Take Control of Your Diabetes Now!

Expert Author
Dr. Douglas Raymond Hilbert Internist San Antonio, TX

Dr. Hilbert practices traditional internal medicine with evidence-based medicine and judicious use of medications when appropriate. Dr. Hilbert is a board-certified internal medicine physician as well as a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP). This distinction is reserved for those recognized by their peers... more

Know your “ABCs” of Diabetes

 

If you have diabetes (diabetes mellitus), get control of your "ABCs":

  • "A" stands for "A1C" – A1C is a blood test that shows your average blood sugar level has been during the last few months.
  • "B" stands for "blood pressure" – Also known as hypertension often referred to as the “silent killer”. Controlling blood pressure is important for everyone; if you have diabetes, controlling your blood pressure needs as much attention as controlling your blood sugar. High blood pressure puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
  • "C" stands for "cholesterol" – Cholesterol is found in the blood and can stick to your blood vessels. High cholesterol is another factor that increases your risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious problems.

 

Why Does Taking Control of your ABCs Matter?

  • People who have diabetes are 2 to 3 times more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke than those without diabetes.
  • Diabetics are more likely to have a heart attack at a younger age.
  • Heart attacks are often more deadly and severe in diabetics.
  • Diabetes is the number one cause of chronic kidney disease leading to dialysis.
  • If you control your ABCs, you can greatly lower your risk.
  • A perfectly controlled diabetic can have the same mortality (life expectancy) as a non-diabetic.

 

Diabetes Affects the Whole Body

By controlling your blood sugar and ABCs you can avoid:

 

  • Eye diseases that lead to vision loss or blindness.
  • Kidney disease.
  • Neuropathy (nerve damage) can cause numbness or pain in the hands and feet.
  • Peripheral vascular disease can lead to having toes, fingers, or other body parts removed by surgery (amputated).

 

What Should my Target ABCs Be?

  • A1C should be less than 7.
  • Blood pressure should be less than 130/80.
  • Cholesterol LDL the “bad” cholesterol should be less than 100 for some patients’ goal should be less than 70.

Specific goals could vary with age. It's best to work closely with your doctor to determine the best plan of action for you!

 

Things you Can Do Now to Take Control of your ABCs

Healthy food choices – Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils), nuts, and low-fat dairy products. Avoid or limit the amount of meat, fried or fatty foods that you eat.

  • Be active – Walk, garden, or do something active for 30 minutes or more on most days of the week.
  • Stop smoking – Smoking increases the chance that you will have a heart attack or stroke, or develop cancer.
  • Lose weight – Being overweight increases the risk of many health problems. Obesity is the number one cause of preventable death.
  • Avoid alcohol – Alcohol can increase blood sugar and blood pressure.

It's important that you take charge of the things you can control. By making real changes you can have real results.