18.6-24.9 is desirable.
Blood Pressure Numbers
Blood pressure is the force of your blood against the wall of your blood vessels.
If you have high blood pressure, your heart must work harder to pump blood. High blood pressure can strain your heart, damage blood vessels, and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney problems. Your blood pressure should be below 130/80 mm Hg.
Blood Sugar Numbers
Blood sugar is measured by the amount of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in your blood. An HbA1c test gives you a picture of your average blood sugar control for the past 2 to 3 months and provides you with a better idea of how well your diabetes treatment plan is working.
The higher your A1C number, the higher your blood glucose levels have been during the past three months. Elevated levels of blood glucose can harm your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.
The HbA1c goal for many people with diabetes is below 7 percent. However, depending on your diabetes history and general health your goal may be different. You should discuss your A1C target with your health care provider. If you have prediabetes, the HBA1c goal is less than 6 percent.
Maybe you are not experiencing any symptoms at this time. However, monitoring these four numbers is still essential. There are no symptoms for people with prediabetes, and diabetes may be severe before there are any warning signs.
Likewise, people have no way of knowing they have high cholesterol or high blood pressure without being tested. Next time you go to your healthcare provider be sure to ask about your critical numbers. If your numbers are not at the target level, work with your health care provider to develop a plan to reach these goals.
Constance Brown-Riggs, is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of the Diabetes Guide to Enjoying Foods of the World, a convenient guide to help people with diabetes enjoy all the flavors of the world while still following a healthy meal plan. Follow Constance on social media @eatingsoulfully