Comment

Comment by Josh F on August 10, 2012 at 5:42pm

And yes I read Bernstein's book, many times... but again, not everyone can physically run blood sugars of 70 all day. I have tried. Lows are not any better than highs. A1cs mean nothing to many people if you get there with lows only. I can't and it is not from desire to be healthy, my body just cannot function well at that level. Again placing a blanket statement over a condition that is so vastly different for everyone's genetics and metabolism, is not good medicine. Each person must be worked with on an individual basis. Glad you found your path, but i would consider this chart without such terrible words to simply shame people into being "good" diabetics.

Comment by Josh F on August 10, 2012 at 5:36pm

I have had Type 1 for 34 years. I understand how it works. No offense but some people cannot get below a 5 even with constant work. I have a CGM and take 15 blood sugars a day and do everything in my power to keep my A1c as low as possible,with diet and exercise... but you must keep in mind your personal experience is and may be very different than mine in terms of how our bodies function. My only point is, yes, a A1c below a 5 is great but a chart that simply makes those that cannot get there no matter how long and hard they work is pointless and stupid. I have found through many years and discussion that the consistency of the number matters more then the number itself, ( within reason..as I have seen people even with low A1c's have complications and much has to do with genetics) when you are discussing complications. To say someone is looking to die before 65 if they have an A1c of 7 is a bit extreme in my opinion. Not comparing T1 and T2, but just mentioning it is not so black and white.

Comment by Zolar1 on August 10, 2012 at 10:47am

Josh,
The chart should be used as a goal. As we all know everyone is different.

However, an A1C of <5.0 is achievable. It just takes LOTS of hard work and a severely rigid lifestyle. Of course there are a few people that can't get there (I can't due to lifestyle issues), but I can if I worked hard enough at it. Anything 5.0 and above increases your risk of complications. Measurable tissue damage can occur at blood sugars of 104 and above (A1C of about 5.1). Damage is cumulative. It is like driving your car with the front end out of alignment. The tires keep wearing until either they fail or you get an alignment. You cannot put the tread back on the tire. Hence, damage is cumulative. ALL typical doctors and endo's are just tape recorders - they just play the same old song that the AMA and ADA spews out.

Financially speaking, if you die before retirement it saves retirement systems tons of money.
The 7.0 is planned to allow you to theoretically die at age 65 or earlier.

Test strip companies and drug companies makes billions off us every year.
It doesn't help them at all if you die before 65.

So there is a conflict. Retirement systems want you gone before 65 and diabetic suppliers want you to live as long as possible.

Please remember, I did not make the chart. I am not qualified to make any chart like that.

But the chart is very accurate.

Many life prolonging methods say to eat less and exercise more, being careful what you eat too. The skinny you are the longer you live usually.
Higher A1C's generally mean you are storing body fat somewhere, especially if you are using insulin and are a type 2.

Insulin shuts down the body's ability to utilize fat as an energy source in favor of metabolizing carbs first. This is one of the reasons why doctors want you to eat a low fat diet.

No one is being forced to follow any guidelines. But to err on the side of caution isn't a bad thing. It might even give a better quality of life and a longer one too.

Comment by Zolar1 on August 10, 2012 at 10:34am

My last one jumped to 5.8. Too much stress and no regular lifestyle to keep things under control.

Insulin helps but it is not a cure all.

Also, the bigger my waist line gets the worse my A1C.

Comment by shelly on August 7, 2012 at 5:45pm

nice mine is 5.5 :(

Comment by Josh F on July 28, 2012 at 9:16pm

I guess my point is, regardless of the words used, ( and yes running a 400 all the time is a bad idea) the idea that anything above a 4.9 a1c being bad is just absurd and pointless to express to most diabetics as most are not physically able to achieve below a 5. Those that can, wonderful, but charts like this are really damaging to the psyche otherwise.

Comment by Josh F on July 28, 2012 at 9:12pm

Comment by Josh F on June 7, 2012 at 11:56am

Since when is a A1C of 6.0 terrible? Whatever.

Comment by Zolar1 on May 19, 2011 at 7:33pm

How about this:

http://ning.it/j1kWrq

Comment by Zolar1 on May 19, 2011 at 1:13pm

LOL. Well, I didn't make the chart :-)

But the information is rather accurate. I assume that maintaining those blood sugars according to the color key would result in the particular definition.
Example: maintaining a blood sugar of 403 for an extended period of time actually is suicidal.

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