STOP Making These Blood Sugar Mistakes (Diabetics Need to Know This)

If you want better blood sugar control, you must STOP Making These Blood Sugar Mistakes (Diabetics Need to Know This) before they quietly sabotage your results.

Many people test their blood sugar daily, follow doctor instructions, and still feel stuck. The problem often isn’t effort—it’s misinformation, testing errors, and a poor understanding of how blood sugar actually works.

This guide breaks down 13 common blood sugar testing mistakes, explains what normal really means, and shows how insulin resistance—not sugar alone—drives type 2 diabetes.

What Is Normal Blood Sugar (The Shocking Truth)

Your entire bloodstream should contain only one teaspoon of sugar at any given time.

That’s it.

• Pre-diabetes: ~1.5 teaspoons
• Type 2 diabetes: ~2 teaspoons

This surprises most people because the average person consumes 50 to 100+ teaspoons of sugar daily when hidden sugars from starch are included.

So why doesn’t all that sugar stay in the blood?

Insulin: The Real Hidden Player

Insulin acts like a vacuum, pulling sugar out of the bloodstream and storing it as:

• Body fat
• Stored sugar (glycogen) in the liver and muscles

Doctors usually focus only on blood sugar numbers. Insulin levels are rarely tested—even though insulin is often sky-high long before diabetes is diagnosed.

Your body can also make sugar on its own, even if you eat none. The liver produces glucose because a small amount is essential for survival.

The problem begins when excess carbs, sugar, and frequent snacking overload the system. Blood sugar creeps up. Insulin rises. Then insulin resistance sets in.

Insulin Resistance: The Root of the Problem

With insulin resistance:

• Cells stop responding properly to insulin
• Sugar struggles to enter cells
• The liver overproduces glucose

In fact, 80% of blood sugar in diabetics comes from the liver, not food. Only 20% comes directly from the diet.

This is why medications like metformin work—they tell the liver to slow down sugar production.

Insulin resistance is also linked to chronic disease, dementia, and Alzheimer’s, often referred to as “type 3 diabetes of the brain.”

13 Blood Sugar Testing Mistakes You Must Avoid

1. Not Washing Your Hands

Fruit juice or food residue on fingers can falsely raise readings.
Always wash with soap and water and dry completely.

2. Testing Before Alcohol Dries

Wet alcohol can raise readings by 10–40 points.
Wait at least 30 seconds before testing.

3. Using Alcohol Wipes with Glycerin

Some wipes contain glycerin, which can skew results upward.
Use plain alcohol wipes only.

4. Using Expired Test Strips

Expired strips can give inaccurate readings.
Always check the expiration date.

5. Testing After Extreme Heat or Cold

Saunas, hot tubs, or cold plunges can alter readings by up to 30 points.
Test at normal body temperature.

6. Taking Tylenol or Vitamin C Before Testing

• Tylenol can raise blood sugar
• Vitamin C can spike readings 30–50 points

Avoid supplements before fasting tests.

7. Squeezing or “Milking” Your Finger

This mixes interstitial fluid with blood and lowers readings falsely.
Let the blood drop form naturally.

8. Using Inconsistent Fingers

Different fingers can give different results.
Stick to the middle or ring finger.

9. Misunderstanding Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs)

CGMs measure interstitial fluid, not blood directly.
Readings lag behind finger pricks, especially after meals.

Post-meal testing window: 1–2 hours consistently.

10. Sleeping on Your CGM

Pressure on the sensor can distort readings overnight.

11. Testing at High Altitudes

Lower oxygen levels can throw off results, especially above 10,000 feet.

12. Drinking Coffee Before Testing

Caffeine raises cortisol and adrenaline, increasing blood sugar by up to 20 points.

Stress has the same effect. Cortisol is a glucose-releasing hormone.

13. Dehydration

Lack of water or electrolytes can alter readings by 10–15 points.

Hydration includes:

• Water
• Salt
• Potassium
• Magnesium

Morning High Blood Sugar (Dawn Phenomenon Explained)

Waking up with high blood sugar—even after fasting—is common.

This happens because:

• Cortisol spikes in the morning
• The insulin-resistant liver releases excess glucose

This is not food-related. It’s a liver issue—and it improves with time and the right approach.

Understanding A1C (And Why It Can Be Misleading)

A1C measures average blood sugar over three months, not daily swings.

Important factors that affect A1C:

• Ethnicity (red blood cell lifespan varies)
• Anemia
• Long-term low-carb or ketogenic diets

Slightly higher A1C may still be normal depending on these variables.

How to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally

Reversing type 2 diabetes is possible because the liver responds quickly to change.

The Core Strategy

• Low-carb ketogenic diet
• Intermittent fasting (2 meals or even 1 per day)

Lower carbs = lower insulin = fat loss from the liver.

Within weeks, up to 50% of liver fat can be reduced.

Some people see reversal in 10 weeks, others take longer—but improvement begins fast.

Ways to Speed Up Results

• Regular exercise
• Walking after meals, especially in the morning
• Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp diluted before meals)
• Berberine (natural metformin alternative)
• Quality sleep
• Stress control
• Daily sunlight exposure

Consistency matters more than perfection.

Final Thoughts

Blood sugar control isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding what drives them.

When you STOP Making These Blood Sugar Mistakes (Diabetics Need to Know This), you gain clarity, accuracy, and real progress.

Fix the testing errors. Lower insulin. Support the liver.
That’s how lasting blood sugar control actually happens.