As of 2009 there is no cure for type 1 or type 2 diabetes. And nothing is looking promising in the next few years. This will seem to be bleak for many people that there is no cure, but there are definately ways to manage your diabetes.

The correct management can give you many health years of living. Management of diabetes starts with a visit to your GP to find out whether you are type 1 or 2. Then all management revolves around controlling your glucose level. Your glucose cycle revolves around 2 factors. The entry of glucose into the bloodstream and blood levels of the insulin to conrol the transport out. The glucose levels are very sensitive to what diet and exercise you do. So a change in anything should be discussed first with your doctor.

The correct control of diabetes can be very intrusive to someones life. The correct control requires a complete change of lifestyle, sometimes requiring frequent daily checks of your glucose level in the blood. Plus the discipline to take your medication at certain times of the day. Without fail. These can be a big intrusion to ones life, especially to someone who has just been diagnosed.

It can change as you grow older and no two people are exactly the same. But these days glucose meters are widely available, cheap and pretty easy to use with a little practice. A small drop of blood on a testing strip attached to the meter will give you a very fast reading of your blood sugar level. This will let you know when you are required to take insulin when it is required.

Maintaining a simple lifestyle is important to a diabetic. In today’s troubled economy, not everyone can afford to pay full price for items like glucose meters and test strips. Searching online, you can find options for getting your own supplies.

Medicare will usually pay 80% of cost with private insurance covering the rest, but if you don’t have access to private insurance, you need to look elsewhere. There are sites online that are willing to help out if you don’t have Medicaid or private insurance. These sites offer waiver forms to cover what these remaining expenses. This is an excellent alternative for those on Medicare.

Not everyone is a Medicare recipient. What do you do in these circumstances? There are plenty of sites today who will offer free glucose meters and other supplies. This is due to laws passed through the past few years requiring insurance companies to cover treatment. If you have health insurance, chances are you can find free diabetic supplies through these online sites, making it easier to keep your life simple.

Other sites will provide supplies if you answer questionnaires or surveys. If you’re looking for free supplies with no further requirements, these sites can provide you with with testing supplies as well as information regarding your diet, including meal plans and recipes. Maintaining a healthy diet can help you lose weight and improve your condition.

One important thing to remember is to work closely with your health care provider. He or she can help you greatly in your online search for supplies. When visiting the various sites you find, keep in mind that you will probably be asked to give a valid email address and be an American citizen 18 years or older. This is a small requirement for what you can receive.

There are many solutions when searching for the diabetic supplies you need. These options can lead you to the simple life that you both need and want.

Monitoring the amount of sugar in your blood is part of your daily routine when you have type 2 diabetes. It helps you to know if you need to make any adjustments to your diet. Even if you are eating healthy food and exercising regularly, testing tells you if your glucose level is too high or too low. These levels can be affected by stress and illness also.

It has never been easier to self-monitor your blood sugar levels, there are dozens of meters available that allow you to conveniently check your levels. Glucose meters have become very small, accurate and fast and they keep a record of your results. Many of the better meters also code themselves which means you don’t need to calibrate the system every time you start a new pack of strips.

How often should you test

1. If you are taking insulin:

• you need to test before each meal and at bedtime
• sometimes you should test two hours after a meal and in the middle of the night to see just how high your levels go after a meal and how low they go during the night

2. If you are on tablets or controlled by diet and exercise:

• test twice a day, before breakfast and dinner. This should give you enough information to gauge the effect of your treatment
• if you are really stable 75-130 mg/dl (4 to 7mmol/l) and your HbA1c is less than 7%, you could test once a day, alternating a pre-breakfast test with a pre-dinner test on consecutive days
• if you really want to know how food is affecting your blood sugars, test one or two hours after your meals

3. It could be useful to also test:

• when you eat something not normally part of your diet, you might want to test it’s effect
• before you exercise so you know whether you need to eat something first, or if the exercise is going to be used to lower your blood glucose
• if your levels have been unstable and you need to drive, check to see you will not become hypoglycemic whilst driving
• when you are ill

What level should you be aiming for

• the ideal range is 75-130 mg/dl (4 to7 mmol/l) but it is not unusual to get occasional levels outside this range.

Being overweight can cause a rise in your blood sugar levels and it increases your risk of complications. Losing even a small amount of weight has a number of health benefits.

Diabetic meters are vital for people with diabetes. Blood sugar monitoring is a major aspect of managing your condition and although it is not a task that people really like doing, it is so important if you want to take care of yourself properly.

Here are 4 things to look at and to learn about before you buy or obtain a diabetic meter.

1. Size of the Diabetes Meter

You can choose between small meters or larger ones. Work out if you will be regularly carrying it in your purse, handbag or backpack (you will want a smaller meter to fit) or if it will be only used at home (in which case a larger meter is ok). Also consider your eyesight: people with bad sight may struggle with a small meter, however if it has a clear display screen then this is not an issue.

2. Built in Memory

it is handy to have the memory built in and importantly, able to store a good amount of data. Ideally you will want to store over 200 test records in memory, but aim for 400 or more if you can.

3. Sample Size

This is a major considering but one that is easily overlooked. The best and latest meters will not require a large sample. Many now only require the equivalent of a pin head of blood! This is just 0.3 microliters. There are even some that only require 1.0 microliters.

4. Alternate Site Testing

If you don’t want to be restricted to the finger as a testing location then look for a meter that is approved for alternate testing sites like the leg and forearm. Most meters are now multi-site compatible.

Make sure you find the right blood glucose diabetic meters that suit your lifestyle and budget.