Generally speaking, the word "breathalyzer" carries a pretty negative connotation. We hear the word, and almost immediately images of drunk driving, police action, danger, recklessness and so on enter into our minds. Like I said, pretty negative stuff. But, there may be a reason why using a breath test could have a much more positive ring to it.

A graduate student and his adviser at Mississippi State University have developed a new non-invasive "breathalyzer" of sorts that may possibly be an alternative method of tracking day-to-day glucose levels. By measuring the levels of acetone in someone's breath (acetone levels rise in the lungs when blood sugar is high), the researchers were able to tell when someone may need to adjust their insulin.

The use of a breath test, in lieu of pricking one's finger and placing the blood on a traditional blood glucose testing meter, is something that could prove to be rather convenient for people with diabetes. Unfortunately, because this device is still in the infancy of its research, it may be some time before it goes beyond the clinical testing phase, let alone being made available to the general public. In the meantime, keep thinking those good thoughts.