As is always the case with innovation, as time marches on there are newer and better ways to do the things we need to have done in our lives. One area of life that has shown tremendous progress over the years is the world of medicine. Better medications, more effective procedures and surgeries, and better information relating to our diet have helped people to better maintain healthy lifestyles well into their old age. One such group is diabetics.

Diabetics have benefited from advances in medicine and overall knowledge with the increased efficiency of insulin shots and different types of medication to help them regulate their blood sugar. There are also devices on the market to test blood sugar now that were not available just a few short years ago. Below are three of the most popular methods diabetics can use to test their blood sugar.

Alternative site meters-prior to just a few years ago, pricking your finger was the only site on the body in which you can test your blood sugar level by yourself. Now, there are monitors that will allow you to test your blood from many other sites on the body. It must be noted that these results often differ from regular finger prick results and should be taken into consideration when used as part of your regular blood sugar monitoring.

Wrist worn devices-just like something out of a James Bond movie, diabetics can now wear a device on the wrist that through a series of gentle electrical impulses will monitor their blood sugar on an ongoing basis throughout the day. These can give a good baseline reading but because of their newness, the jury is still out on how effective they would be in long-term monitoring of diabetic blood sugar levels.

Traditional blood sugar test kits-although this is mentioned third on the list, the traditional method is still the most popular and most feel gives the best results as well. A quick finger prick, a drop of blood on a teststrip, and inserting the strip in a small electronic monitor is fast and efficient and will let the diabetic know just exactly where their blood sugar is it any time.

While there are more ways to test your blood sugar on the market than just the three listed here, these are perhaps the most commonly used today. Many more may come and go as folks try to improve a process that is basically already perfected. Having and using a test to on a regular basis is one of the most effective things that diabetics can do to prevent serious side effects from the disease.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ray_Sherman