Diabetes Experts Share Ways To Lower Your A1C Levels

Diabetes management at home is an important way of controlling your blood sugar levels without the help of an expert.
In that sense, you are in control of your diabetes on a daily basis. However, the American Diabetes Associations’ recommends that a person with diabetes should get their A1C tested by a doctor at least two times a year. The test will give you a picture of your journey with diabetes as a whole. Now, once you do get the numbers, what do you do with that information?
If you are on the right track, you will continue doing whatever it is that has been working so far. you feel encouraged! However, if the numbers are not what you and your health care provider were expecting, it is imperative that you embark on the path to lowering them so you can avoid any diabetes related complications in the future. The task can be daunting and overwhelming.
We have rounded up 37 experts to share tips and ways that will help you in lowering your A1C levels and keeping them that way. The wisdom they share with us today will help you take those little steps towards a healthier lifestyle.
1. Sharon Castillo
In a recent study published by the University of Toronto, it was shown that cinnamon has properties which can reduce blood pressure, especially for those who have prediabetes or type 2-diabetes.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is common among those who have prediabetes and type-2 diabetics. High blood glucose levels create oxidative radicals which can damage the arteries.
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The damage to the arteries can result into the scarring of Continue reading

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Food That Lower A1C in Diabetes

The A1C level is the percentage of your red cells that have sugar molecules attached to them. It is also referred to as glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, hemoglobin A1C and HbA1c. Your doctor can measure you A1C number with a blood test to determine your average blood sugar levels over the past two or three months. A normal A1C level falls between 4 and 6 percent. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you should strive to keep your A1C number below 7 percent. Eating right can help you do that.
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Control carbohydrates, fatty foods and calories by limiting your intake of potatoes, rice, noodles and foods containing white flour. Pass up sugary desserts, candy, ice cream, soft drinks and store-bought cookies, pies, baked goods and doughnuts. Avoid fried chicken, frozen dinners, lunch meats, sugared soft drinks and flavored water, store-bought smoothies and fruit drinks, milk shakes, frozen pizza, and restaurant french fries, hamburgers, pizza and chicken and fish sandwiches. All of these foods can raise your A1C levels, particularly if you have diabetes.
Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, protein, anti-oxidants and fiber to help balance your blood glucose levels. Eat plenty of asparagus, beans, broccoli, carrots, red onions, spinach, tomatoes and soy as tofu or in soy milk products. A great source of omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed as an oil or nutty seed can be incorporated into salads, breads, cereals and dressings. Nuts are an excellent source of cholesterol-lowering plant sterols but are high in calories. So eat them in moderation.
Blueberries, Continue reading

Heart Disease Quiz

Chances are you already know that having diabetes automatically puts you at risk for developing heart disease. But what does that really mean? Does it mean you’re more likely to have high blood pressure or a stroke, or does diabetes also increase your risk for developing other heart-related conditions? Take this quiz to see how much you really know about diabetes and heart disease.
Q
1. What percentage of people who have diabetes die of heart disease or stroke?
A. 20%
B. 34%
C. 65%
D. 78%
2. Which country is considered the “Diabetes Capital of the World”?
A. China
B. The United States
C. Mexico
D. India
3. Which of the following is NOT a potential side effect of peripheral artery disease (PAD)?
A. Numbness
B. Pain during or when not exercising
C. Amputation of a limb or part of a limb
D. Gangrene
E. Nail fungus
4. Not only are people who have Type 1 diabetes mellitus at risk for coronary artery disease, but they also have an increased risk of developing which of the following:
1. Endocarditis
2. Heart attack
3. Periodontal disease
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2
C. 3 only
D. 2 and 3
E. All of the above
5. According to recently updated guidelines for diabetes set by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), what is the new goal for diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number that appears on your blood pressure reading)?
A. 60 mm Hg
B. 70 mm Hg
C. 80 mm Hg
D. 90 mm Hg
E. 100 mm Hg
6. True or False: All people who have diabetes should also take a medication belonging to a class of drugs called statins.
A
1. C. 65%. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 65% of all peo Continue reading

The Pros and Cons of Metformin for Diabetes

Metformin is #7 on the doctors’ hit parade of top 10 prescription drugs. Each year the number of prescriptions increases substantially. Last year there were 87 million metformin prescriptions dispensed in U.S. pharmacies. That does not count combo products that include metformin in their formulation such as Glucovance, Invokamet, Janumet, Kombiglyze XR, Metaglip and Synjardy, to name just a few. Metformin is clearly the #1 drug for diabetes and because the number of people with diabetes keeps going up, prescriptions for metformin are skyrocketing. That’s why readers of our syndicated newspaper column and visitors to this website are so desperate to learn more about metformin for diabetes.
How To Know If Metformin for Diabetes Is Right for You:
Here is a typical letter from a reader:
Q. I crossed the line a month ago from normal blood sugar to type 2 diabetes and was put on metformin. I hate taking drugs. What can you tell me about metformin?
Thank the Old Wives:
A. Metformin is one of the oldest and most well-studied diabetes medicines. It probably comes as a shock to most prescribers to learn that their favorite diabetes drug is available thanks to the old wives.
Practitioners of folk medicine discovered that French lilac (Galega officinalis) helped control the symptoms of a condition associated with “sweet urine.” An article in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (Oct. 15, 2001) noted:
“In medieval times, a prescription of Galega officinalis was said to relieve the intense urination accompanying the disease that came to have the name of diabetes mellitus [now Continue reading

Is Drinking Coconut Water Safe For Diabetics?

Coconut water is one of the best natural drinks abundantly available around us.
I’m not kidding. One look at the web magazines and web pages, and you’ll see celebrities promoting this refreshing drink as their ultimate ‘weight control’ weapon. It’s sweet, tasty, nutrient-dense—all without being too high in calories. And this is why coconut water is often recommended to those with high blood sugar levels.
But, is it advisable to drink coconut water for diabetes? Let’s find out.
Coconut Water—A Brief
So, what’s so unique about this drink?
Coconut water is fresh, sterile, and devoid of artificial sweeteners and preservatives. It is, therefore, safe for all to consume coconut water without worrying about any health risk.
This drink is also an excellent electrolyte replenishment. It is rich in two essential salts—potassium and sodium, along with calcium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and fundamental amino acids. Coconut water also contains natural sugars like fructose (15%), glucose (50%) and sucrose (35%). Now let’s find out here can diabetic patient drink coconut water.
Coconut Water For Diabetes – Is It Safe?
Good news for people with diabetes around the world!
Call it a work of the plentiful natural sugars or its sterile nature—coconut water has joyfully passed the safety test for diabetes—as stated in the February 2015 edition of the Journal of Medicinal Food (1).
However, one should not exceed the limit of drinking coconut water every day, no matter how much you like it. This is because despite being a healthy drink coconut water d Continue reading