Diabetes is no joke.
The CDC states that the sickness is the eighth leading cause of death in America, with half of the American population already suffering from the sickness or at risk of having it, according to the LA Times.
More recently, more than 100,00 Americans died from diabetes last year alone, which led to people calling on politicians to implement measures that work similarly to the fight against HIV/AIDS, per Reuters.
As such, it is critical to take care of the ones that already have diabetes or help prevent those already at risk of getting it. Thankfully, we have the technology to combat the sickness and keep it at bay using modern means.
In the spirit of National Diabetes Month, here are five apps you can download and install on your phone to monitor sugar levels and prevent further complications due to diabetes:
Diabetes:M
If you're looking for an app that has almost everything you need for free to help keep track of your blood sugar and other facts, Diabetes:M is what you need. According to Healthline, the app comes with test time reminders, a nutritional log and tracking system, and blood sugar mapping to keep yourself informed about your body's condition.
The best thing about this app is that the previously mentioned features are available for free, meaning that upgrading to the paid version only adds a few optional and situational features to the app, such as Bluetooth integration and smart AI assistant, per the app's official website.
Diabetes:M is capable of managing all types of diabetes or pre-diabetes.
MySugr
MySugr provides a more comprehensive overview of your body's needs when it comes to diabetes. It has everything needed to monitor type 1, type II, type III, and gestational diabetes.
According to its official website, it is compatible with an Accu-Check Insight insulin pump and comes with a Bolus delivery and advisor. It even has Blood Glucose Graphs to help you monitor your body's needs and even some challenges for you to do to help keep yourself active and healthy.
Unfortunately, to get these features, you'll have to pay at least $3 monthly. However, getting an Accu-Chek insulin pump and synching that to the app gives you these features for free.
BlueStar Diabetes
If you're looking for a diabetes management app that feels professional, BlueStar Diabetes is the app for you. According to Very Well Health, it is a comprehensive app that can provide 24/7 real-time coaching from Certified Diabetes Educators. It can track blood sugar results, provide Diabetes-friendly ideas for recipes, and even immediate feedback from those diabetes coaches from earlier.
However, the only downside to this app is that it is only available through a prescription, and it is only intended for type 1 and type 2 diabetic people 17 years old and above.
Glucose Buddy
Glucose Buddy can be described as one of the diabetes management apps you go to when you want simplified, easy-to-understand results. According to the app's official website, it comes with connected SMART meters for accurate blood sugar readings, insulin, and even medications in real-time.
Just like with BlueStar Diabetes, it comes with round-the-clock coaching from certified diabetes coaches whenever you need it.
Additionally, the app helps you track your physical activity and food intake with graphs to help you spot problematic patterns.
However, to get the services of a diabetes coach along with performance reports, smart glucose meters, and even an A1C calculator, you'll have to pay quite a hefty fee - between $15 and $60 monthly, in fact.
Calorie Counter by FatSecret
Last but not least is Calorie Counter by FatSecret, an app that Amy Kimberlain, CDCES, a registered dietitian and a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, often uses with her patients.
According to Everyday Health, the app lets you track your food intake by scanning your food's bar code or snapping a photo, exercise, and weight through an email.
It even comes with a recipe library to help you cook healthy diabetes-friendly food anytime.
Although the app is free, its in-app purchases allow you to upgrade it to include more features like advanced meal planning and dietitian-crafted meal plans for $6.99 monthly.
