Vim & Vigor - Spring 2021 - 38

38

Fact or Fiction

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE

A1C Test for
Diabetes

THIS SCREENING TOOL CAN HELP
YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR
HEALTH. HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW?

BY KARI REDFIELD
One simple test can help
you detect diabetes-the
body's inability to regulate blood sugar-and assist you in
managing the disease if you have it.
Because of the A1C test's usefulness,
the American Diabetes Association
calls it a " powerhouse. "
A1C measures average blood
sugar (glucose) over a three-month
period and indicates a person's risk
of developing diabetes complications. The longer diabetes goes
unchecked, the greater the risk of
high blood pressure, heart attack,
stroke, eye problems, kidney disease
and diabetic neuropathy (which can
cause pain, numbness and serious
foot ulcers or infections), according
to the ADA.
Read on to see how much you
know about the A1C test and other
diabetes screening tools.

Everyone should get
screened for diabetes.

FACT. Healthy people should
begin testing with the A1C or a similar test at age 45 and get screened
every three years. People should be
tested for diabetes starting at any
age, however, if they are overweight
or obese and have one or more
additional risk factors, says Robert
Eckel, MD, the ADA's president of

SPRING 2021 VIM & VIGOR

medicine and science. These include
having a first-degree relative with
diabetes; being Black, Latino, Native
American or Asian American;
having a history of cardiovascular
disease, hypertension (high blood
pressure) or high cholesterol; being
a woman with polycystic ovary syndrome; being sedentary; and having
other clinical conditions associated
with insulin resistance.
Screening for gestational diabetes
is routine for most pregnant women
during the second trimester. Women
should be screened in the first trimester if they have one or more of
the risk factors outlined above, are
older than 35 or had gestational
diabetes during a past pregnancy.

People with diabetes
can use the A1C test to
avoid complications.

FACT. If you have diabetes, your
physician will want to monitor
your blood sugar levels by having
you get an A1C test every three to
12 months. If results show your
blood sugar is too high, increasing
the risk of diabetes complications,
your physician may adjust your
treatment plan to include changes
to your medications, diet or physical
activity level or a recommendation
that you lose weight.

Eat Less Meat
to Lower Your
Diabetes Risk

A diet rich in red meat has
been linked with an increased
risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a number of
studies have shown. On the flip
side, a low level of red meat
consumption-no more than two
to three servings each week-is
not detrimental to your health,
other research shows.
Red meat can also be more
expensive-another great
reason to consider making
meatless meals a larger portion
of your diet.
If you want to cut meat from
your diet, you don't have to
worry about getting enough
protein or key vitamins and minerals: Vegetarians can get more
than enough protein by eating
Greek yogurt, peanut butter, cottage cheese, cooked beans, milk,
nuts and eggs. Good sources of
vitamin B12 include yogurt, lowfat milk, fortified plant-based
milk, eggs and cheese. Nuts,
seeds, beans, lentils and tofu
contain zinc and iron.
Read more reasons to
consider becoming a part-time
or full-time vegetarian at
uvahealth.com/go-vegetarian.

A Virginia
Man's Story
of Diabetes
and Limb Loss

Vascular disease-including
diabetes and peripheral artery
disease-causes more than half
of all cases of limb loss. Turn to
page 6 to meet a Virginia man
with diabetes who lost his hand
but restored his independence.
http://www.uvahealth.com/go-vegetarian
Vim & Vigor - Spring 2021

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