Individuals with diabetes face the challenge of constantly monitoring and managing their blood glucose levels.1 Various factors that temporarily affect blood glucose levels can add to this challenge, one of which is the dawn phenomenon.2
Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is caused by the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic b-cells responsible for producing insulin,1,2 a key hormone that regulates glucose homeostasis.3 This loss of b-cells usually results in severe deficiency of endogenous insulin, preventing cells in the body from taking up glucose from the bloodstream to use as energy.1
Intermittent fasting refers to a dietary approach that involves caloric restriction over various intervals of time.1,2 Intermittent fasting has gained increasing attention among the diabetic community as a way to facilitate weight loss and improve glycemic control.
Hyperglycemia is a medical term that refers to high blood glucose levels.1 It is defined as blood glucose levels >125 mg/dL while fasting and >180 mg/dL 2-hours postprandial.2 Untreated severe hyperglycemia in diabetics can acutely progress to serious, life-threatening complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS).3 As such, it is important to practice good diabetes management,...
Individuals performing self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) at home most commonly use the fingertip as the testing site.1 It has high capillary flow and density that provides a rich blood supply, but is also very sensitive to pain and can pose barriers to consistently performing the test over time. As such, individuals may choose alternate site testing and obtain blood...
