A simple tool to help understand changes in blood glucose
This simple yet effective method allows you to understand how different events and activities affect your blood glucose, enabling you to make informed decisions about your diabetes management.
What is Checking in Pairs?
Checking in Pairs is a technique used to monitor changes in your blood glucose levels. By comparing blood glucose readings before and after specific events, you can identify patterns and make necessary adjustments to your diabetes management plan.
How Does It Work?
Choose an Event and Time: Identify an event (such as a meal, physical activity, or sleep) and the time you want to evaluate.
First Check: Measure your blood glucose level right before the start of the event.
Second Check: Measure your blood glucose at the prescribed time after the event:
Activity: Check within 15 minutes of ending the activity.
Meal: Check 1-2 hours after the first bite.
Sleep: Check upon waking.
How Long Does It Take to See a Pattern and Make a Change?
To safely make changes to your diabetes management, it’s important to identify patterns. Typically, completing a "Paired Check" three times provides enough evidence to make an informed decision. Based on the patterns you observe, you can make small, manageable changes such as adjusting meal times, adding a short walk after meals, or modifying portion sizes.
When to Use Checking in Pairs
Struggling with Blood Glucose: When your blood glucose levels are difficult to understand.
Evaluating Changes: To determine if a recent change in your routine or treatment has been effective.
Curiosity: To see how your body responds to different foods, activities, or other factors.
Monitoring Overnight: To confirm that you’re not eating anything overnight that could affect your morning glucose levels.
Medication Adjustments: When a medication dose or type has been changed.
What to Do with the Results
Share findings with your healthcare team. They can help you interpret the data and identify patterns such as:
Hypoglycemia
Hyperglycemia
Elevated Fasting Blood Glucose
Post-Activity Hypoglycemia
By reviewing these patterns, you and your healthcare team can determine the timing and frequency of these events, explore possible causes, and develop a plan to address them.
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