According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 96 million Americans have prediabetes and they don’t even know it. It’s very common and there are simple lifestyle changes that people can implement to prevent the condition from deteriorating into full-blown diabetes.

People with a family history are at greatest risk of developing prediabetes, along with those of African-American, Hispanic, and Native American descent. Other risk factors include being overweight, people age 45 and over, and those with a sedentary lifestyle.

Lose Weight

Never start an exercise program without a doctor’s clearance. Start slowly and don’t expect instant results. Individuals don’t have to start a hard-core gym regimen, though they can work with a trained coach if desired.

It’s important that individuals choose a type of activity they enjoy doing. That can encompass horseback riding, walking, biking, swimming, bowling or badminton. No one is going to keep doing something they don’t enjoy.

Eat Healthy

Make an appointment with a nutritionist. The professional can teach individuals how to eat healthy and make healthy choices. Individuals will also learn how food choices affect blood sugar levels.

Stress & Motivation

Stress can result in overeating and an abundance of comfort foods, both of which are detrimental for those with prediabetes. High and sustained levels of stress hormones affect the amount of insulin the body produces.

Staying motivated can be a problem for those managing prediabetes. A lapse in daily exercise or consuming a cookie doesn’t mean the entire plan for managing prediabetes has failed. People should be kind to themselves and plan for ultimate success.

Stop Smoking

A little-known fact, even among those with diabetes, is that smoking increases insulin resistance, making it difficult for the body to use insulin effectively. There are a number of smoking cessation methods from which to choose and not everyone responds the same way to each technique. If one method doesn’t work, try a different one.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

People with diabetes may think sports drinks are a good way to hydrate and limit caloric intake, but they’re one of the worst options available. Drinks that are “sugar free” or “zero” calorie should be avoided. Even if the beverages don’t contain traditional cane sugar, they’re made with sweeteners. The body treats all types of sugars the same, no matter what the source.

Water

Plain water is the best source of hydration and doesn’t contain unwanted sugars or calories. Water is essential for the proper functioning of the body and aids in managing diabetes.

Flavored Water

A great many people simply don’t like drinking plain water. For those individuals, flavored water is the solution. It can be flavored with natural fruits to make it more palatable. Pre-bottled flavored water typically includes artificial sweeteners.

Coconut Water

Flavorful and low on the glycemic index, coconut water contains very little sugar. It won’t dramatically spike glucose levels and is a source of natural electrolytes.

Tea & Coffee

Science has determined that both beverages have health benefits, contains no sugars, and only 20 calories. The range of flavors and types are highly diverse. Drink tea and coffee plain, don’t add sugar, and consume in moderation. A word of warning – people that drink 500 mg. of caffeine in a short period of time increased their blood glucose levels.

Milk & Milk Alternatives

Choose options that are unsweetened – including chocolate milk and almond milk. They’re a good source of vitamins and minerals. The beverages are lower in sugars and carbohydrates than others. Be sure to check the labels as all products aren’t created equal and individuals may inadvertently spike their glucose levels.

Electrolyte Mixes

There are a few organic electrolyte powders that are relatively low in sugars. The powder can be mixed in a bottle of water on the go, but use with caution.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Once used, diabetic supplies contaminated with blood are considered biomedical waste and be disposed of in a manner that’s appropriate and approved. Individuals must dispose of their test strips in the same manner as their lancets and syringes, often in a sharps container.

Sharps containers can be purchased at many pharmacies and medical supply outlets, but they can be costly. Cost depends on the size, quality, and model selected. It’s a long-term, ongoing expense. They can be purchased for as little as $6 to as much as $47. Some are clearly marked FDA-approved, while others are not, even though they’re safe to use.

However, a sharps container isn’t always absolutely necessary. The Florida Health Department allows for another method of disposal. Individuals can place their lancets, syringes and test strips in a metal or heavy plastic container, such as a laundry detergent, fabric softener or color safe bleach jug. It can then be placed in the trash.

The container’s top should be secured shut with heavy duty tape when full. The words “medical waste” should be clearly written in marker on the outside of the jug. It’s important for individuals to check with their waste disposal provider to ensure the company permits that type of disposal. Even though the Dept. of Health allows it, some companies won’t accept jugs or sharps containers.

Many counties and health departments have created drop off programs and sites where individuals can leave their sharps containers or laundry jugs for disposal. People may also find the same type of drop off initiatives at clinics, hospitals, medical waste facilities, and pharmacies.

It’s important that diabetic supplies that have come into contact with blood be disposed of properly. The blood itself isn’t dangerous, it’s the potential pathogens that may be contained within the blood that pose a problem, even if individuals aren’t aware of them.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Diabetes is perhaps one of the most confusing and frustrating of diseases. It tends to sneak up on you with few symptoms. Test strips will play a major role in monitoring the disease and they can be expensive due to the wide range of healthcare coverage provided. If you’re fortunate enough to receive more test strips than you need, you can sell them for extra cash.

You won’t get rich selling your surplus test strips, but you will be putting some extra cash in your pocket to pay for extras. There’s little effort involved and you’ll be helping people that are unable to afford the test strips they need.

There are companies that will purchase your extra test strips and resell them at a discount to those that are uninsured or underinsured. Even those that are fully insured may not receive the number of test strips they require. Physicians tell patients to test a certain number of times, but insurance companies may countermand their decision and only cover a specific number of test strips.

To be eligible for resale, the test strips can’t be paid for through government provided healthcare such as Medicare or Medicaid. They must be in the original, undamaged box and have at a minimum expiration date of at least 8 months.

The company that purchases your test strips will even pay for the postage. The test strips will be evaluated to ensure they meet the requirements. If they do, payment will be issued according to your wishes, whether it’s a check or through digital deposit.

Selling your test strips will help others who need them, can’t afford their high cost, and who might otherwise place their health at risk by not testing as often as needed. It’s also an eco-friendly solution that keeps test strips out of landfills.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Every woman is familiar with the blood tests her OB/GYN orders throughout her pregnancy. He/she is looking for many indicators, including evidence that the patient is developing gestational diabetes. The individual may need to take an oral medication and/or insulin.

Gestational Diabetes

In the U.S., approximately 6-9 percent of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes. It occurs when a woman’s pancreas can’t make enough insulin to use blood sugar for energy. The condition typically goes away after the baby is born, but additional blood tests will need to be performed to make sure.

However, in some instances, the disease persists and doesn’t disappear. It’s then defined as Type 2 diabetes. Even when the disease does vanish women that develop gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life.

It’s important that gestational diabetes be detected early. Uncontrolled gestational diabetes results in extra-large babies. It has the potential to cause problems with the delivery. Babies can be born with nerve damage that occurs during delivery and can necessitate the need for a C-section. The disease can also cause high-blood pressure.

Gestational diabetes often doesn’t present any overt symptoms and is often mistaken for normal signs of pregnancy that includes an increase in thirst, tiredness, and more frequent urination. Science doesn’t know why some women develop the disease and others don’t.

Some women are at more risk than others of developing diabetes during pregnancy. They include women with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, women who have previously had a baby weighing 10 lbs. or more, and those who developed gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy. Women of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American descent are more likely to develop the disease.

Women can help manage and control the potential for developing the disease while pregnancy by eating healthy, exercising, and taking medication if required. More frequent checkups and blood work will be required

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Most diabetics are worried about not having a large enough sample when testing their glucose levels, receiving an error message, and wasting one of the valuable and expensive strips. What you may not know is that you can also have too much blood on your test strip. Test strips will take up the correct amount of blood, but you don’t want blood covering the end of the strip.

Each test strip manufacturer has a recommended amount of blood needed for their brand of test strips. An over abundance of blood will result in an error message or inaccurate results. Inaccurate readings can also occur if you scrape the test strip over your finger or otherwise have the test strip contact anything other than the blood sample. Fingers that are damp or sticky can throw off readings.

There are very definite guidelines when using test strips to avoid inaccurate readings. You should wash and dry your hands thoroughly each time before you test. A variety of contaminants can be found on the hands, even if they don’t appear dirty.

Hard squeezing of your finger to obtain enough blood shouldn’t be done. People with poor circulation are more apt to do this, as their hands are cold and blood may not flow as freely. Warm your hands before pricking the site for a blood sample.

Blood glucose manufacturers recommend that you use an alcohol wipe to sterilize the testing site. However, many in the medical community are now advising against doing so as it can result in a reading that’s too low.

For decades, individuals have been directed to prick a finger for their blood sample. However, there are more nerve endings in your fingers and many in the medical community are recommending that you use other sites and to change the test site in a regular sequence. Using expired test strips will also result in inaccurate readings.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Test strips are an essential part of successfully monitoring blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. Most insurance benefits cover test strips, as does Medicaid and Medicare, but the amount of coverage depends on the health insurance benefits and co-pays of the individual plan.

Test strips are one of the most expensive items for monitoring blood sugar and even with insurance, they can be expensive due to co-pays and the need to meet deductibles. They can also be purchased over-the-counter at pharmacies, but the cost can be prohibitive for those that are uninsured or underinsured.

Most insurance companies will cover test strips, but the amount and brands can vary by provider. Some insurance companies only pay for a certain amount of test strips, which may not meet the needs of the individual. Other insurance companies pay for a set number of strips that are far more than the individual needs per month.

Depending on the insurer, there may be expensive co-pays that are even more costly than if the person just bought them over-the-counter. It’s imperative that individuals understand what diabetic supplies their insurer will cover each month.

Medicare Part B will pay for 100 test strips per month if an individual injects insulin. For those that are on oral medication only, Medicare will pay for 100 test strips every 3 months. A prescription from a doctor is required for Medicare to cover the cost and deductibles and co-pays will apply.

When it comes to Medicaid, each state decides what diabetic supplies are covered, even though the program is partly funded by the federal government. The state also determines if there are “preferred” medications or supplies that Medicaid will cover.

There’s still wide spread confusion among diabetics as to what their medical plans cover due to the variations in insurance plans and the regulations that states place upon Medicaid plans. Even for those with Medicare, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance will apply and much will depend on if the individual has drug coverage (Part D) or a Medicare Advantage Plan.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Establishing good eating habits in children as toddlers can help them in avoiding a variety of diseases and health-related problems as adults. Toddlers can be finicky eaters, but there are some strategies that parents and caregivers can utilize to create good eating habits.

Small Portions

Portion control is one of the most important elements of teaching good eating habits. Keep portions small so they don’t feel overwhelmed. It will also aid them in not following “super-size” trends.

Different Foods

Don’t expect toddlers to like every food that’s offered. Some people just don’t like the taste or texture of certain foods. If a toddler flatly refuses a food, don’t force them to eat it. Bear in mind that their tastes will change over time and they may like something that was previously rejected. Keep serving healthy foods.

Old and New

It can be easier to get toddlers to eat a new offering when it’s served with a food with which they’re familiar and they already like.

Healthy Snacks

Offer a variety of healthy snacks such as apple slices, bananas, carrot sticks, cottage cheese and yogurt. Try offering berries, cucumber slices, celery sticks or graham crackers, along with sunflower seeds, or meat and cheese cubes.

Avoid Power Struggles

Food is one of the first areas where children will try to exert some control. Let them feed themselves as much as possible – it gives them that feeling of control. Don’t threaten, negotiate, bargain or bribe them for trying new foods. It only serves to escalate power struggles.

Model Eating Habits

Toddlers tend to imitate what they see their parents do. Try cooking more at home and eating meals as a family. Stay away from fast food whenever possible. Letting toddlers see that their parents like different foods and eat them is the best example for teaching toddlers healthy eating habits.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

People with diabetes must test their blood sugar periodically throughout the day. Doing so is a life and death situation. That testing tells them if they need to inject insulin. Much has been written about the dangers of diabetes and insulin resistance, leading many to take the pre-emptive step of regularly testing and/or using modern technology to track their blood glucose levels in real-time.

An increasing number of doctors are even recommending testing to help people stay healthier by learning how food and exercise affects them and their energy levels. Surprisingly, people are discovering that supposedly healthy options, such as fruit, can spike sugar levels higher than cookies.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices make it easy for individuals to track and monitor blood sugar levels, without painful finger pricks, and the technology provides a more accurate and up-to-the-minute view of how dietary choices affect glucose levels. Many people are turning to CGMs or even traditional monitoring methods because they’re at a higher risk of developing the disease due to a family history.

Individuals should know that CGM technology requires a prescription. For those that haven’t been diagnosed as diabetic, insurance probably won’t cover the cost and the devices aren’t cheap. Many insurers won’t cover the cost at all, deeming traditional meters and test strips as a more cost-effective solution for the insurance company.

In some instances, durable medical equipment (DME) insurance benefits may cover the cost. Others are ordering their CGMs from Europe where at least one brand of CGM is available without a prescription.

There are multiple guidelines that diabetics must follow to stay healthy and control their blood sugar levels. The use of CGMs by non-diabetics can provide powerful and important insight into established “rules” by which diabetics currently live. It can be helpful in creating more effective dietary methods of managing diabetes.

The devices are an effective way to preemptively address the disease before it develops. It can be equally important for learning how medications, stress and other factors directly affect blood sugar levels.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!

Diabetics are advised to eat a healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables. However, there are some fruits that will spike sugar levels quicker than others, some even more so than a cookie.

It doesn’t matter whether individuals prefer fresh or dried fruit, they need to be cautious when consuming grapes, bananas, pineapple and watermelon due to their high sugar content. Sweet cherries, raisins, apricots, mangos and figs are also on the list of high sugar fruits. When fruits are dried, the moisture is removed and the inherent sugars become concentrated.

It’s also important to know that fruit juices will increase sugar levels quicker than fresh fruit, which is why many people keep a bottle of fruit juice on hand for after workouts. High sugar fruits and juices must be consumed in moderation. Avoid fruits that are packed in syrup.

Berries are a good alternative that won’t produce an immediate, high spike in blood glucose levels. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are much better options. Pay close attention to recommended serving sizes when consuming any fruit and be aware that the riper the fruit, the higher the sugar content.

Individuals will need to know serving sizes and the glycemic index number of the fruits they want to eat. People no longer have to deal with the tedious task of looking through pages of written documents to determine those levels. There are numerous apps available that provide all of the needed information to make the best fruit choices for a diabetic diet.

People diagnosed with diabetes used to be told they couldn’t have fruit at all. Current diabetic guidelines no longer adhere to that flawed method. Diabetics can and do consume fruit as part of a healthy diet, they just can’t eat unlimited amounts and should look for fruits that have the lowest glycemic index ratings.

If you would like to find out about earning cash for your unwanted, unused and boxed test strips, complete our online quote form today.

If you have extra, unopened and unused boxes of diabetic test strips – whether you have switched brands, no longer need to test or test less frequently, or have a loved one who has passed away – don’t let them gather dust until they’ve expired and end up in the trash. We’re the best place to sell diabetic test strips online, and if you want to sell your test strips, we’re here to make the process easy and enjoyable!

Visit us at Sell Your Test Strips and get your free quote today!