What should your sugar levels be?
The most accurate way to check your sugar levels is to go to your GP, who can perform a HbA1c pinprick test. By measuring glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), clinicians can determine average blood sugar level over eight to 12 weeks. You can reasonably ask for a test from your GP if you are overweight, over 40 or have a family member with diabetes.
For an over-the-counter testing method, there are home-testing kits that contain a lancet with which to prick your finger. You then put a drop of blood on a test strip and place the strip into a special measuring device known as a glucose meter.
For Canadians, a normal bloodsugar range is between 4.0 and 6.0 mmol/L when fasting, and up to 7.8 mmol/L two hours after eating. For pre-diabetes, the fasting glucose level is between 6.1 and 6.9 mmol/L (impaired fasting blood glucose), and for Type 2 diabetics, those numbers rise to 7.0 mmol/L or higher.