What Is a Normal A1C Level? Brush Up on a Key Blood Sugar Indicator

Whether you’re seeking to prevent diabetes, find out whether you have it or, if you do, improve how you manage it, there’s a test that can shed light on your status and help guide your decisions: the A1C test. This test can show how your blood sugar levels are trending over time—priceless data for you and your primary care provider (PCP). What is the A1C test, and what is a normal A1C level? Let’s answer these questions and explore steps you can take to control diabetes and meet your A1C target.

A1C, Explained

If you have diabetes, testing your blood sugar, or blood glucose, levels daily can be an important part of managing the disease. A blood glucose test, however, only provides a snapshot of your blood sugar levels. The A1C test shows the bigger picture.

Sugar binds to hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells. This is normal, but if too much sugar attaches to hemoglobin, blood sugar can get too high, potentially leading to Type 2 diabetes. The A1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that contains hemoglobin that contains excess sugar.

What makes the A1C test valuable is that it measures your average blood sugar during the previous three months. That can reveal long-term trends—whether your blood sugar levels have been going up, declining or holding steady during that timeframe. Using your test results, your PCP can determine whether you have prediabetes—a potential precursor to diabetes—or Type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes, the test results can help you and your PCP gauge how your management plan is working.

Defining a Normal A1C Level

Your A1C test result appears as a percentage.

• A result lower than 5.7% is a normal A1C level.
• If your result is 5.7% to 6.4%, you may have prediabetes.
• If you have an A1C level of 6.5% or higher, you may have diabetes.

It’s possible to have a high A1C result and not have diabetes. That’s because your A1C level can be increased by certain diseases and medications, such as sickle cell anemia, kidney failure, liver disease and opioids.

In general, people with diabetes should aim for an A1C of 7% or less, but that goal isn’t universal. Your PCP will determine a personal A1C goal for you based on your overall health, your age and other factors. As a result, an acceptable A1C level for an older adult with diabetes may be slightly higher than for a younger adult with the disease.

Putting Your A1C to the Test

Getting an A1C test is simple. You can visit your PCP’s office or the River’s Edge Hospital & Clinic Direct Access Lab to provide a blood sample. You don’t need to fast in advance of having blood drawn for this test. If your PCP ordered the test to diagnose diabetes, he or she will send your sample to a specially certified lab for analysis. Otherwise, your sample will undergo analysis in the office or a nearby lab.

How often should you have an A1C test? It depends on where you are in your health journey. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a baseline A1C test for adults older than 45 to test for prediabetes and diabetes. You can get your baseline test before age 45 if you have risk factors for those conditions.

If your A1C test result is normal and you’re older than 45, are at risk for prediabetes or diabetes, or developed diabetes during pregnancy, the CDC recommends repeating the test every three years. You’ll need to repeat the test more often if your result indicates prediabetes or diabetes.

Having regular A1C tests is an important part of managing diabetes. Your test results can show whether you’re on the right track with controlling the disease or need to change your strategy to manage it better. You’ll need to have an A1C test at least every six months. More frequent tests may be necessary if your health status or diabetes management plan changes.

You’re (Diabetes) Management Material

If you have diabetes, your goal is to manage it so you can stay active and independent and enjoy the things you love. With commitment, you can live well with diabetes.

A major part of your diabetes management plan is reaching and maintaining your A1C goal. To do that and protect your health, make some important changes to your lifestyle. To start:

• Control chronic heart conditions. Diabetes can increase your risk for heart disease. As a result, it’s important to control other heart disease risk factors. Chief among these are high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels. Work with your PCP to manage these conditions.
• Give up smoking. If you smoke, another way to protect your heart is to kick the habit. The combination of smoking and diabetes takes a toll on your cardiovascular system by narrowing your blood vessels and making your heart work harder than it needs to.
• Follow a healthy diet. This will help you control diabetes and protect your heart at the same time. Ensure your diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, and low- or non-fat dairy products. Minimize the number of processed, high-calorie and high-salt foods in your diet.
• Move more. Regular exercise can help you manage diabetes and meet your A1C goal. New to exercise and not sure how to start? Try visiting a fitness center where the staff can help design an exercise plan that works for you. Whatever you do, pick physical activities you enjoy, such as walking or swimming, so you’ll be more likely to stick with them.

Finally, take diabetes medications as prescribed and stay in touch with your greatest ally against diabetes: your PCP. Together, the two of you can shape a hopeful future in which diabetes doesn’t control your life.

Want to test your A1C without a trip to your PCP’s office? Schedule an appointment with the Direct Access Lab at River’s Edge Hospital & Clinic. The lab doesn’t require a physician’s order for testing. You can share the results of your test with your PCP.

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What Is A1C and What Does It Tell Us

By Suzanne Watkins, MS, RD, LD, CNSC, Samaritan Albany General Hospital

Have you recently found yourself puzzling over this acronym? Or maybe you or a family member has been told their A1C is too high, but you’re not quite sure what this means? Here’s a review of what an A1C is, and what to do about it.

What Is the A1C Metric?

An A1C has many names. It can be called a hemoglobin A1C, glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c. Overall, it’s the lab that your provider collects when they want to see what your average blood sugar is over the course of three months. It is used to diagnose prediabetes or diabetes, or if you already have diabetes, monitor how you’ve been managing your blood sugars over a long period of time. A higher A1C means your blood sugars have been running higher; lower A1C means your blood sugars have been running lower.

Think about it this way – when you spill honey on your countertop, it gets sticky. When your blood sugar is high, your blood gets sticky, too, and the little sugar molecules (glucose) will stick onto the protein (hemoglobin) on your red blood cells at a higher rate. The test is telling you what percentage of your red blood cells have a sugar-coated hemoglobin.

What Is the Normal Range for A1C?

An A1C is considered “within normal limits” when it is 5.6 percent or lower. Your health care provider can diagnose prediabetes with an A1C between 5.7 to 6.4 percent, and diabetes with an A1C of 6. 5 percent and higher. If you have diabetes, the goal is to keep your A1C at about 7.0 percent or lower.

What If My A1C Is Too High?

If your A1C is high, you can bring it down again.

If your A1C falls in the “prediabetes” range (5.7 to 6.4 percent), you are in the perfect position to modify your lifestyle to lower your A1C and send diabetes packing. This can be done by being mindful of your nutrition and physical activity.

If your A1C falls in the “diabetes” range (6.5 percent and higher), you can still lower your A1C with lifestyle changes, but your provider may prescribe some medications as well.

Keep Your Blood Sugars in Check

Whether you have prediabetes or diabetes, here are ways to keep your blood sugars in check.

1.  Be Mindful of Your Nutrition

Carbohydrates are an important fuel source for your body and your brain. You need a certain amount of carbohydrates every day to think straight, feel good and help your body function. Too many carbohydrates, however, can raise your blood sugars and A1C. One of the most effective ways to keep your blood sugars in a good range is to manage the carbohydrates that you eat.

Try some of these practices to limit carbohydrate consumption daily:

• Drink less sugar-sweetened beverages. This includes regular sodas, coffee drinks, energy drinks and alcoholic beverages. Many people consume more sugars in beverages than they realize, so cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages or choosing the diet/sugar free option can help a lot.
• Watch your portion sizes. Pasta, cereal, potatoes, bread – these are all too easy to overindulge. Aim to eat small portions of carbohydrate-containing foods at meals. Study Nutrition Facts labels and try sticking to the recommended serving size on packages.
• Treat desserts and candies as a special occasion. Allow yourself to have a small slice of cake for your birthday – but remember, every day is not your birthday! Establish a specific and measurable rule for yourself to keep from over-indulging. For example, you can have two squares of chocolate or a 1-ounce bag of potato chips on Friday nights.
• Choose whole grains to increase the fiber in your diet. Eating fiber-rich foods will improve your digestion and help manage blood sugars. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a minimum of 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories that you eat. Fiber is found in whole grains such as whole wheat breads and pastas, oats and brown rice. Fiber is also found in nuts, fruits, vegetables, pulses, beans and legumes.
• Remember to have regular, balanced meals. A healthy meal plan involves plenty of variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins. Make a plan that you know you can maintain long term. Take a look at the Idaho Plate Method for ideas on how to prepare well-balanced meals.

2.  Increase Your Physical Activity

Physical activity decreases blood sugars. You don’t need a gym membership to increase your physical activity. Whether you go on a run, or vacuum your living room, movement is going to help you lower your blood sugars and ultimately manage your A1C. Remember that ANY activity you do can be helpful. Find an activity you enjoy and stick with it. Here are some suggestions to increase your daily activity:

• Walk or bike to visit your neighbors.
• Park farther away from storefronts, or get off the bus one or two stops before your stop.
• Clean your home.
• Garden.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Carry your own groceries.
• Wash your car by hand.
• Stand while talking on the phone with a friend.
• Try a group class. Parks and Recreation has many different classes that you can try if something sounds fun to you.

Make sure to talk to your health care provider if you are thinking of increasing your physical activity drastically.

3.  Lose a Little Weight If You Are Overweight

 Losing five to 10 percent of your body weight, if you are overweight, can improve your blood sugars. A study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism found that each 2. 2 pounds of weight loss provided a reduction of 0.1 percentage points in A1C for people who were overweight or obese. Make sure to lose this weight slowly and mindfully so the weight does not come back. A weight loss of one to two pounds per week is considered healthier and tends to be more successful long term. It may be helpful to speak with a registered dietitian to help you find a tasty, healthful weight loss plan.

4.  Medications

Your health care provider may prescribe blood sugar-lowering medications based on your numbers and overall health profile. These typically include oral medications, and/or injectable insulin.

5.  Check Your Blood Sugars Often

One of the most challenging things about maintaining your blood sugars and A1C is that your body is unique. Your blood sugars are going to react differently to sweet potatoes than your neighbor’s blood sugars. Taking charge of your blood sugars and A1C is going to require a you-specific regimen, and figuring out that regimen is going to involve collecting data. Your health care provider may order a blood glucose monitor and test strips for you. You also have the option to purchase an inexpensive monitor without a prescription at your local pharmacy. Monitoring your blood sugars regularly gives you and your provider feedback on how well your regimen is working, and if any changes need to be made.

Be aware that low blood sugars and high blood sugars can sometimes be hard to tell apart, even for people who have managed their diabetes for years. So always check your blood sugar before you treat your blood sugars.

When to Seek Medical Attention

As you are checking your blood sugars, know when you need to seek medical attention.

Low Blood Sugars (Hypoglycemia) 

 Any blood sugar lower than 70mg/dl is considered hypoglycemia and needs attention. Symptoms of hypoglycemia may be any of the following:

• Feeling shaky.
• Anxiety.
• Sweating, chills and clamminess.
• Irritability or impatience.
• Hunger.
• Nausea.
• Fatigue.
• Impaired or blurred vision.
• Headaches.
• Seizures.

If you check your blood sugar and find it’s low, you can treat it using the 15-15 Rule:

Step 1: Eat or drink 15 grams of carbohydrates, with glucose tablets,  ½ cup of juice, 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar, or hard candies.

Step 2: Wait for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Check your blood sugar again. If it’s still below 70mg/dl, repeat.

If, after two rounds of this, you’re still experiencing low blood sugar, call your health care provider.

High Blood Sugars (Hyperglycemia)

Any blood sugar greater than 200mg/dl is considered hyperglycemia, and warrants attention. Symptoms of hyperglycemia can by any of the following:

• Frequent urination.
• Increased thirst.
• Blurred vision or vision changes.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Fatigue.
• Headache.
• Delayed wound healing.
• Confusion

You can treat high blood sugars by exercising as long as your blood sugars are lower than 240mg/dl. Call your provider if your blood sugars are persistently higher than 240mg/dl and you have ketones in your urine. Your provider and/or diabetes educator can work with you to keep your blood sugars in the optimum range.

Know You Are Not Alone

Blood sugar and A1C control can be tricky, but you don’t have to figure this out alone. For more information about blood sugar and A1C control, ask your provider about visiting a diabetes educator.

Feeling overwhelmed with managing diabetes?Watch a video with tips on how to reduce diabetes distress and more.

Diabetes diagnostics, biochemical (Glucose; Glycated hemoglobin A1c; Insulin; C-peptide Anti-insulin antibodies (IAA); Anti-pancreatic beta-cell antibodies (ICA))

CLEAN URINE

Study Preparation Rules:

• On the eve of the test, it is recommended not to eat fruits and vegetables that can change the color of urine (beets, carrots, blueberries, etc. )
• Avoid taking diuretics for 48 hours prior to urine collection (as agreed with physician)
• Women should not collect biomaterial during menstruation
• Do not collect urine from vessel, pot;
• Do not collect urine for 5-7 days after cystoscopy

Rules for the collection of biomaterial:

• The entire portion of the first morning urine is used for the study.
• To pass a general urine test, it is necessary, after a thorough toilet of the external genitalia, to collect the entire morning portion of urine in a dry, clean container, mix and take it into a sterile urine container (you do not need to fill the container completely, it is enough to fill 1/3 or 1 / 2 parts (20-30 ml of urine)
• After collecting urine, the container may be stored at a temperature of +2C to +8C for 2-3 hours. Delivery as soon as possible.

NECHIPORENKO URINE ANALYSIS

Study Preparation Rules:

• On the eve of the study, do not eat vegetables and fruits that can change the color of urine (beets, carrots, blueberries, etc. )
• Before collecting urine, thoroughly toilet the external genitalia
• If possible, do not take certain medications (diuretics, vitamins)
• Women should not collect biomaterial during menstruation

Do not collect urine from vessel, pot
Do not collect urine for 5-7 days after cystoscopy. Urine must be collected only in a special disposable sterile container urine (it is not necessary to fill the container completely, it is enough to fill 1/3 or 1/2 part (20-30 ml of urine

. ZIMNITSKY URINE ANALYSIS

Test preparation rules:

• On the eve of urine collection according to Zimnitsky, it is recommended to exclude intense physical activity, do not take alcohol, go to bed at your usual time
• During the period of urine collection, it is necessary to observe the usual drinking regimen (excessive fluid intake is not allowed) and the nature of the diet
• Do not take diuretics (diuretics) during urine collection

Biomaterial collection rules:

• Urine for the Zimnitsky sample is collected within 24 hours
• For the study, 8 containers are required, on each container, before collecting urine, it is necessary to indicate its serial number (from 1 to 8) and the volume of urine excreted in ml. If within three hours the patient does not have the urge to urinate, the container is left empty (it is not worth waking the patient at night and during sleep). Store at t +2…+8°С.
• All 8 sterile containers are delivered as soon as possible, on each of them indicate the portion number, the volume of urine excreted and the time interval for the collection of urine.
• In the morning, the patient empties the bladder, and this first morning portion of urine is not collected for examination, but poured out
• Subsequently, during the day, the patient sequentially collects urine in 8 jars.
• During each of the 8 3-hour intervals, the patient urinates into a separate jar
• Time intervals for urine collection:

1st serving – from 06:00 to 09:00
2nd serving – from 09:00 to 12:00
3rd serving – from 12:00 to 15:00
4th serving – from 15:00 00 to 18:00
5th serving – from 18:00 to 21:00
6th serving – from 21:00 to 24:00
7th serving – from 24:00 to 03:00
8- I portion – from 03:00 to 06:00

• The volume of urine in each container must be measured (in ml), information about the volume of urine in each container must be provided by the patient / his representative to the registrar of the CLD / MC during the analysis
• Urine collection ends at 6 am the next day

DAILY URINE ANALYSIS

• Urine is collected within 24 hours on the usual drinking regime (1. 5-2.0 liters per day).
• The morning urine is discarded, the next urine portions, including the morning portion of the next day, are collected in a clean vessel with a capacity of at least 2 liters.
• Store container with urine during the entire period of biomaterial collection in a refrigerator at +4-6ºС.
• The volume of collected urine is measured (mandatory!) with an accuracy of 50 ml (a quarter cup), mixed.
• For examination, 50 ml of collected urine is poured into a sterile plastic container with a screw cap.
• Sample delivery – as soon as possible, indicating diuresis (volume of collected urine).

URINE FOR BACTERIOLOGICAL CULTURE

• Urine collection for bacteriological culture is not carried out during antibiotic therapy (either before the start of the course of antibiotics, or 14 days after the end of the course of antibiotic therapy).
• Urine collection in the morning is recommended.
• A medium portion of morning urine is used.
• Before collecting urine, a thorough toilet of the external genitalia without antiseptics is carried out.
• Urine is collected in a sterile container
• Do not collect urine from vessel, pot

Saritas Hotel 4*, Alanya, Turkey – reviews 2023, hotel rating, photo

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Reviews of the hotel

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Add a review of Saritas Hotel 4*

• reviews TopHotels

• reviews 1001tur

Maxim

08/29/2022

3. 0

Fairly good

Value for money. Were settled in the old room.

3.0

Anastasia Valerievna

08/12/2015

Everything is fine

Everything is fine. The staff is very attentive, polite administration, placed in the room that ordered. The rooms are well maintained, the only thing that failed was the cleaning. weren’t cleaned very cleanly. I liked the food, everything was as expected, towels were issued. There were no problems with places on the beach, the main thing
borrow in advance. The hotel is good and comfortable. We were satisfied with the accommodation.

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Location:
Türkiye,
Alanya

Phone: +90 242 514 13 09

E-mail: [email protected]

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Saritas Hotel is located in Alanya.
Distance
to the beach 100 m, and
to the city center 1.5 km
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Near the hotel there are: Tersane Shipyard, Archaeological Museum, Alanya Fortress, Harbor, Red Tower, Alanya Shipyard, Alanya Arkeoloji Muzesi, Alara Kalesi, Syedra Castle, Alarahan, House of Ataturk, Alanya Ataturk House Museum, Megamall AVM , Hanzade Hamam & Spa Center, Seyir Terasi, Water Planet Aqua Park, Alanya Aquapark, Hamaxia, Kizilkule Tower.