Many people fear blood tests, and they may even put off going to the doctor if they feel they may be diagnosed with diabetes. Well, these days a sugar test for diabetes is a very simple procedure that is practically painless. Also known as the fasting blood sugar test, this can be done during a regular visit or check up. You must fast for 8 hours in order for the results to be accurate, no food or sugary drinks are a prerequisite!

When accompanied by the classic diabetic symptoms (such as consistant thirst and hunger, frequent urination, loss of weight and blurry vision), a blood sugar level of 126 mg/dL or higher can indicate a diabetic condition.

Usually, doctors perform this test twice to make sure the reading is accurate. A pinprick on your arm is the only pain; in fact the hardest part about this procedure may just be clearing your social calender to make the appointment!

Many people are nervous about getting tested for diabetes because the idea of blood tests makes them nervous. Even knowing whether or not diabetes is the diagnosis is not enough for some to get up the courage for the blood test.

To honor those fears, here's a quick guide of what to expect when taking blood sugar tests at the doctors'.

1. This a fasting test, so you really shouldn't eat anything 6 hours before the test. If you take the test in the morning, just don't eat breakfast.

2. The test does require a sample of blood to be taken from a vein. Doctors and nurses usually take the blood from a vein behind the elbow or behind the hand.

3. The only painful part is the initial piercing of the skin by the needle, which is always clean, sharp and will be disposed of immediately. Sometimes there is slight uncomfort when they remove the needle.

4. Just look away! It's easy to not have to look at the blood being drawn; consider bringing something to read to help you distract yourself.

5. That's it! That wasn't so bad, was it? I find that most people are scared because they don't know what to expect, so I hope this hub helps.

There's a lot of information to absorb if you are new to the diabetes lifestyle. So here's one more quick primer before your attention span goes elsewhere.

Diabetes insulin is the full name of what is usually just called insulin. This is the hormone that is responsible to converting sugars in the body to a form of energy that can be used. Secreted by the pancreas, diabetes insulin is at the center of metabolism issues such as diabetes and hypoglycemia. When not enough insulin is produced, the condition of diabetes results, as sugars build up in the blood because they are not being used by the body. If there is too little sugar in the blood, on the other hand, hypoglycemia can result.

Both of these conditions can be treated successfully with changes in diet and exercise, although technically there is no cure for diabetes. More extreme cases of diabetes, of course, require the injection of insulin, such as in cases when the pancreas is not producing insulin at all.

Healthy blood is regulated by the pancreas, so diabetes insulin really is the key to blood health.