If you have diabetes, tracking your blood sugar levels is important to help manage your condition and avoid potential health complications. There are many different diabetes apps available that can help people track their blood sugar levels. These apps typically allow users to log their blood sugar levels, set goals, and receive reminders to test their blood sugar levels. Some apps also provide educational information about diabetes and tips for managing the condition.
Using a blood sugar tracker can help you to better understand your blood sugar patterns and how different foods, activities, and medications affect your blood sugar levels. It can also help you to set goals and track your progress over time. This is especially beneficial to those that are newly diagnosed with diabetes, or if you have been managing your condition for some time, a blood sugar diary or tracker can be a valuable tool in helping you to better control your blood sugar levels.
Table of Contents
- What is a blood sugar tracker?
- Why is tracking blood sugar important?
- What happens if you don’t monitor your blood glucose levels?
- Why use a Diabetes App to track your blood sugar?
- How do you document your blood sugar levels?
- Be aware of Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- Devices You May Need to Take Readings & Measure Your Blood Sugar
- Maintaining a Diabetes-friendly diet with CareClinic
- Is there a relationship between blood pressure and blood glucose?
- Other handy features of CareClinic:
- Should you use a Printable Blood Sugar or BG Log?
- Are there any drawbacks to using a blood sugar tracker?
- Prevent Complications and track your BG and other factors
What is a blood sugar tracker?
A blood sugar tracker is an app that helps you monitor your blood sugar levels. It can be used to track your progress over time, set goals, and share your data with your healthcare team. Many diseases require a user to track their blood sugar, including diabetes, prediabetes, and gestational diabetes. By tracking your blood sugar, you can help manage your condition and avoid serious complications.
Why is tracking blood sugar important?
Tracking blood sugar is important because it can help you manage your diabetes. It can help you see how your diet, exercise, and medication are affecting your blood sugar levels. It can also help you identify patterns and make changes to improve your blood sugar control.
Why do doctors require diabetics to track blood sugar?
Doctors usually require diabetics to track blood sugar for a few reasons. First, it helps them get a better idea of how well diabetes is being controlled. Second, it can help them identify any problems or issues that need to be addressed. Third, it can help them make changes to a person’s treatment plan, if necessary. Finally, tracking blood sugar can help a person avoid serious complications from diabetes, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
What happens if you don’t monitor your blood glucose levels?
If you don’t monitor your blood sugar levels, you may not be aware of how your diet, exercise, and medication are affecting your blood sugar control. This can lead to complications from diabetes, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. Many people don’t use a blood sugar tracker because they may not be aware of the benefits, or they may not have access to a smartphone or computer. Others may find the process of tracking their blood sugar levels to be too time-consuming or difficult.
Why use a Diabetes App to track your blood sugar?
Apps make diabetes management much easier, they also provide you:
- The ability to track your blood sugar levels over time
- The set health goals for yourself
- The functionality to share your data with your healthcare team
- A user-friendly interface
- A free or low-cost price tag
How do you document your blood sugar levels?
Obtaining your blood sugar values
To use a blood sugar tracker, you will need to enter your blood sugar levels into the app. You can do this manually or by using a blood sugar meter that is compatible with the app. Your blood sugar measurement is typically measured in mmol/L or mg/dL.
Logging your blood sugar values
mmol/L stands for millimoles per liter, and it is the measurement used for blood sugar in much of the world. In the United States, blood sugar is typically measured in mg/dL, or milligrams per deciliter. However, many blood sugar tracker apps like CareClinic allow you to enter your blood sugar levels in either mmol/L or mg/dL.
Determining a normal blood sugar level
Target blood sugar levels are the levels that your healthcare team recommends for you. These will be different for everyone, and they may change over time. A normal blood sugar range is typically less than 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L). However, this can vary depending on when you last ate, your age, and other factors.
If you eat a meal that is high in carbohydrates, your blood sugar will rise. If you eat a meal that is low in carbohydrates, your blood sugar will decrease. Pre-meal blood sugar is measured before you eat, and post-meal blood sugar is measured two hours after you finish eating. If you are trying to maintain a normal blood sugar level, you may want to record both pre-meal and post-meal blood sugar levels, you may change the time and add a note for each recording within the CareClinic App.
Tip: If you are trying to lose weight or control your diabetes, you may want to focus on recording post-meal blood sugar levels.
What to look for in charts from logging blood sugar over time
When you are looking at your logs or charts, there are a few things to look for that can help you:
1. Look for patterns in your blood sugar readings. Do you see a spike in your blood sugar levels after you eat certain foods? Do you see a drop in your blood sugar levels when you miss a meal?
2. Compare your pre-meal and post-meal blood sugar levels. Are your post-meal blood sugar levels within your target range?
3. Compare your blood sugar readings to your activity level. Do you see a drop in your blood sugar levels when you exercise?
4. Compare your blood sugar readings to your stress level. Do you see a spike in your blood sugar levels when you are stressed?
Making changes based on what you see in your logs
Once you have identified patterns in your blood sugar readings, you can make changes to your diet, activity level, and stress management based on what you see. For example, if you see a spike in your blood sugar levels after you eat certain foods, you may want to avoid those foods or eat them in smaller amounts.
If you see a drop in your blood sugar levels when you miss a meal, it’s important to make sure to eat regular meals and snacks. If you see a drop in your blood sugar levels when you exercise, it may be beneficial to include physical activity in your daily routine. And if you see a spike in your blood sugar levels when experiencing stress, finding ways to manage that stress is key.
Sharing your blood glucose data with a doctor and other caregivers
Health care providers can use this information to adjust your medication and make other recommendations to help improve your health.
If you don’t have diabetes, but you are concerned about your blood sugar levels, sharing your data with your doctor can help them determine if you are at risk for developing diabetes. They may also be able to recommend lifestyle changes that can help improve your blood sugar levels.
The CareClinic App makes it easy to share your data with your doctor. You can export your data as a PDF or CSV file and even send it later via email (not secure). You can also give your care giver view-access to your care plans so they can see your logged data in real-time as needed.
Tips from the American diabetes association about tracking and managing diabetes
- Check your blood sugar regularly.
- Keep a log of your blood sugar readings.
- Compare your blood sugar readings to your activity level.
- Compare your blood sugar readings to your stress level.
- Share your blood sugar data with your doctor.
Be aware of Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
Hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar drops too low. This can be dangerous, and it can cause seizures, coma, or death. While hyperglycemia is when your blood sugar rises too high outside of the healthy range. This can be dangerous and can cause diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious complication of diabetes.
Devices You May Need to Take Readings & Measure Your Blood Sugar
Continuous Glucose Monitors
A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a device that measures your blood sugar in real-time. It consists of a sensor that is inserted under your skin, a transmitter that sends data to a receiver, and a monitor that displays your blood sugar levels. CGMs can be used to help you manage your diabetes by identifying patterns in your blood sugar readings. For example, if you see a spike in your blood sugar levels after you eat certain foods, you can make changes to your diet to avoid those foods or eat them in smaller amounts.
CGMs can also be used to help you adjust your medication. For example, if you see a drop in your blood sugar levels when you exercise, your doctor may recommend that you increase your insulin dose. CGMs are an important tool for managing diabetes, but they are not a cure. You will still need to monitor your blood sugar levels and make lifestyle changes to improve your health.
Another benefit of a CGM is that you do not need to prick your finger to check your blood sugar. The sensor measures the glucose in your interstitial fluid, which is the fluid that surrounds your cells. This is different from your blood sugar, but it correlates closely with it.
Blood Glucose Meters
A blood glucose meter is a device that measures your blood sugar. It consists of a lancet (a sharp needle), a test strip, and a monitor. Blood glucose meters are used to check your blood sugar levels before and after meals, at bedtime, and during times of stress. Lancets are used to prick your finger and draw a drop of blood. Test strips are used to collect the blood and measure your blood sugar level. The monitor displays your blood sugar reading. Popular brands of blood glucose meters are: the Contour Next, Freestyle Lite, and One Touch Ultra.
Insulin Pumps
An insulin pump is a small, computerized device that delivers insulin through a catheter (a thin tube) under your skin. Insulin pumps are used to treat type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Insulin pumps are an alternative to multiple daily injections of insulin.
The pump delivers insulin 24 hours a day through a catheter. The pump is programmed to deliver small amounts of insulin continuously (basal insulin) and larger amounts of insulin when needed (bolus insulin). Basal insulin helps to control your blood sugar levels between meals and overnight. Bolus insulin is given before meals or when your blood sugar levels are high.
Test Strips
These are used with blood glucose meters to measure your blood sugar levels. Test strips are available in different sizes, and each size is compatible with a specific brand of the blood glucose meter. For example, the Contour Next test strips are only compatible with the Contour Next blood glucose meter.
Maintaining a Diabetes-friendly diet with CareClinic
CareClinic can help you manage your diabetes with our diet tracking feature. You can log the foods you eat, track your blood sugar levels, and see how different foods affect your blood sugar. You can also share your data with a doctor or nutritionist to get tailored recommendations. Our diet tracking feature can help you make lifestyle changes that improve your health.
The best foods for diabetics are those that help keep blood sugar levels stable. Foods that are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats can help stabilize blood sugar levels. complex carbohydrates, such as those found in starchy vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, can also help stabilize blood sugar levels. Foods to avoid include sugary foods, processed carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats.
Remember the 3 P’s in diabetes:
The three P’s stand for:
1) People with diabetes should monitor their blood sugar levels.
2) People with diabetes should eat healthy foods.
3) People with diabetes should be physically active.
Is there a relationship between blood pressure and blood glucose?
There is no definitive answer to this question. However, some studies have found that high blood pressure may be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Additionally, people with diabetes are more likely to have high blood pressure than those without diabetes. Therefore, it is important to maintain healthy blood pressure levels if you have diabetes.
Other handy features of CareClinic:
CareClinic is not a diabetes management app, it ships with many trackers and modules to help you maintain healthy habits. CareClinic integrates with fitness trackers and Apple health + Google Fit to bring all your data for all health conditions into one easy-to-use app. Some of the key features you may find beneficial are:
- Diary to add notes day to day about your overall well-being
- A food tracker and database with over 2 million items to quickly log nutrition
- Care Team module to share data with a doctor or nutritionist
- Correlation reports based on all your data to easily see patterns between various aspects of your health
- The capability to set goals and push notification reminders for anything! Measurements, symptoms, medications, physical activity, track mood, etc.
- A symptom tracker to help you track different symptoms of conditions or diseases along with their severity
- A medication manager to help you stay on track with your diabetes treatment or any other treatment. You can even create treatment plans for any dependent like family, elderly, or kids
You are able to customize CareClinic fully and hide any feature you may not need or use. However, knowing that you have access to all the features in the app allows you to get the big picture on how you are doing overall! Your primary care doctor will undoubtedly appreciate the fact that you can answer all their questions in detail without any sort of bias or forgetfulness helping improve your treatment outcome!
Should you use a Printable Blood Sugar or BG Log?
A printable blood sugar log is a helpful tool for people with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels. The log can help people see patterns in their blood sugar levels and make necessary lifestyle changes. Compared to a digital solution, CareClinic is a comprehensive health tracking app that can track blood sugar levels, as well as other health metrics.
Not only can glucose readings be easily entered into the app and synced with Apple Health but CareClinic also offers features such as medication reminders, doctor appointments, and diet recommendations. The tracking capabilities (whether used or not, as they can be hidden) are more comprehensive than just a physical notebook or printout and convenient for people with diabetes or any condition.
Are there any drawbacks to using a blood sugar tracker?
There are no major drawbacks to using a blood sugar tracker. However, it is important to note that tracking blood sugar levels is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have any concerns, please consult with a doctor or healthcare professional.
Top 3 resources for additional information
1) The American Diabetes Association: https://www.diabetes.org/
2) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/
3) National Institutes of Health: https://www.nih.gov/diabetes-resources
Prevent Complications and track your BG and other factors
Overall, tracking blood sugar levels is a helpful tool for people with diabetes to see patterns in their levels and make necessary changes. Complications from diabetes can be serious and life-threatening, so it’s important to do everything you can to prevent them.
A diabetes app can be a helpful tool for people with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels. The app can help people see patterns in their blood sugar levels and make necessary lifestyle changes. Compared to an offline log, CareClinic is a comprehensive health tracking app that can track blood sugar levels, as well as other health measurements.
Not only can glucose readings be easily entered into the app and synced with Apple Health but CareClinic also offers features such as medication reminders, doctor appointments, and diet recommendations. Give the App a try today, tap the banner below to get started on iOS, Android, or the Web!
