What Is Your Goal For The Result Of Your A1c Test What: Fill & Download for Free

What can a type 2 diabetic do as far as diet to control his A1C?When you have diabetes, you probably know you should check your blood sugar regularly. Your doctor will also recommend that you take an A1c blood test a few times a year, with a goal of lowering the results to help protect your health. And there’s a lot you can do to move toward meeting that goal.Unlike a regular blood sugar test, the A1c test measures the amount of sugar that clings to a protein, called hemoglobin, in your red blood cells. The test shows your average blood sugar levels over the past few months, so you know how well your diabetes is under control.In general, the goal for your A1c is to be lower than 7%. Exactly how much lower will depend on your individual treatment plan. When you take steps to get your A1c in a healthy range, you lower your risk of complications such as nerve damage, eye problems, and heart disease.Your doctor will let you know the best target for your A1c. How do you get there? Here are a few tactics to try, in addition to taking any medications your doctor prescribes.Get some new kitchen gear. You’ll want to get a set of measuring cups and a kitchen scale if you don’t already have them. These will help you with your portion sizes. Your blood sugar will go up if you eat more food than your body needs. Keeping servings in check is a good way to reduce your A1c level.Be carb smart. It’s true that carbohydrates affect your blood sugar more than other nutrients you eat. Chances are that if you overdo starchy carbs on a regular basis, your A1c number will start to creep up. But remember, all carbs aren’t a problem. You want ones that have a lot of fiber and nutrients, more than those that just serve up starch.Tweak your plate. Experts advise filling about half your plate with vegetables that are low in starch, such as carrots, greens, zucchini, or tomatoes. One-quarter of your plate should be a lean protein like chicken or tofu, and the last quarter should be whole grains like brown rice or quinoa.Make a plan. The guidelines for what to put on your plate give you a lot of flexibility. But even though it sounds simple, you’ll probably be better off if you plan your meals. Why? If you skip set menus and eat on the fly, it’s easy to end up with calorie-dense, high-carbohydrate food choices -- like fast food, bagels, and frozen pizza -- that will cause your blood sugar and A1c numbers to soar.Hypoglycemia Diet: How to help low blood sugar - Click Here to Read

When you have diabetes, you probably know you should check your blood sugar regularly. Your doctor will also recommend that you take an A1c blood test a few times a year, with a goal of lowering the results to help protect your health. And there’s a lot you can do to move toward meeting that goal.Unlike a regular blood sugar test, the A1c test measures the amount of sugar that clings to a protein, called hemoglobin, in your red blood cells. The test shows your average blood sugar levels over the past few months, so you know how well your diabetes is under control.Here are 4 ways to lower your A1C:Make a planTake stock of your goals and challenges. A plan will help you figure out your biggest challenges, like:losing weightexercisingcoping with stresseating a healthy dietCreate a diabetes management planIf you have diabetes, create a diabetes management plan with your doctor. Your plan should include:emergency contactsmedical instructionsmedication listtarget blood glucose levelsinstructions on how to testinformation on how often to testplan on how to correct low blood sugarsTrack what you eatUse an online tool or print out a chart to record what you eat and when you eat. Tracking what you eat makes you aware of foods and behaviors you can change to decrease your A1C. This can also help you monitor your carbohydrate intake, which is important for managing blood sugar.Eat a healthy dietTo eat a healthy diet, do the following:Take in fewer calories than you burn.Choose foods with less trans fats and fewer added sugars.Eat fewer processed foods.Treatment of type 2 diabetes - Click Here To Read

Type 2 diabetes is a complex, chronic condition. Managing it effectively means using multiple risk-reduction strategies while also achieving your target goal for blood sugar control.To decide which treatment plan will benefit you the most, your doctor will consider the following factors:presence or absence of heart disease, whichincludes a history of heart attacks, strokes, or congestive heart failurepresence or absence of chronic kidney diseasethe risk of low blood sugar with any particulartherapy optionpotential side effects of treatmentbody weight and the potential for the treatmentto affect body weightcost of the medication and insurance coverageyour individual preferences and if you thinkyou’ll be able to stick with the treatment planYour doctor will also consider your A1C test results, which provide information about your average blood sugar levels over the past three months.Metformin is usually the first medication recommended for type 2 diabetes, unless there are specific reasons not to use it. Your doctor may prescribe other medications at the same time as metformin, if you need them.Each single medication generally lowers an individual’s A1C level by a certain amount. Some medications are more effective and can reduce A1C by 1 to 1.5 percent. Others may only reduce it by 0.5 to 0.8 percent.The goal of your treatment is to lower your A1C below 7 percent. This target is set by the American Diabetes Association guidelines. If an individual’s A1C is over 9 percent, it’s common for two medications to be started at the same time.Your doctor will also emphasize that lifestyle changes are an important part of your overall treatment plan for type 2 diabetes.treatment diabetes - click here to read