Achieving your A1C target is not impossible, but don’t rush! Lower A1C slowly & steadily. Fast quick A1C reduction is unsafe and not advisable.
Don’t Rush: 5 Steps to Achieve your Goal.
Dr. Richard K. Bernstein, Author of Diabetes Solution, developed type-1 diabetes in 1946 at the age of 12. He said, "My A1C reading was once 3.9, over the years the highest was 4.4, but usually the results are 4.1 or 4.2%." At the age of about 80, he has been able to achieve the optimal A1C range with type 1 diabetes, why it is impossible for you!
What is the lesson of the tortoise and the hair story? Slow and steady wins the race.
However, if you are new to diabetes and its control, then, in the beginning, it may be challenging to achieve it. Even, Dr. Richard K. Bernstein faced difficulties to reach today’s number. He put his best efforts by testing, analyzing, modifying, again testing, and after years of struggle, he made it. You can also make it if you put consistent effort until your target has met.
Strikeout “im” in
impossible!
Achieving your A1C target is not impossible if you firmly decided to do it.
- American Diabetes Association (ADA) advised people with diabetes to aim for an A1C of 7% (BS equivalent is 172 mg/dl or 9.6 mmol/l). Thus, you can start by setting an A1C goal of 7.0 to 6.5%; at this target, the diabetes complication risk is high. If you are experiencing frequent hypoglycemia, stay in this range for a few months. During this time, put your maximum effort to understand hypoglycemia triggers and learn to stop them.
- Once you gained the expertise to avoid hypoglycemia, you can try achieving a pre-diabetic range of 6.4 to 5.7%. It's BS equivalent is 151 mg/dl or 8.4 mmol/l to 126 mg/dl or 7 mmol/l. Medication alone cannot do the magic; support it with a nutritious diet low in carb and increased physical activity.
- Now you have adapted to a modified lifestyle with occasional or no hypoglycemia. Next you can aim for an A1C of 5.6 to 5.2 % (BS equivalent is 122 mg/dl or 6.8 mmol/l to 108 mg/dl or 6 mmol/l). Infection raises your blood sugar level; thus, you should prevent it. Learn to handle it if it affects you. Insufficient sleep affects your BS and dieting habit; never compromised on restful sleep. Go to bed in time and wake early.
- Now you gained mastery in glucose management. You can try achieving suboptimal A1C of 5.1 to 4.7% (BS equivalent is 104 mg/dl or 5.8 mmol/l to 90 mg/dl or 5 mmol/l). To reach this target, you need a further reduction in carbohydrate and increased physical activity. At this A1C range, your diabetes complications risk is almost zero; keep it up!
- Now you can try the best optimal A1C of 4.6 to 4.2%. BS equivalent is 86 mg/dl or 4.8 mmol/l to 72 mg/dl or 4 mmol/l. It is a healthy non-diabetic range. Stress makes you BS crazy and difficult to predict. To achieve optimal A1C, learn to avoid and manage stress. THUMPS UP! You are now gained MASTER in DIABETES MANAGEMENT. Please share your expertise in diabetes forum and HELP others.
If you have trouble at any target range, stay at that range for a few months until your body get practiced to the BS. Once your BS stabilizes, you feel comfortable and confident. Then only, you can try reaching the next target.
Follow tight controlled carb and calorie intake along with exercise magically lower your A1C. In addition, eating at the same time fixed calorie & carb for each meal can help lower your A1C level.
ACCORD study shows intensive glycemia treatment is dangerous, is it true?
No, then why? ACCORD study targeted an A1C of less than 6.0% with excess medication and or drug combination. Also, this study advised participants to take low fat (means high carb) diet for BS control. High carb diet advice needs increased insulin by Insulin Secretagogues or insulin shot. This increased insulin is a risk of hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease, and cardiovascular disease.
Following an intensive treatment with a low-carb diet and increased physical activity with minimal use of medication or insulin shot surely improves your health.