3 Ways to Lower your A1C

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that approximately 84 million American adults—more than 1 out of 3—have prediabetes. Having prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. With November being National Diabetes Awareness Month, you can imagine why I’d want to bring attention to your A1C levels.  By lowering your A1C levels you can help reduce the risk or intensity of any diabetes complications.

For those who may not know, A1C is one of the primary blood tests used to diagnose Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and then, when diagnosed, used to gauge how well you’re managing your diabetes. The A1C test is also great for determining the likelihood that someone will develop diabetes.

Here’s how it works. Once your blood is drawn it is used to measure how much sugar is attached to the hemoglobin, a protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood sugar levels, and the higher the risk of developing diabetes or an increase of complications.

There are several ways to get your A1C down. You can start by making some small adjustments to your everyday lifestyle to help you reach a healthy A1C number and avoid diabetes complications. Here’s 3 proactive changes to get you started.

  1. Create a diabetes management plan with your doctor which should include your medication list, target blood glucose levels, and a plan on how to correct low blood sugars.
  2. Track what you eat. Most foods, aside from lean proteins, contain some sugar. By learning how to balance and spread out carbohydrates evenly throughout the day, you can maintain healthy A1C levels.
  3. Get active and get others involved. It is easier to adopt to new changes if you have someone to motivate and keep you on the right path to a more active lifestyle.

It’s ok to go off track a little bit, as we’re all human, but try to be mindful as your health depends on it. To create a diabetes management plan or to discuss your A1C levels, schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor.

 

Prevent a Sinus Infection—Head on

One of the most common conditions that patients seek medical care for is a sinus infection. The uncomfortable pressure, tenderness and lack of oxygen able to pass through your nose is experienced by 31 million people in the U.S., according to the American College or Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. To prevent a trip to the doctor’s office, it’s important patients understand how to prevent a sinus infection.

Sinuses are a system of connected hollow spaces in your head that link to the nasal passages via small channels. Sinus infections occur when fluid is trapped in the sinuses, interfering with drainage and causing mucus to build up, which allows germs to grow. Usually caused by a virus, to diagnosis someone with a sinus infection requires an examination of the throat, nose and sinuses. Your doctor may look for nasal obstruction, difficulty breathing through your nose, and pain and swelling around your eyes, cheeks, nose or forehead.

Patients can take the necessary steps to prevent a sinus infection including:

  • Practice good hand hygiene
  • Avoid close contact with people who have colds or other upper respiratory infections
  • Avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke
  • Use a clean humidifier to moisten the air at home
  • Work with your doctor to manage your allergies to keep symptoms under control

Although a doctor must examine you to determine if you have a sinus infection, most people don’t need to see a doctor. The infection, in most cases, will resolve itself within a week to 10 days. If you’re experiencing symptoms longer than 10 days, contact your doctor to get examined, as you may require additional attention.

4 Strategies for Enjoying, Not Overindulging, on Thanksgiving

Countless times we find ourselves off track from our healthy lifestyle, especially around the holidays. Tempted by so much delicious food, it can be especially hard to maintain or even introduce healthier eating and exercise habits.

To put things into perspective, a Thanksgiving meal on average will contain about 2,500 – 3,000 calories, not including the countless appetizers or snacks you had beforehand. That is about double the average of what we should be intaking in one day! Thankfully, you can still enjoy the Thanksgiving feast by following these simple tips on how to navigate the big meal.

  • Limit the carbs

This does not mean eliminate them. The key is not to have all of them in one meal and only indulging in one carb side such as macaroni and cheese, stuffing, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes. Don’t deprive yourself, just be responsible.

  • Choose more vegetables

Be creative, you can make your vegetables more festive. Look for new recipes and try something different. It’s fun to experiment with food. By enjoying more vegetable dishes on your plate, you won’t miss the carbs as much. Butternut squash, and cauliflower, riced or smashed, are excellent options to replace the carbs.

  • Remember it does not have to be a one-day event

Leftovers taste even better. You can always eat one of the carb side dishes with each meal over the next 3 days after Thanksgiving. Then you’ll get a chance to taste everything without over indulging.

  • Activity is important

Eat earlier in the day, then you’ll have more time to burn off the calories. After you finish the meal, don’t just sit around. Help clean up the kitchen and go for a walk. This is another time you can be creative by planning some social activities that will get everyone involved and moving. Make it fun.

Enjoy yourself this Thanksgiving and do it in a way that you can feel great about yourself and your health.

Q&A: 10 Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask Your Doctor

Something that is always talked about in Direct Care is the doctor-patient relationship. But how can patients get to know their doctor on a more personal level? Asking questions is one of the best ways to ensure you and your doctor are on the same page and a great way for you to get to know your doctor on a more personal level.

Meet Dr. Kimberly Jones-Mudd, you can call her Dr. Jones. She joined R-Health Ewing last month as a Board-certified Family Physician. You’ll find that Dr. Jones enjoys partnering with her patients to help them achieve their best health, and prefers to take a holistic approach incorporating mind, body, and spirit when creating a plan of care. But, to ensure Dr. Jones’ patients really know her, we asked 10 questions that you most likely always wanted to ask your doctor, yet never did.

 

Q: How did you end up going into medicine?

Jones: My decision to become a family medicine physician was a calling. Those who know me well will say I spoke of becoming a doctor in elementary school. I looked at other options after graduation from undergrad, but nothing gave me the same fulfillment. I feel compelled to serve others, help people lead healthy lives, and provide the assistance to help with healing when illness occurs.

 

Q: What would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into medicine?

Jones: I’d probably considered law. I was a Political Science Major.

 

Q: What job would you be terrible at?

Jones: IT, research, or anything that lacks day-to-day human interaction.

 

Q: What is one stereotype about doctors that you’d like to put to rest?

Jones: I would like people to know that not all physicians are judgemental and while we act as guides in offering care, the patient has autonomy in making decisions.

 

Q: What is your favorite TV show?

Jones: All things Hallmark. If someone were to turn on my TV at any given point, it would most likely be on the Hallmark Channel.

 

Q: What hobby would you get into if time and money weren’t an issue?

Jones: I wouldn’t call it a hobby, but I have always wanted to learn sign language.

 

Q: Do you have any pets or kids?

Jones: I have a 6-year-old daughter and a dog.

 

Q: How different was your life one year ago?

Jones: My life has been stable since my daughter was born. It just gets busier in juggling her extracurricular activities.

 

Q: What are you most likely to become famous for?

Jones: I have no desire to be famous. However, I hope when people think of me, professionally and personally, they see my desire to help others as the thing that motivates me.

 

Q: Who inspires you to be better?

Jones: My daughter, because I want to serve as a role model for her.

 

To learn more about Dr. Jones, visit https://www.r-health.md/dr-jones/.