I am 40 years old, and about five years ago, my doctor advised that I have diabetes which I could treat with diet alone. I still am not on any medication. Since diabetes is common in my family, I would like to monitor my blood sugar level regularly at home. When is the best time to check my blood sugar level?

Use of a glucose meter for testing your blood sugar at home will give both you and your physician a lot of information about the status of your diabetes: your blood sugar averages at different times of the day, the effect of various foods, exercise, stressors, etc. The results may confirm that your current diabetes management plan is working well, or they may indicate that a change in therapy is needed.

The best approach to glucose monitoring is to pattern your blood sugar ranges throughout the day. Learn what your average blood sugar level is fasting (prior to food in the morning), one to two hours after meals, prior to dinner in the evening, and bedtime. This does not necessarily mean that you will need to test this often everyday. You might plan to check twice a day, alternating the time of day so that you can see what the pattern is. You can then take these results back to your physician and, if needed, together develop a plan for treatment from there.

DMW