Why Test???

Total Accountability and Total Feedback constitute the minimum and only perpetual motion system.”  Buckminster Fuller, Critical Path.

In order to re-create the system that has been compromised due to the onset of Diabetes we must determine what it is we have to account for and then receive and assess the feedback (results) we get.  There are so many things we need to account for.  Read the “Transforming Diabetes Series” in this blog to get a breakdown.  There is really one thing we want feedback on and that is our blood sugar level.  There are continuous glucose monitors (CGM’s) on the market and I think every person with diabetes should have one.  But even with a CGM we must finger prick test multiple times per day.

If you are Type 1 I believe you should be testing a minimum of 10 times per day.  If you are Type 2 you should be testing at least 10 times per day until you have reached a balanced state.  Then you can spot check throughout the day a minimum of 4 times per day.

Testing/Checking Blood Sugar levels is like taking a photograph.  It is a moment in time.  If you have eaten and are not confident of how many carbohydrate and fat grams you have digested then you may want to test more often.  If you have a lot of insulin on board then you may want to check more often.  If you are testing your basal rates you want to test your blood sugar every hour for a period of time.  If you are engaging in exercise or physical exertion you want to test more often.  Testing more often begins to transform the photograph into a video.  You can detect trending and effects of certain foods, emotional states, exercise etc.  This is important information for you to have in order to make good decisions in both the present moment and future.

Testing your blood sugar is a critical component to the system we are asked to re-create and monitor constantly.  If you are not testing 10 times per day talk to your doctor and get a prescription for 300 strips per month.  Tell your doctor you are committing to testing your blood sugar because it is the critical feedback you and he/she need in achieving a deeper understanding and mastery over managing your condition.  More feedback is good.