A reward system can help you manage your diabetes and control your blood sugars. The common a1c test for diabetics can and should be used to improve and reward blood sugar control. Most doctors recommend a1c tests for their diabetic patients every three months or so. This test represents the average blood glucose levels over the past two to three month period. It does so by measuring the amount of glycated hemoglobin, or glucose attached to cells in the blood. Higher amounts of glycated hemoglobin indicate higher blood sugar levels, while lesser amounts indicate lower blood sugar levels on average.

The test is not foolproof nor necessarily accurate. If there have been elevated highs and low drops in blood sugar levels that we would call uncontrolled, it could possibly give the same a1c result as good controlled levels. Nevertheless the a1c is a reliable test. The patient should know whether they have been controlling their blood sugars or not.

All things being equal, if the test results are higher than they should be, the doctor will likely urge their patient to lower their blood glucose levels. If the test results are good, the doctor will congratulate the patient and urge them to keep up the good work. This article suggests that in both cases, good or poor, the test results can be used to improve and/or reward blood sugar control.

Let’s start with the good results and the rewards. I am a firm believer in the reward system for good diabetes control. In the realm of weight control, for example, if a person needs to lose fifty pounds, they could establish a reward for every ten pounds they lose on the way there. A night at the movies might be a suitable reward. Then a larger reward when they reach the fifty pound target, maybe a weekend at the beach.

That’s the idea with rewarding a good a1c test result. Since a good result requires three months of diligent blood sugar control, the reward should be suited to the effort. It should be more than a night out at the movies, but a weekend vacation might well fit the bill. If you have kept your blood sugars controlled and your a1c is, say, below 6%, that is terrific. You should be rewarded.

Not only is the weekend vacation a reward for what you have done over the past months, but it spurs you to do well over the following months as well. So it serves not only as a reward but as a motivation for future performance.

Now let’s apply it to a poor or unsatisfactory a1c result. First, if it is better than the previous result, there should still be some reward for improvement, though not a vacation. Maybe a steak dinner at a nice restaurant would do. In any case, the weekend vacation reward for a good result should serve as a motivation to improve when the test result is poor.

One last thing: where does one get the money four times a year to take a weekend vacation? Why, save it up over the three months. Putting a little money in the bank each month in hope for a good a1c reward can only serve as a further motivation to achieve it!

Damaged glucose tolerance or weakened fasting blood sugar is also known as pre-diabetes. It is an ailment which is treatable wherein the glucose levels in the blood are elevated, but not elevated enough to cause diabetes. When someone has pre-diabetes, he/she is more probable to get diabetes type II and several causes of diabetes in the body may happen throughout pre-diabetes. If somebody has pre-diabetes, there are plenty of ways to control blood sugar levels to remain physically fit and healthy.

Generally, pre-diabetes has no signs and can be identified only by the physician by means of A1C laboratory examination, a glucose acceptance test through the mouth or abstained plasma glucose examination. If you have observed the following signs like severe hunger or thirst, fatigue, loss of weight, frequent urination, recurrent infections, blurred vision or sores which do not heal, go to your doctor immediately and ask for medical advices.

A1C test for hemoglobin measures the sugar scales in the blood for within the past 2 to 3 months. The proportion of sugar which is found in the protein content of the red cells in the blood which transmit oxygen is measured. If the proportion ranges from 6 - 6.5, pre-diabetes is present in your body. Fasting plasma sugar examination measures sugar levels in the blood after abstaining for food or anything by mouth overnight. If the levels range from 100 to 125 mg/deciliter, then you are suffering from pre-diabetes. The oral glucose acceptance examination measures sugar scale in the blood after fasting overnight. Sugary solution is taken two hours after and then test is done again for blood sugar. If the sugar scale ranges from 140 to 199, you are suffering from diabetes.

If someone has risk factors which include of having members of the family suffering from diabetes, having elevated blood pressure, being overweight, being smokers, high or low cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, heavy utilization of alcohol and acquiring diabetes in time of pregnancy. Anybody having polycystic ovary disorder must be examined every year.

Pre-diabetes is curable and easy to treat. You can avoid from acquiring pre-diabetes by means of doing exercises; thirty to sixty minutes of exercise every day. Prevent from smoking and limit use of alcohol. Avoid processed, sugary and fatty food and drinks and also eat little portion sizes. Above all, eat healthy diet which includes fruit, whole grain, dried beans, fish, non-starchy vegetables, lean meat and dairy without fat. If you follow these healthy lifestyles pre-diabetes will be prevented and treated as well.

The doctor may prescribe medications to reduce blood sugar, if pre-diabetes is persistent. Glucophage or Precose can be given to lower blood sugar level. Low-dose aspirin is also given to safeguard your heart. Elevated blood sugar and cholesterol medications can also be prescribed.

Loss of weight can help you more in managing diabetes. Diabetes if not treated results to many complications like cardiovascular or heart ailments which have been proven to be deadly. The good information is that diabetes onset can be avoided or delayed by good management. Excellent management is done by means of early detection of risk issues in pre-diabetes period and also healthy lifestyles focused on exercise and diets.