Know your ABCs: 3 Key Doctor Visit Results for Diabetes & Prediabetes Management and Care
As we get older it becomes our responsibility to go to the doctor for that check up (we’ve maybe been dreading because the wait time is long/ it’s inconvenient to get to/ taking off work is hard). Gone are the days when our grown-ups would take us every year. When we were young, going to the doctor was a question of “when” not “if.” Years go by… The paradigm shifts. You become the one taking your little one each year. But… are you going yourself?
If you haven’t been in the last 12 months, stop reading now, and go schedule your appointment. Then, come right back!
… Ok, back to it:
When we go to the doctor for that annual check-up, they typically draw your blood, requiring you to fast for the morning. Depending on your physician’s office, you may go to the lab a few days ahead of your annual, or get blood drawn while you’re there.
While the doctor will release your labs and call you with important information, it’s vital that you engage with the process and have a general understanding about what these numbers mean.
If you have a family history of diabetes, are diabetic, or prediabetic, these are three key numbers you should know (other numbers are important as well, but for the purpose of avoiding information overload, I’m sticking with these) Within your labs, there will be many different numbers and markers. With each of the three tests I explain, I will also show you where to find it in your labs.
KNOW YOUR ABCs:
1️⃣ A1C
A1C is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. The reading will be a percentage %. In your labs, you will normally see “ Hemoglobin A1C” or "“A1C Percentage”
🌟A normal percentage is below 5.7%
🌟5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes
🌟6.5% and above indicates diabetes
2️⃣ Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because most people who have it don't have any symptoms. The only sure way to tell that you have it is to measure it with a device called a sphygmomanometer. It has a gauge and a rubber cuff that's placed around your arm or leg and inflated. The doctor or nurse will take your reading when you go in for your visit.
🌟120(systolic) /80(diastolic) mmHg is the normal target. You want it to be at or below this number
🌟120-129 (systolic) /80 (diastolic) mmHg is considered elevated
🌟130+ (systolic) /80+ (diastolic) mmHg is considered high
3️⃣ Cholesterol
High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to detect if you have it. In your labs, you will normally see “Lipid Panel” or "“Lipid Profile”
🌟LDL - “bad” cholesterol. Aim to keep this below 100 mg/dL
🌟HDL- “good” cholesterol. It’s best to keep it above 40mg/dL in men & 50mg/dL in women
🌟Triglycerides- You want this to be below 150mg/dL
Knowing these numbers empowers you to be an advocate for your health. It also allows you to be an educator for others. If you are managing high levels of these health numbers or have recently found you have them, reach out to your physician or health coach to start making realistic and achievable lifestyle changes that will reduce your risk for greater health problems down the line.
Curious about health coaching? Reach out to me directly if you’d like to talk!