If you had a Hba1c test score that indicated 'Pre-Diabetes' or Diabetes, here are 5 steps you need to take right NOW
1. Call your GP and arrange an appointment
Show your GP your summary report, Hba1c result and request for a follow up blood test.
2. Start learning about Diabetes
Diabetes is a very serious health problem however if caught early it is possible to successfully manage the condition or prevent it from progressing. You don't need to become an expert over night however reading the information and links at the bottom of this page would be a good place to start.
3. Decrease your Body Fat and Weight
If your Body Fat %, Body Shape Rating, and Waist circumference are not in the 'green zone' on your Fit3d Body Scan report NOW is the time to improve this. Here are 10 steps you can begin today to improve your body composition and weight (for health).
4. Improve your eating/drinking regime!
What you eat drink can have a huge effect on your ability to manage diabetes and prevent it from progressing. Diabetes NZ have created a 24 page booklet on 'Diabetes and Health Food Choices'. You can download this for free here.
This would be a good article to read.
If you are serious about preventing diabetes from progressing, we would recommend a 1:1 consultation with a dietitian.
5. Exercise regularly
Regular exercise can help improve the prevention and management of many health conditions, including diabetes.
Start doing regular cardiovascular/aerobic exercise. If you are not used to regular exercise, the key is to find something you enjoy and start doing it once/week. Examples include walking, cycling, dance class, boxing, swimming, team sports etc. Over time, if you want to maximise your health, you should be aiming to meet the Ministry of Health's Exercise target each week.
What is Hba1c?
The HbA1c test measures the average amount of glucose in your blood.
Although the mobile equipment is 10 times more expensive, Hba1c is a better measure than an oral glucose test by itself because it does not just look at your current blood sugar levels, it looks at the average blood glucose (sugar) over the last 2–3 months. An advantage of this is that the result won't be influenced on what you have been eating/drinking on the day of your test.
Although a strong indicator if you had a high HbA1c score it does not guarantee you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. If your Hba1c score indicated that you may have pre diabetes or diabetes you should seek advice from your GP immediately.
You can learn more about HbA1c here https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/health-a-z/h/hba1c-testing/
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, that acts like a key to let glucose from the food we eat pass from the blood stream into the cells in the body to produce energy. All carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose in the blood. Insulin helps glucose get into the cells.
Not being able to produce insulin or use it effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood (known as hyperglycaemia). Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues.
How prominent is diabetes?
In NZ, 1 out of every 20 people have diabetes, with rates increasing by 10,000 more cases per year.
Pacific and Indo-Asian populations of all ages are at least 5 x more likely to have diabetes in NZ.
Additional Resources
Diabetes Questionnaire - find out more about your diabetes risk
https://www.diabetes.org.nz/are-you-at-risk
NZ Health Navigator: What is diabetes?
https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/videos/d/diabetes-videos/diabetes-explained/
NZ Health Navigator: What causes diabetes?
https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/videos/d/diabetes-videos/diabetes-explained/
NZ Heart Foundation information and video on managing Diabetes:
https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/wellbeing/managing-rk/managing-diabetes/is
Diabetes NZ information video about diabetes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-NxzMYRqaM&feature=youtu.be
Diabetes is a serious disease. The prevention of diabetes was one of the key motivators in creating Health and Fitness Testing NZ. If you have read the above and would still like some more 1:1 assistance please contact your GP.
If you are wanting 1:1 advice regarding food/drink and its impact on your diabetes risk we recommend seeking advice from a qualified dietitian. You can book an appointment online here.