5 Effective Ways to Lower Your A1C Levels
Diabetes can be quite frustrating to deal with. As it’s a chronic disorder, it needs to be managed responsibly all the time. If it’s not handled the way it is supposed to be then it can lead to several health complications that aren’t easy to reverse after a certain age. However, with an appropriate and optimistic approach, one can easily tone down the intensity of diabetes. Moreover, you can get started by proactively testing your A1C diabetes evaluation.
Understanding A1C tests and its purpose
A1C is a form of blood glucose test that is designed to check if you are suffering from type 2 diabetes. For people who are already suffering from diabetes, it is used to assess how efficiently have they been handling their diabetic condition. Therefore, this test is conducted every 2 to 3 months to project your average blood glucose levels.
Features of the A1C test
- This type of blood glucose test does not mandate your food consumption patterns during an assessment.
- An A1C test measures your diabetes levels, reflecting on your control and improvement in the past few months.
- It projects more accurate results, unlike a fasting test that fluctuates throughout the day.
How to read the A1C scores
The numbers expressed in an A1C test are often expressed in percentages. Hence, if your report suggests a higher number you might be vulnerable to several risks associated with type 2 diabetes. If your A1C test scores lie between 5.7 and 6.5 then you have prediabetes, i.e., high blood sugar, which can possibly trigger the condition of diabetes. On the other hand, if your tests suggest a percentage score above 6.5 then you mostly are dealing with the type 2 diabetes.
How to lower A1C levels
If you happen to be dealing with concerning A1C levels then don’t get anxious as you can achieve the lost control. However, for doing so, you should exercise extreme patience and discipline. To help you get healthy and organized, here’s a list of measures that you can take to get your A1C levels of diabetes under control:
Understand your diabetes levels
To tackle your A1C levels, you should begin by understanding your results. If they are high, you must strongly ponder the reasons. Is it your diet, lifestyle habits, lack of exercise, or stress? Then, lay down all your challenges and goals in a log book, which will help you record as well as track your progress as well as shortcomings.
Have a word with your healthcare professional
There might be certain facets of A1C levels that you could be unable to comprehend. In such situations, it is ideal to fix an appointment with your physician who could offer with some valued assistance. You can also build a plan with your doctor, involving essential factors like medications, diet, and exercise.
Start with food
Unsupervised eating habits are the main culprit for unstable A1C levels; therefore, your job is to eliminate and moderate. You should cease consuming foods containing refined sugars and unhealthy saturated fats, which can be mostly found in fast food chains. The idea is to cut down on junk food immediately and eat meals prepared at home. In terms of moderation, you must maintain a smart balance between all kinds of foods like vegetables, fruits, meats, nuts dairy, legumes, and cereals.
If you seem to be confused, you can always can a word with a nutritionist who can help you design an effective regime.
Regular workout
Maintaining a healthy body weight is extremely imperative when you are dealing with diabetes. So, if you happen to be overweight, aim to lose some weight as it will surely diminish some levels of risks for such as sluggish healing, eye problems, foot swelling etc. Moreover, remember to seek the counsel of your doctor before you commence any exercises, as they are a better judge of what would work best for you.
On the other hand, if you already have an ideal weight, then your focus should be to sustain it by regularly working out. You should at least dedicate 30 minutes of the day for simple workout activities such as brisk walking, cycling, and light jogging.
Let go of stress
Your stress levels can significantly affect the way your body functions. This can lead to inconsistencies in several routine tasks. So, you must take control and gently handle stress. You can resolve this by regularly interacting with loved ones, getting active, meditating, etc. You can find online support groups as well to share and listen to experiences.
It is natural that concerning A1C test results can be quite intimidating. However, rather than perceiving it as a disappointment you must label it as an opportunity to enhance your wellbeing. With the above-mentioned measures, you can successfully lower A1C levels for a healthier and more fulfilling life.