Tracking | Understanding your numbers
How to Get an A on Your A1C Test
Five tips for lowering this important number
Regular blood glucose testing isn’t the only important indicator of your control. The hemoglobin A1C test, which measures the amount of glucose in your red blood cells, provides an average of your glucose control over a period of two to three months. People with lower A1C levels have less risk for diabetes complications.
The American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C of 7% or less. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists suggests you aim for 6.5% or less.
If your A1C is not where you and your health care team desire it to be, read these tips and see if any can be applied to your daily living.
Tip 1: Test your blood glucose around meal times. Testing before and two hours after a meal can help you determine if the amount of carbohydrate in your meal worked for you.
Tip 2: Adjust the amount of carbohydrate in your meals to achieve optimal blood-glucose levels after eating. Consistency in the amount of carbs consumed in your daily meals can also help improve after-meal blood glucose.
Tip 3: Walk 30 minutes most days of the week. Exercise helps to lower glucose as your muscles use it to move. Plus, your liver gets busy replacing its glucose stores, which also lowers your blood glucose many hours afterward.
Tip 4: Make sure you are taking your diabetes medication at the right times. Skipping or forgetting your medications can impact the overall effectiveness of the medications. Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about how to take them.
Tip 5: See a diabetes educator! One study has suggested that people with diabetes who get diabetes education from a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) have better glucose control. Ask your physician for a referral to a CDE and get the education you need to help you live a life without limits!
