How to use an app to help manage diabetes

BY SCOTT JOHNSON (MYSUGR)

Then there’s the big-picture stuff; the analysis of how you’re doing over a longer period of time. If you’re like most people, you don’t think about this until you remember the doctor’s appointment right around the corner.

Stepping back, it’s clear that there’s a LOT of information to manage, right?

Keeping track of so much information in your brain doesn’t make sense. You often feel overwhelmed and are unsure of your next move. You’re constantly second-guessing your decisions, and often feel frustrated.

That’s completely normal! And it’s also a good reason to outsource! There are certain parts of diabetes management where computers are better than humans. Things like recording information and remembering it when requested, or monitoring something over and over again, or performing a task around the clock, or spotting patterns and trends. Computers, including the powerful mini-computers we carry around in our pockets (smartphones), are perfect for doing a bunch of diabetes-related work! They don’t need breaks, don’t get bored, and don’t get distracted.

Smartphones are also great because they’re powerful and portable, they’re almost always with you, they’re already connected to the world, and they’re packed full of sensors that you can use!

Being able to outsource a big chunk of your diabetes work to an app on your smartphone means you have that much more brainpower for the important things in life.

The future of diabetes data management is automated. With a connected meter like the Accu-Chek® Guide Me along with the mySugr app, your blood sugar measurements are automatically logged into mySugr. With a tap of your finger, you can quickly add details about meals, meds, and any other info you think is important. You can even customize the logging screen so you don’t waste time dealing with stuff that’s not important for you.

mySugr also automatically pulls in activity data so you can see exercise information alongside your blood sugars. With that valuable information automatically added to your logbook and reports, you’re ahead of the game. Location services make it possible to search for past experiences. Take eating at restaurants for example. With two taps, you can see everything you’ve done at that restaurant and how your blood sugars responded. Or how you adjusted your meals and medicines before visiting a nearby mall. Having this type of information at your fingertips helps you make more informed decisions. You’re no longer guessing at what do to. Instead, you can base your actions on real information. That’s powerful!

Every piece of information has a story. And for that story to make sense, it’s helpful to see the context!

There are a bunch of ways to see more context in mySugr:

• Meal photos - snapping a quick picture of your meal can help troubleshoot post-meal problems. Maybe the carbohydrate estimate was off? Or there was more fat/protein than you thought? Being able to review a picture of your meal can help solve the mystery.
• Notes - add a quick note when something is out of the ordinary, or if it helps explain a decision you made. mySugr lets you add a note anytime you want. It’s even searchable.
• Tags - by far, the quickest and easiest way to add lots of useful information to your entry. There are tags for many situations, as you can see in the screenshot below (here are 8 of the available 48 tags).

How many times has your doctor asked, “hmmm, what happened here?” while looking over your reports? How nice would it be to pull up mySugr on your smartphone and explain everything? It’s a very helpful way to get the most out of your appointments. And speaking of reports, how would it feel to have reports at your fingertips anytime you need them?

So much of the hard work is automated now, with apps like mySugr and connected meters like the Accu-Chek Guide Me, it just makes sense to take advantage of it. You’ll also get in on smart services like mySugr Insights, which run behind the scenes and call your attention to patterns and trends and provide educational resources that may help.

A number of features mentioned here are only available with mySugr Pro. But don’t worry! Pair your Accu-Chek Guide Me meter with the mySugr app, synchronize your readings, and you’ll be automatically upgraded to mySugr Pro for free!

Don’t feel like you have to do everything for your diabetes management – you have lots of help around!

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Debong, Fredrik. “MySugr Insights – Because You're Busy Living.” MySugr, 7 Feb. 2018, mysugr.com/mysugr-insights-youre-busy-living/. Accessed June 5, 2019.