Glucose Monitoring is Easier than Ever

My family and I are no strangers to diabetes. My parents and some relatives have been living with diabetes for many years now.

While diabetes can be a challenging condition, it can be managed well and the person can live an active and fulfilling life.

Some of the things that need strict attention are diet, exercise and monitoring glucose levels.

Recently, I attended a session on Living Fully with Diabetes where I learnt that glucose monitoring can be easy and convenient!

Glucose Monitoring

In the session which had model turned actor Jay Bhanushali talk about his experience as a caregiver to his mom, I learnt a lot of things.

I was already aware that glucose monitoring, adequate exercise, and nutrition are key to diabetes management. These factors assure that neither your life nor the lives of your loved ones need to be defined by diabetes.

However, as a caregiver, you have to work with the person living with diabetes in a supportive manner. The person should be equally involved in the decision-making process because you can only plan. It’s his/her duty to put that plan into action and make necessary changes to lifestyle or diet as per the requirements.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Traditional methods of blood glucose monitoring requires a prick, which many people find cumbersome and painful. My parents also do not like this and sometimes skip checking the glucose levels. But ultimately, not keeping a check is harmful to them.

During the session, I came to know about Freestyle Libre, a continuous glucose monitoring device which is wearable, easy enough to be used by senior citizens and convenient too.

It consists of a reader and a sensor and one can check their glucose levels at any time, anywhere with a simple scan.

The device also stores data that one can share with the doctor and the person living with diabetes can tweak diet and exercise regimes.

As any person living with diabetes knows, fluctuating glucose levels can create a very stressful scene in your life. Hence, it is very important to know the necessary changes you need to make in your lifestyle which will help you manage your levels better.

To know these necessary changes, you must know the factors that impact glucose levels. Usually, you need to note down the things that increase and decrease the glucose levels in the body. But with Free Style Libre all the data is right there.

Things to be kept in mind by a caregiver

During the event, the speakers stressed on the following:

• Make sure that the meal is Well-balanced, which includes lean protein, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains, which are good to manage blood sugar
• You should check blood glucose levels at regular intervals, especially for the elderly. You may need to test, before meals and snacks and before and after exercise. And you should always speak to your doctor for any advice or medication.
• You should motivate the person living with diabetes to exercise regularly, as it helps in regulating blood sugar levels and ultimately helps in managing diabetes.
• If you observe any changes in sugar levels or any other symptoms, it is important to consult your doctor immediately

Jay Bhanushali talked about his choice of the continuous glucose monitoring device.

• I prefer a prick-free one, which is a sensor-based device called FreeStyle Libre.
• It’s easy to use and easy to understand even for the elderly. I can get those readings and the report can be shared with my doctor. This helps us make decisions, be it with lifestyle or diet change.
• The data accuracy helps immensely with doctor-patient communication. The device has transformed our diabetes management experience. All I have to worry about is a scan, and the product takes care of everything else, as far as monitoring is concerned.

Conclusion

Diabetes can be managed very effectively if you are constantly monitoring your blood sugar levels, eating nutritious foods, and getting adequate exercise. Monitoring glucose levels gets much easier if you are using a Continuous Glucose Monitoring device like FreeStyle Libre.

Know more about FreeStyle Libre and Continuous Glucose Monitoring, click here: https://bit.ly/BCRDiabetes

You can buy FreeStyle Libre here: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B095N7D23G/