Quick Tips About Controlling Your Diabetes: Understanding Your Cholesterol

If you live with diabetes, self-care is critical.  By focusing on just 3 key areas, most diabetics can stay healthy and keep their diabetes under control. The 3 areas are:  Blood sugar, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. Today we will discuss cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of fat that may build up inside the arteries and cause the peripheral resistance there  to increase, thereby increasing the patient’s  blood pressure (diastolic pressure typically) by narrowing the vessel’s diameter. 

There are three numbers to be aware of as a part of a cholesterol panel:  LDL, “bad” cholesterol, should be less than 100mg/dl;   HDL,  “good” cholesterol, should be greater than 40mg/dl for men and greater than 50mg/dl for women, and triglycerides (a form of fat in your blood), should be less than 150mg/dl.  If your LDL and your Triglycerides are too high, often your doctor will tell you to lessen your intake of foods high in animal fat, and/or use skim or 1% milk, and use liquid oil in cooking (like canola or olive oil) rather than stick butter or margarine, and to increase your fiber intake.  If a diet alone does not bring down your numbers, your MD may prescribe medicines to bring down your cholesterol (LDL) and/or triglycerides.

Just by controlling these three areas, you may greatly reduce your risk for having a heart attack, stroke, and kidney problems (including kidney failure eventually). 
Take control of your diabetes!

Cindy Cloud, RPh, CGP (Certified Geriatric Pharmacist), Volunteer (teacher) at
Bethesda Community Clinic, and available to talk to your group of elders about
medications.

http://BethesdaCommunityClinic.org
107 Mountain Brook Drive
Suite 100
Canton, GA 30115
678-880-9654     

Hours:
Monday,Thursday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (Low Cost Care and Labs, walk-ins welcome)

Tuesday: 12 - 8pm (Low Cost Care and Labs, walk-ins welcome)

Friday: 8:30 am - 11:30 am (Low Cost Care and Labs, walk-ins welcome)

Saturday: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (Free Health Care for pre-qualified Cherokee County Residents.  Click here to learn about how you can pre-qualify.)