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How Long After Eating To Check Blood Sugar


Other Important Times To Check Your Blood Sugar

When should you test your Blood Sugar

Some other important times in your life that you should pay special attention to your blood sugar and check more frequently may be:

  • When theres a change to your medication regimen, including insulin
  • When youre on vacation or traveling
  • During pregnancy
  • If theres been a change to your daily routine
  • Youve been diagnosed with a new health condition
  • Theres been a drastic change to your diet
  • Youve been under a lot of stress

What Is The A1c Test

The A1C test is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 2 or 3 months. The test is done at a lab or your doctors office in addition tonot instead ofregular blood sugar testing you do yourself.

A1C testing is part of the ABCs of diabetesimportant steps you can take to prevent or delay health complications down the road:

The A1C goal for most adults with diabetes is between 7% and 8%, but your goal may be different depending on your age, other health conditions, medicines youre taking, and other factors. Work with your doctor to establish a personal A1C goal for you.


Best Times Of Day To Check Your Blood Sugar

Your blood sugar can change constantly throughout the day. Checking your blood sugar with test-strips or an FBGM several times throughout the day is just as important as taking your medications.

For example, checking your blood sugar before breakfast tells you how well your body is managing during the 8 hours you were asleep, but it doesnt tell you how well your body handles meals.

Here, well look at the best times to check your blood sugar for the most information about your diabetes management!

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Recommended Blood Sugar Targets For Most People With Diabetes*

Your targets may not be the same as the examples in this chart. Your targets are important and should be specific to you.

A1C**
4.0 to 7.0 5.0 to 10.0

* This information is based on the Diabetes Canada 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes in Canada and is a guide.** A1C is a measurement of your average blood sugar control for the last two to three months and approximately 50 per cent of the value comes from the last 30 days.

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The Effect Of Carbohydrates

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Carbohydrates are the main constituent of food that can raise your blood sugar levels. The amount and the type of carbohydrates you eat influence how quickly your blood sugar levels change after eating. Carbohydrates from liquids, such as juices and soft drinks, are usually digested more rapidly, while carbohydrates from solid foods, such as pasta and fruits, take a bit more time to break down. Foods that donât contain carbohydrates or only very little, such as non-starchy vegetables, butter, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, cheese and nuts, do not have the ability to significantly influence your blood sugar levels.

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What Should I Do If My Blood Sugar Gets Too High

High blood sugar is also called hyperglycemia . It means that your blood sugar level is higher than your target level or over 180. Having high blood sugar levels over time can lead to long-term, serious health problems.

If you feel very tired, thirsty, have blurry vision, or need to pee more often, your blood sugar may be high.

Check your blood sugar and see if it is above your target level or over 180. If it is too high, one way to lower it is to drink a large glass of water and exercise by taking a brisk walk. Call your health care team if your blood sugar is high more than 3 times in 2 weeks and you dont know why.

What Is The Fasting Blood Sugar Test Used For

The fasting blood sugar test is also used to test the effectiveness of different medication or dietary changes on people already diagnosed as diabetic

Fasting blood sugar levels are measured by taking a blood test after a period of fasting, usually of 8 hours without food. Typically, fasting blood glucose levels are taken in the morning before any breakfast is eaten. When having your fasting blood glucose levels take, you should not have any drinks apart from water during the period of fasting.


A fasting blood glucose test can be useful to see how well the body is able to manage blood sugar levels in the absence of food. When we do not eat for several hours, the body will release glucose into the blood via the liver and, following this, the bodys insulin should help to stabilise blood glucose levels.

A fasting blood glucose test therefore shows:

  • Whether the body is able to bring down the raise in blood glucose levels from the previous meal
  • How effectively the body copes with its own release of glucose

The target for fasting blood glucose levels are the same as the targets for before meal readings.

  • For adults with diabetes, the target level is between 4 and 7 mmol/l
  • For children with diabetes, the target level is between 4 and 8 mmol/l

However, some people may be set individual targets, by their doctor, that differ to the above levels.

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How To Use A Blood Sugar Meter

There are different kinds of meters, but most of them work the same way. Ask your health care team to show you the benefits of each. In addition to you, have someone else learn how to use your meter in case youre sick and cant check your blood sugar yourself.

Below are tips for how to use a blood sugar meter.

  • Make sure the meter is clean and ready to use.
  • After removing a test strip, immediately close the test strip container tightly. Test strips can be damaged if they are exposed to moisture.
  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water. Dry well. Massage your hand to get blood into your finger. Dont use alcohol because it dries the skin too much.
  • Use a lancet to prick your finger. Squeezing from the base of the finger, gently place a small amount of blood onto the test strip. Place the strip in the meter.
  • After a few seconds, the reading will appear. Track and record your results. Add notes about anything that might have made the reading out of your target range, such as food, activity, etc.
  • Properly dispose the lancet and strip in a trash container.
  • Do not share blood sugar monitoring equipment, such as lancets, with anyone, even other family members. For more safety information, please see Infection Prevention during Blood Glucose Monitoring and Insulin Administration.
  • Store test strips in the container provided. Do not expose them to moisture, extreme heat, or cold temperatures.
  • Gaining Insights From Routine Blood Glucose Testing

    When to Check Your Blood Sugar

    Day-to-day blood sugar checks can give you a good idea of how you’re doing at this moment, and they can be reviewed overall to see trends. They can help answer questions such as:

    • Are your medications working as they should?
    • How does the type or amount of food you eat affect your blood sugar?
    • How does activity or stress affect your blood sugar?

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    Knowing Blood Sugar Levels

    If you have diabetes, the frequency of testing your blood glucose level depends on your treatment plan, so follow your doctors advice on the appropriate times for you.


    Common times to check are in the morning, before and after meals, before and after exercise, at bedtime, and if you feel sick. Some people may not need to check their blood sugar daily.

    What you eat and what you do for physical activity affect your blood sugar. But theres no way to know what effect they have unless you test your blood sugar.

    Blood glucose meters are used to test blood sugar levels so you can see if your levels are within the target range. Your doctor will also work with you on your individualized range.

    What Are Normal Blood Sugar Levels After Eating

    Your blood sugar level is influenced by several factors, including the food you eat. During digestion, carbohydrates are converted into sugar which your body uses as an energy source. Excess sugar from any source is stored in your cells for later use. When your cells contain too much sugar, though, it can lead to type 2 diabetes. This is why eating a balanced diet to maintain a normal blood sugar range is important.

    Blood sugar levels can vary based on many factors, including age and life expectancy, comorbidities like heart disease, stress, and lifestyle factors like physical activity, smoking, or drinking alcohol.


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    How Do I Pay For These Tests And Supplies

    Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans pay for the A1C test and some of the cost of supplies for checking your blood sugar. Check your plan or ask your health care team for help finding low cost or free supplies. Ask your health care team what to do if you run out of test strips. For more information about Medicare and diabetes, go to .

    What If I Have Trouble Getting To My Blood Sugar Goals

    How long after a meal will blood sugar levels return to ...

    There may be times when you have trouble reaching your blood sugar goals. This does not mean that you have failed. It means that you and your health care team should see if changes are needed. Call your health care team if your blood sugar is often too high or too low. Taking action will help you be healthy today and in the future.

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    When To Get Urgent Medical Attention

    Contact your diabetes care team immediately if you have a high blood sugar level and experience the following symptoms:


    • feeling or being sick
    • a fever for more than 24 hours
    • signs of dehydration, such as a headache, dry skin and a weak, rapid heartbeat
    • difficulty staying awake

    These symptoms could be a sign of a more serious complication of hyperglycaemia, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or a hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state, and you may need to be looked after in hospital.

    What About Fasting For A Blood Test During Pregnancy

    There are several blood tests you may need if youre pregnant. These are designed to assess any potential health concerns that you or your baby might experience during pregnancy or after you give birth. Some of these tests will require you to fast beforehand. Your doctor will advise you how to prepare for each test.

    Fasting is usually safe if youre pregnant, provided youre in good health and arent having a high-risk pregnancy. For your overall comfort, your doctor may advise you to drink extra water or to remain indoors, especially if the weather is very hot or humid.

    Fasting may increase heartburn in some pregnant women. If you experience uncomfortable or concerning symptoms of any kind while youre waiting to have your blood drawn, let your doctor know immediately.

    If youre seeing a doctor other than your obstetrician-gynecologist, make sure they are made aware of your pregnancy before your blood test.


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    Why Is My Blood Sugar Level High

    The clinical term for high blood sugar is hyperglycemia. The most common cause of high blood sugar is Diabetes Mellitus or DM. It is a condition where the body cannot absorb glucose due to any abnormality in the production or action of a hormone called Insulin. Diabetes is mainly of two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Majority of diabetics are suffering from type 2 diabetes, caused by reduced action of Insulin.

    However, blood sugar can be high for various other reasons. Illness or injury, hormone disorders, overeating, obesity, some medications can increase blood sugar levels.

    What Are The Complications Of Low Blood Glucose

    How Long for your A1C to lower? When to test glucose?

    Mild-to-moderate low blood glucose can be easily treated. But severely low blood glucose can cause serious complications, including passing out, coma, or death.

    Repeated episodes of low blood glucose can lead to


    • high blood glucose levels, if worry or fear of low blood glucose keeps you from taking the medicines you need to manage your diabetes8
    • hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition in which you dont notice any symptoms of low blood glucose until your blood glucose level has dropped very low

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    Before Driving A Vehicle Or Operating Machinery

    Low blood sugar levels can cause fatigue, dizziness, cognitive difficulties, and loss of muscle coordination according to FamilyDoctor.org.It can be dangerous to drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery with low blood sugar levels. Check your glucose to see if you need to eat a snack before driving.

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    Why Is Fasting Required Before Blood Tests

    Fasting before a blood test helps improve the accuracy and reliability of the test. Accurate test results are a critical component of diagnosing various health conditions and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment plans.

    Your diet contains a range of nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. When you eat and drink normally, those nutrients are broken down and absorbed into your bloodstream. This can impact the levels of those substances in the blood and skew lab test results.


    For example, certain methods of diabetes testing measure the patients baseline blood sugar levels after a period of fasting. Eating directly before the test will cause the patients blood sugar to spike, leading to an inaccurate test result. The patient could be misdiagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, unless their doctor recommends that they complete a second test.

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    Blood Sugar Testing Mistakes To Avoid

    1 / 8 Understand Diabetes Testing If you have diabetes, it’s imperative that you learn to effectively self-test your blood sugar to keep your glucose levels in check. For example, results from a study of more than 5,000 people living with diabetes showed that even those people who don’t take medication for diabetes have better blood sugar control if they test regularly. The study participants’ risk of early kidney damage, strokes, and death from diabetes-related causes was also reduced by one-third. Of course, the accuracy of your results is tied to the accuracy of your checking and to your understanding of what all the numbers mean. “The most important point to me is that people are learning something from checking their blood sugar,” says Sacha Uelmen, RDN, CDE, director of nutrition for the American Diabetes Association. “Don’t just look at those numbers, write them down, and move on. If you have diabetes, take an active role in your health.” To get the most useful readings, learn these common blood sugar testing mistakes and how to avoid them.Continue reading > >

    When Should You Check Your Blood Sugar

    My Blood Sugar Numbers Dumbfound Me. Part 1

    People with diabetes are encouraged to check their blood sugars often, and with the latest technology like continuous glucose monitors , the frequency of checking has increased more than ever.


    But what if youre using a glucometer, lancet device, and test strips? How often, and maybe more importantly, exactly when should you check your blood sugar?

    This article will outline the importance of checking your blood sugar, how often, and when you really should check for better diabetes management.

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    Managing Blood Sugar When Youre Ill

    When you get sick, your blood sugar levels may fluctuate and become unpredictable.

    If you’re sick, it’s very important that you:

    • drink plenty of water or sugar-free fluids
    • check your blood sugar levels more often than usual
    • take 15 grams of carbohydrate every hour if you are not able to follow your usual meal plan
    • replace food with fluids that contain sugar if you can’t eat solid food
    • continue to take your insulin or other diabetes medication

    If you have a cold or flu and want to use a cold remedy or cough syrup, ask your pharmacist to help you make a good choice. Many cold remedies and cough syrups contain sugar, so try to pick sugar-free products.

    As an extra precaution, you should always check with your health-care team about guidelines for insulin adjustment or medication changes during an illness.

    What Are Target Blood Sugar Levels For People With Diabetes

    A target is something that you aim for or try to reach. Your health care team may also use the term goal. People with diabetes have blood sugar targets that they try to reach at different times of the day. These targets are:

    • Right before your meal: 80 to 130
    • Two hours after the start of the meal: Below 180

    Talk with your health care team about what blood sugar numbers are right for you.

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    Blood Sugar Level After 30 Minutes:

    About half an hour after a meal, the digestive tract works in full swing to digest and absorb the nutrients taken during the meal. So, the proteins, carbs and fats are broken down by different digestive enzymes and are gradually absorbed in the body.

    The blood is the carrier of these nutrients and it transports them throughout the body to supply energy to the different organs. The blood glucose level at this time is generally at its peak.

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