A1C: What it is & 3 tips for lowering
The Hemoglobin A1C, or glycohemoglobin test, is a blood test which tells your doctor what your average blood sugar has been over the last three months. Because it is an average, there is no need to fast for this test. If you work consistently at lowering your blood sugar every day, your A1C should be lower when you have it rechecked. The A1C is one of the best indicators of diabetes control, so your doctor will want to have it checked as often as every three months.
Here are three actions that, if done consistently day in and day out, will lower your A1C:
1. Cut your intake of sugary drinks like juice, soda and sweetened coffees and teas in half. Stick with water, seltzer, unsweetened coffee and tea or if you must, diet drinks. Honey, agave and raw cane sugar affect your blood sugar the same way the white sugar does. You must decrease sugar intake to see a decrease in your A1C.
2. Walk for 15 minutes after each meal, or for forty-five minutes after your largest meal two days per week. Do this consistently for two weeks, then increase to four days per week with the ultimate goal of walking after your meals five to six days per week. A 2013 study showed that a few small walks are as effective as one large walk in lowering blood sugar over a 24 hour period.
3. Check your blood sugar as frequently as your physician or diabetes educator recommends, and report your findings to their office for feedback. (The key here is to put their feedback into action.) Most endocrinologists and diabetes educators, no matter how busy, want to see how your regimen is working for you more frequently than your biannual or quarterly check-up. If your provider’s trained eyes are satisfied with your level of control, you will have a healthier A1C reading the next time you see your provider.