Maximizing the Benefits of Your Diabetes Management App

Managing diabetes involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work. For everything you do, there are often several other factors to consider. You need to think about what happened recently, what's going on now, and what you expect to happen in the coming hours. You've probably become so good at it that you don't even think about all the work you put in every day – you just do it. Luckily for us, the future of diabetes management is automated, and there are ways to make the demanding process of tracking your diabetes more manageable.

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There are certain parts of diabetes management where computers just make more sense than humans. Tasks like recording information, retrieving it on demand, performing repetitive activities, and identifying patterns and trends are all areas where computers excel. 

Diabetes management apps can provide a great alternative to traditional pen-and-paper methods when it comes to managing your diabetes. Unlike humans, they don’t need breaks, don’t get bored, and don’t get distracted. They can save you valuable time by tracking important therapy data such as your blood sugar levels, dietary intake, medication schedules, physical activity and more— all in one place. 

By learning to use these apps effectively, you can reduce your daily workload and gain meaningful insights that benefit both you and your healthcare team, leading to better therapy outcomes.^1-8

Selecting the right app is the first step in leveraging technology for your diabetes management needs. You should look for apps that have positive user reviews, offer the features you need, and are compatible with your devices – whether that's a smartphone, glucose meter, or fitness tracker.

For instance, if you use an Accu-Chek Guide or Guide Me meter, you can easily connect it to the mySugr app, which offers robust and customizable capabilities for managing your diabetes. Once connected, the mySugr app stores all of your important diabetes data from your connected devices, integrations, and manual entries all in one convenient place, helping you stay motivated, confident, and ready to stay on top of your health!

With that valuable information automatically added to your logbook and reports, you’re ahead of the game. Functionalities supporting descriptions, tags, meal photos, notes and more make it possible to search for and analyze past experiences. Take eating at restaurants for example. With just a few 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 to do. Instead, you can base your actions on real information, and that is powerful

Consistently logging your blood sugar levels, meals, medication, and activities is essential for tracking your progress and identifying important trends in your diabetes management. The mySugr app is designed with a high level of customization, allowing you to tailor it to your unique needs. You can set personalized reminders for medication, meals, or glucose monitoring to ensure you never miss an important task. Plus, the app's customizable logging screens allow you to focus only on what matters most to you by highlighting the information you care about and streamlining the logging process.

The best part? Connect your Accu-Chek Guide or Guide Me meter to the mySugr app, and you'll automatically upgrade to mySugr PRO for free! This unlocks even more powerful tools and functionalities to support your diabetes management journey

Every piece of information has a story, and adding context helps make sense of that story. How many times has your doctor asked, “hmmm, what happened here?” while looking over your reports? With mySugr, you can easily pull up your smartphone, provide context, and get the most out of your appointments. Having these detailed reports at your fingertips anytime you need them can make a significant difference in your diabetes management.

Here are a few ways you can enrich the context of your logs with mySugr features:

• Meal Photos: Snapping a quick picture of your meal can help troubleshoot post-meal issues. Maybe the carbohydrate estimate was off, or there was more fat or protein than you thought? Reviewing a picture of your meal can help solve these mysteries and improve your future meal planning.
• Notes: mySugr allows you to add notes anytime, making them searchable for easy reference. Add a quick note when something unusual happens or to explain a decision you made.
• Tags: The quickest way to add useful information to your entries. With numerous tags available, you can easily categorize different situations. This feature makes tracking and reviewing your data more efficient

• Fooducate helps you make informed choices about food. Simply scan a barcode, and this app exposes the story behind the label—like hidden sugars and trans fats — in more than 200,000 items. It's free, and available for Apple® and Android™ devices.
• MyFitnessPal^® is popular with people who have diabetes, as well as those who don't, because it makes tracking meals and exercise easy. Designed to help people achieve or maintain a healthy weight, it includes nutrition information on more than 4 million foods, including restaurant items.
• Calorie Counter takes the mystery out of counting carbs. With nearly 700,000 foods in the database, just scan a bar code or do a search, and the app tells you exactly what you're eating, whether you're buying it at the supermarket or sitting at a restaurant. You'll also get access to the MyNetDiary® community and registered dietitians.

By leveraging the powerful capabilities of diabetes management apps like mySugr, you can transform the way you manage your condition. With features designed to simplify your daily tasks, provide meaningful insights, and offer customizable options, the mySugr app allows you to take control of your diabetes in a way that’s tailored to your personal needs, and makes managing your diagnosis less of a cumbersome task. Instead, it can become a seamless part of your routine, empowering you to lead a healthier and more fulfilling life. So, embrace the future and let technology be your ally in your diabetes management journey!

Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. Android is a trademark of Google LLC. MyFitnessPal is a registered trademark of Under Armour, Inc. MyNetDiary is a registered trademark of MyNetDiary Inc.

Resources:

1. Debong F, Mayer H, and Kober J. Real-World Assessments of mySugr Mobile Health App. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, June 2019.
2. Kulzer B, Daenschel W, Daenschel I, et al. Integrated personalized diabetes management improves glycemic control in patients with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: Results of the PDM-ProValue study program. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 2018. 144:200-212.
3. Silver L. Smartphone Ownership Is Growing Rapidly Around the World, but Not Always Equally. Pew Research Center: Global Attitudes & Trends, 2019, February 5th.
4. Polonsky WH, Fisher L, Schikman CH, et al. Structured Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Significantly Reduces A1C Levels in Poorly Controlled, Noninsulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes: Results From the Structured Testing Program Study. Diabetes Care, 2011. 34(2):262–267.
5. Weissmann J, Mueller A, Messinger D, Parkin CG, Amann-Zalan I. Improving the Quality of Outpatient Diabetes Care Using an Information Management System: Results From the Observational VISION Study. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 2016.10(1):76–84.
6. Mora P, Buskirk A, Lyden M, et al. Use of a Novel, Remotely Connected Diabetes Management System Is Associated With Increased Treatment Satisfaction, Reduced Diabetes Distress, and Improved Glycemic Control in Individuals With Insulin-Treated Diabetes: First Results From the Personal Diabetes Management Study. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics Vol. 19, No. 12, 2017. 19(12):715-722.
7. Brotons C, et al. Benefits of a Blood Glucose Data Reader Device in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Primary Care Nurses Perspective. Poster session presented at ATTD 2012 Feb 8-11, Barcelona, Spain.
8. Hinnen DA, Buskirk A, Lyden M, et al. Use of Diabetes Data Management Software Reports by Health Care Providers, Patients With Diabetes, and Caregivers Improves Accuracy and Efficiency of Data Analysis and Interpretation Compared With Traditional Logbook Data: First Results of the Accu-Chek Connect Reports Utility and Efficiency Study (ACCRUES). Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 2015. 9(2):293-301.