabetes-friendly, you can manage your condition. One tool you can use to manage your diabetes is a diabetes logbook. With a glucose log, you can track your numbers to find patterns with your blood sugar levels. You also have options to track things like your diet so you can see how foods affect your glucose levels.

WHEN IS A GLUCOSE LOG A GOOD IDEA?

A glucose log is an easy way to see where your numbers are over the long term. It's easy to check your sugar at least once a day to see what your lifestyle is doing to it. Keeping this information in a blood sugar log will allow you to look back and find trends in your numbers. This will help you easily determine if you need to make changes to your diet or medication regimen to see if there are better ways to lower your levels. The following situations would benefit from using a diabetes logbook:

• Despite your best efforts, you have trouble keeping your glucose within reach

• You have gestational diabetes or are at risk for it

• You control your glucose with insulin or an insulin pump

• While you have no noticeable symptoms, your sugar levels are often low

• Your glucose levels are consistently high, so ketones are present in your urine

HOW DO YOU USE A BLOOD SUGAR LOG?

How you use a glucose log depends on the format you choose. However, the general steps are the same. Depending on the format of the log, you may want to enter a daily date or a date range. Write down the areas your doctor wants you to target and place them at the top of the protocol pages for easy reference. Now you want to record your glucose levels as you check them over time. It is also ideal to note whether the level was checked during the fast or after eating.

Most logs have a place for you to write down the foods you eat. As you write these down, you should also keep track of the carbohydrates and sugar in each of the foods, as these two nutrients have the biggest impact on your blood sugar levels. Make sure you write everything down, including seasonings and dressings. Most people don't realize that some of these can be high in sugar. You also need to record what you drink as many drinks, such as: B. Fruit juices that appear healthy may have a high sugar content.

Types of Diabetes Protocols

When you use a diabetes logbook, you have several options. You can find different types of free printable blood sugar charts online. Simply print these out and place them in a binder or binder to keep them in the correct order. With so many types available, you can find one that uses a format you prefer. It's important that you like the format and find it easy to use so you can complete it every day.

You can find weekly, monthly, and daily formats for these logs. If you need to test your blood sugar three or more times a day, it's best to choose daily. This gives you more space and flexibility with the frequent checks you need to perform. If you only need to check once a day, a monthly log may work for you. A weekly log is a good record and makes it easy to write down your blood sugar levels and the foods you eat so you get a complete seven-day picture of what's happening with your glucose levels.

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTROL YOUR GLUCOSE LEVELS

You need to control your blood sugar levels to avoid possible complications that can occur if your sugar levels get too high. The first thing you need to recognize are the symptoms that occur when your blood sugar is high. For some people these are not as noticeable as for others. So make note of these possible symptoms so you can keep an eye out for them. The symptoms of high blood sugar are:

• Frequent urination

• Unexplained weight loss

• Fatigue

• Blurred vision

• Frequent infections

• Increased thirst

• Extreme hunger

• Ketones present in your urine

• Feeling irritable

• Wounds or sores that are slow to heal

If high blood sugar levels are not brought down quickly, you are at risk of a variety of health complications. Some of these are irreversible, so it is important to do everything you can to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Some of the complications can lead to problems such as the need for a kidney transplant or limb amputation. The following complications from high blood sugar are possible:

• Nerve damage, especially in the feet and legs

• Eye damage

• Skin conditions

• An increased risk of Alzheimer's disease

• Cardiovascular disease

• Kidney damage

• Foot damage

• Hard of hearing

• Depression

CONTROLLING YOUR BLOOD SUGAR

When you fill out your printable glucose log sheets, you can enter the foods you eat. It's important to keep track of the carbohydrates you eat. The complex carbohydrates can help stabilize your levels, while simple carbohydrates can cause sudden spikes and crashes. Just make sure the complex carbohydrates you eat contain plenty of fiber, as this nutrient also helps you maintain proper glucose levels.

Keep your sugar intake low to avoid spikes and drops in your blood sugar. You can eat fruits and other healthy foods that contain natural sugars. However, remember that these can also increase your glucose levels. Therefore, you should monitor your blood sugar when you eat them. Healthy fats and proteins are also important for people with diabetes. Overall, a balanced diet is best to ensure you get enough nutrients while controlling your sugar levels.

You should also monitor your levels regularly. Your doctor will tell you how often you should have your blood tested. About two hours after eating, your levels should be 180 mg/dL or less. If you have been fasting, your sugar levels should not exceed 125 mg/dL. Your doctor will provide you with details regarding the levels you should aim for based on your individual blood sugar needs.

CONCLUSION

If your blood sugar is too high, you are at significant risk of complications. For this reason, you should always know where your numbers are. You can easily track your blood sugar levels with a diabetes logbook. Read the book if you want to explore possible trends in your glucose levels. This will help you determine if your diet is negatively impacting your numbers so you can make changes. Please share this article on social media and post a link to it on your website.

Inspired by Keith E. Barker