Blood Sugar & Cardiovascular Health

While dietary fat and cholesterol has long taken the blame as one of the primary causes of Cardiovascular disease, sugar and carbs are really the ones we should be pointing the finger at. As research unpacks more and more in the field of nutrition, we now have some very compelling evidence in a variety of areas regarding the benefits of lowering our sugar and carbohydrate intake.

​Therefore, I’d like to bring your attention to a simple blood test called a Hemoglobin A1C. ​
This test is used to determine your average blood sugar over the past 2-3 months, and is often used as a screening tool for diabetes. It is also used to determine the effectiveness of treatment for those who are diagnosed with diabetes. However, a hemoglobin A1C can provide extremely valuable information regarding your health whether you’re diabetic, pre-diabetic or otherwise “healthy”.
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This test can give a broad picture of how your body is processing the sugar and carbohydrates that you consume. Many of my clients are surprised to discover that even so called "healthy carbs" can be causing damage to their body. 

While current Canadian guidelines consider a hemoglobin A1C between 4 - 5.5% as “normal”, most holistic and/or naturopathic practitioners would recommend the higher limit be no more than 5.3% for optimal outcomes.
If you’ve never had this test done, or haven’t had it done in the past year if you’re non-diabetic, or the past 3 months if you’re pre-diabetic or diabetic, I encourage you to ask your doctor to have one done.
Keep in mind there are some factors that can skew the results of a hemoglobin A1C, such as anemia, or low vitamin B12 levels, so this testing should be a part of a holistic health approach.
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Now You Know!