Is there a way to monitor blood sugars without pricking yourself?

Unfortunately, all the monitors which do not utilize pricking suck. The gold standard today is to prick yourself and measure the sugar in blood. Testing for blood sugar is not difficult. At the moment, every single blood glucose monitoring kit available does require a sample of blood. There are many portable kits available today for home use. To test blood sugar levels, one needs a few items including a blood sugar monitor, test strips, a lancet and alcohol swabs. The majority of blood sugar monitors available today are lightweight and portable. Some blood sugar monitors also have fancy storage facilities like tracking time, date of each test and can store your sugar level data. Some of the current devices also come with flash/zip drives so that the information can be transferred to your PC.

Is it necessary to measure blood sugar levels after exercise? I am a new diabetic who walks all the time.

Diabetic individuals who exercise also need to monitor their blood sugar just before and after exercise. A drop in blood sugar is common after exercise and thus, one should always carry a sugar drink or candy with them. If your walking is not too intense, you can stop measuring the sugars once you discover that they are not changing. In any case, always carry a sugar drink with you.

Blood sugar levels also change drastically in both type 1 and 2 diabetic during an infection, stress or a severe medical illness. At these times, blood sugars need to be monitored more frequently

I have just been diagnosed with diabetes and would like to keep my sugars under control. When should I measure my blood glucose levels?

All individuals who have been diagnosed with diabetes need to monitor their blood sugar levels on a regular basis. The monitoring of blood glucose should initially be done more frequently to ensure that the medications are working. Once the levels of blood glucose have been stabilized, one can check the blood glucose levels less frequently. However, all diabetic individuals should understand that it is vital to maintain glucose levels at normal levels – if this is not done, devastating complications of diabetes can occur in a short time. Just getting a blood sugar level measured in the doctor’s office once every 2-3 months is not good enough. You must get in the habit of measuring blood sugars at home.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes need to measure blood sugar levels more often. These individuals needs to prick themselves at least 4-6 times a day, especially before and after each meal.

Initially all type 2 diabetics need to monitor their blood sugars frequently once the dose of anti diabetic medications have been adjusted and baseline sugars have developed the frequency of blood sugar monitoring can be reduced. In any case, it is wise to monitor blood sugars at least once to twice a week to ensure that the medications are working.

I have just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have been referred to a nutritionist for dietary advice. Is this useful?

No it is bullshit. There is no such thing as a diet for type 2 diabetes. Common sense suggests that you should cut down on your intake of sugars. Dieticians and nutritionists have gone on the bandwagon giving out crappy advice on diets for type 2 diabetes- hogwash. All the studies so far indicate that exercise is more important than any changes you make in your diet. If you want to control your diabetes, start to exercise. This means starting to walk today- going to the bathroom is not walking- that is pooping.

My doctor has started me on Acarbose for my type 2 diabetes. Will this drug help me lose weight also?

Acarbose is a useful drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. It works by delaying absorption of complex sugars from the gut. In the short term, Acarbose drug can decrease your blood sugar levels. However, the drug has no affect on your weight or your blood cholesterol. Taking higher doses makes no difference to blood sugars but increases side effects. If you want a drug that will control your blood sugars and help you lose weight, ask your doctor for metformin.

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Can primrose oil lower my blood sugars? I have been reading a lot about this health supplement but am not sure.

One disorder where primrose oil has gained prominence is diabetes. There are some anecdotal reports that regular intake of EPO can help reduce blood sugars. The manufacturers of Primrose oil do recommend the supplement on a regular basis for its anti diabetic effects. The oil is sold as a capsule which is relatively cheap. There are also some reports among diabetics who report that primrose oil can reduce the numbness, tingling and pain in their feet.

There are no clinical trials on primrose oil and the blood sugar lowering effects are not seen in all diabetics. At best less than 2% of individuals see any effect and the blood lowering effects are neither consistent nor predictable. There is very little scientific evidence to indicate that primrose oil alone can lower blood sugars.

EPO is generally safe when taken as recommended. It does have a few side effects like nausea, bloating, abdominal cramps, headaches and loose stools when excessive amounts are ingested.

All diabetics should understand that Primrose oil is not a substitute for insulin or any of the currently available anti diabetic medications. While it may lower blood sugars in some individuals, the mechanism remains unknown. At present there is not enough information to recommend safe use of evening primrose oil during pregnancy or in women who are breastfeeding.