Diabetes is a disease that threatens to cause blindness, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, and amputations.  The body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or becomes insulin resistant and is unable to use the insulin as needed to control blood sugar levels.  The hormone, insulin, is needed by your body to convert sugar, starches, and other foods into energy.  The specific causes of diabetes are unknown, but, genetics and environmental factors seem to affect the potential of developing diabetes.  These factors include obesity and lack of regular exercise

Some ways to lower your risk of developing diabetes are: maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and a diet low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods.

What is…Hemoglobin A₁C?

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, chances are you have heard your doctor mention a blood test called HbA₁C.  It is a test that helps your doctor know how your blood sugar has been over the past two to three months.  The test, also referred to as A₁C, reveals how much sugar is attached to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells.  The longer the blood sugar remains high, the more sugar that attaches to the hemoglobin or other substances.  What does this mean?  It means that the longer your blood sugar is higher than it should be, the higher the chance of complications related to diabetes.  These complications include risk of eye, kidney, heart, and nerve damage.  Your target value for this blood test is 7% or less.  By reducing you’re A_1C by just one percent can reduce the risk of developing complications related diabetes.