Answering Your A1C Questions

The “A” in A1C doesn’t stand for “answers,” but it may as well for the purpose of this article. That’s because this article provides answers for some of the most common A1C questions people like you are asking today.

The right answers are important because diabetes is a serious medical condition that can lead to:

  • Heart disease and stroke
  • Blindness
  • Kidney disease
  • Amputations

Please remember: Always consult your physician
for personalized medical information and guidance.

What is A1C?

Physicians administer the A1C test to determine your average blood sugar level over the previous three months.

What is a Good A1C Level?

Physicians prefer seeing an A1C level below 5.7%. Any result higher than that and you may be diagnosed as pre-diabetic or diabetic.

How Can I Lower My A1C Level?

There’s no single way to lower your A1C level. A multi-pronged approach will work best:

  1. Communication
  2. Diet
  3. Exercise
  4. Medicine

Why is Communication So Important to Lowering A1C?

Admittedly, it may seem odd to have “communication” as a top tactic. But don’t underestimate the power of clear, honest, and continuing conversations with your healthcare provider about the changes you can make — and stick with — to lower your A1C level.

How Can I Lower My A1C with Diet?

A low-carb or medium-carb diet is considered effective for lowering A1C levels. Refined foods are best avoided in favor of whole foods such as green, leafy vegetables, legumes, and nuts.

Which Foods Lower A1C Levels?

WebMD recommends the following foods for lowering your A1C level:

  1. Raw, cooked, or roasted vegetables such as mushrooms, onions, eggplant, and zucchini
  2. Greens such as kale, spinach, and chard
  3. Low-calorie drinks such as tea or water infused with cucumbers or lemon
  4. Melon or berries
  5. Whole-grain, higher-fiber foods such as dried beans, peas, and lentils
  6. “Good” fat choices such as olive oil, avocado, and fatty fish (like salmon)
  7. Protein such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, and lean meats

Can I Lower My A1C Overnight?

No. Rome wasn’t built in a day — and neither are the kinds of healthy, long-lasting changes you need to make to achieve a lower A1C score.

How Can I Lower My A1C Quickly?

If you communicate with your healthcare provider, make good food choices, exercise, and take whatever medicine is prescribed to you, you’ll achieve greater control over your A1C level than ever before.

Does Exercise Lower A1C?

Exercise is a leading tool in the battle against high A1C levels and many other health issues. That’s because exercise — even a physical activity such as gardening — lowers insulin resistance.

Don’t worry: this doesn’t mean you have to adopt the same training regimen as an Olympic athlete. Work with your healthcare provider to set realistic activity goals. They may incorporate walking, jogging, and biking.  

One More A1C Question Worth Asking …

DEXA machines are ideal for gauging a person’s body composition. That includes bone density, muscle mass, and visceral fat. Visceral fat is especially important, since its presence and amount may serve as early indicators of metabolic syndrome — the broader category under which diabetes resides.

To better understand how an easy, affordable DEXA scan can deliver vital health information to help you combat unfavorable A1C numbers, speak with your physical today. And if you find the idea of a DEXA scan compelling, click here to search for a welcoming DEXA Plus partner location near you.

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