If youre diabetic (die-uh-BET-ic), its important to test your blood sugar level on a regular basis. This may be once a day, or several times daily, depending on the doctors instructions. Testing helps evaluate if your medication and lifestyle changes are keeping your diabetes (die-uh-BEE-tees) under control. In general, doctors recommend maintaining a blood sugar level thats between 70 and 150, as measured before a meal. One common self-test uses a small needle called a lancet (LAN-set), and blood testing strips. After sticking the end of your finger with the lancet, put a drop of blood on the testing strip. Wait until the strip changes color. Then, compare this shade with the color chart on the package, to determine your blood sugar range. For more precise results, you can use a device called a meter. Here, the strip
