Diabetes, one of the most common disorders or diseases worldwide, happens due to a spike in sugar levels in the bloodstream of humans. It has many chronic health complications, like heart problems, kidney diseases, nervous problems, vision-related disorders, hearing problems, and mental problems. Symptoms of diabetes include increased thirst, urination, food craving, tiredness, blurring of vision, and unnecessary weight loss.
The A1C, or the HbA1c test, helps measure the average blood sugar in the past three months. The A1C test checks if the person is prediabetic or has diabetes. Specific percentage ranges reveal the diabetes stage of the patient. This article will discuss A1C levels for an average human and the natural ways to lower the A1C percentage in people with diabetes.
What Should Your Optimum A1C Levels Be?
As discussed earlier, the A1C test is the first step toward managing diabetes. Doctors generally recommend anyone over 45 get A1C tested because the faster one learns about the diabetes stage, the better it is for the person’s health. Generally, A1C tests are repeated after every three years.
There are three ranges of A1C test results. The result should lie below 5.7% if a person is deemed normal. The results for prediabetes people stay within the range of 5.7% and 6.4%, while people with diabetes observe a result with ratings over 6.5%. If a person measures blood sugar levels with eAG or mg/dL, the readings should be:
- 7% of A1C = 154 eAG mg/dL
- 8% of A1C = 183 eAG mg/dL
- 9% of A1C = 212 eAG mg/dL
- 10% of A1C = 240 eAG mg/dL
Natural Ways To Lower Your A1C Levels
There are multiple natural ways to lower A1C levels in people with prediabetes or diabetes. However, the points below are the best-known natural and immediate ways of controlling diabetes and leading a healthier life.
Consume Healthy Food Items
Eating a balanced diet is the best natural way to reduce A1C levels. A person with diabetes must include ample nonstarchy vegetables in their diet plan. In addition, there should be zero consumption of sugary and junk foods. Patients should also eat loads of fiber during each meal and consume less to no processed foods. The chart below shows what can be consumed and what is not by a person with diabetes or prediabetes.
| NUTRITION | CAN BE CONSUMED | CAN’T BE CONSUMED |
| Starches | Whole grains (brown rice and oatmeal), baked sweet potato, plain porridge, loaves of bread with seeds like flax and chia, whole wheat pita. | White rice, white flour, refined flour, fried yuca rice, etc. |
| Sweets | Fresh fruit juices, low carbohydrate foods like strawberry salsa, and desserts with no added sugars and only natural sweeteners. | Regular pancakes, waffle syrup, deep-fried desserts, candy, cookies, tarts, and puddings. |
| Vegetables | Raw, lightly steamed, or grilled fresh veggies, green vegetables like spinach and kale, nutrient-rich salads, and uncanned vegetables containing low quantities of sodium. | Canned veggies with salt, veggies cooked in butter or cheese, pickles, sauerkraut, etc. |
| Fruits | Fresh fruits, jams, jellies without added sugars, applesauce without added sugar. | Canned fruits, fruit rolls, regular jams and jellies, and gummies. |
| Protein | Plant-based proteins include beans and nuts, fish, seafood, chicken, eggs, and low-fat and nonfat milk. | Fried meat, pork bacon, regular cheese, deep-fried seafood, beans with lard, etc. |
| Fats and oils | Natural vegetable oils are made from seeds and nuts, foods with omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and tuna, and olive oil. | Partially hydrogenated food, solid portions of margarine, red meat, coconut oil, palm oil, etc. |
| Drinks | Coffee without sugar, low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, light beer, zero-calorie soda, etc. | Normal beverages with sugar, regular soda, energy drinks, and beer. |
Exercise Regularly
Only eating healthy will not do the trick. People with diabetes also need to exercise and indulge in daily physical activities. The CDC recommends every person with diabetes exercise for at least 150 minutes weekly. Thus, if a person wishes to work out daily, only 20 to 25 minutes will be sufficient.
Exercise is a critical element of living a healthy life for diabetes patients for various reasons. It helps improve blood sugar levels, enhances fitness, manages weight, reduces coronary heart diseases, improves general well-being, and prevents insulin resistance.
Fit enough patients can do strength training like weight lifting, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and lunges. Besides regular workout schedules, patients should also focus on cardio and do running, brisk walking, swimming, dancing, and playing outdoors to keep the body in good shape and combat diabetes at the same time.
Control Your Portion Sizes
When a diabetes patient visits a dietician, the dietician fixes a meal plan for the patient and the food portions. Controlling portion sizes is crucial since it prevents people with diabetes from overeating, and hunger is a disease symptom.
The benefits of portion size control include easier digestion of the food ingested, maintaining a healthy weight and preventing obesity, staying energized and productive all day long, and also control blood sugar levels effectively.
If we take a 9-inch dinner plate, half of the plate should be filled with nonstarchy vegetables, including salad, cabbage, carrots, etc. A quarter of the plate should contain protein in the form of lean protein like chicken, beans, eggs, and tofu. The other quarter of the plate should have carbohydrates like rice, fruits, beans, or a cup of milk. Ideally, there should be three ounces of meat, one cup of medium fruit, and one or two ounces of nuts.
Keep Your Body Hydrated
Dehydration happens when a body starts losing excess water without consuming many fluids. In the case of diabetes, the body fails to produce the required insulin concentration (a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels). Due to a lack of insulin, excess glucose accumulates in the bloodstream for a long time.
However, the body has to remove the excess glucose. The kidneys work hard to remove it through urine. It is why people with diabetes frequently visit the washroom for urination.
Unfortunately, it also leads to excess water leaving the body, and if it is not compensated enough, the body will face dehydration. It also leads to thirst.
Generally, doctors recommend consuming at least 1.6 liters or 6.5 cups of fluids every day for women diabetic patients, and for men, the recommendation is 2 liters or 8.5 cups every day. However, patients should avoid sugary drinks, cold drinks, beverages with added sugar, and energy drinks.
Conclusion
At last, it can be said that although diabetes is a complicated disease with no verified cure, patients shouldn’t be tense about it. There are many natural and immediate ways to combat high A1C levels; According to WKTR.com, GlucoRedi is a medication that helps to reduce blood sugar naturally. The company makes the supplement using 100% natural ingredients, which have the approval of many renowned nutritionists. Four of the best ways are given above. Consult a doctor and follow the guidelines to overcome diabetes in no time.