How To Lower Cholesterol And A1c

Diets Proven To Help Lower Cholesterol

The following diets are not diets in the sense of restricting your food intake or being hungry all the time, but eating plans that emphasize certain healthy food groups over less-healthy options. Scientific research has also proven that theyre helpful when it comes to lowering cholesterol.

If youre looking to manage high cholesterol, consider following one of these eating plans.

Preparation Methods Matter So Cook With Olive Oil Or Avocado Oil

Instead of cooking with those generic vegetable oils , switch to using olive oil, sunflower oil, and avocado oil, which contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. When choosing added facts in your cooking, the goal is to avoid butter, which is high in saturated fat, and to avoid products made with trans fats or partially hydronated fatty acids.

The way you prepare foods matters a lot. For example, fried foods have been linked to both high cholesterol and cancer, so while French fries are hard to pass up. You can make quite acceptable baked fries, or you can treat yourself to an air fryer, which will give you the satisfying crunch of fried foods without the negative health effects.

Baking, stir-frying , roasting, and steaming are all great ways to prepare your vegetables, tofu, and meats.

What Does The A1c Test Measure

A1C is one of the primary tests used for diabetes diagnosis and management. It can test for type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but not for gestational diabetes. The A1C test can also predict the likelihood that someone will develop diabetes.

The A1C test measures how much glucose is attached to hemoglobin. This is the protein in red blood cells. The more glucose attached, the higher the A1C.

The A1C test is groundbreaking because:

• It doesnt require fasting.
• It gives a picture of blood sugar levels over a period of weeks to months instead of at just one time, like fasting sugars.
• It can be done at any time of day. This makes it easier for doctors to give and make accurate diagnoses.

You can lower your A1C by making changes to your:

• exercise regimen
• diet
• medication

If you already have diabetes and are taking medications that can cause low blood sugar levels, find out your optimal levels.

Here are nine ways to lower your A1C:

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What Is The Connection Between Ldl

In a person with diabetes, there is a condition called, diabetic dyslipidemia.

It is characterized by a triad that includes:

• low HDL-C
• high LDL-C
• high triglycerides

In research, they have found that there is a link between the insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes and diabetic dyslipidemia that tends to cause people with Type 2 diabetes to get heart disease or a stroke at a younger age than people without Type 2 diabetes. Due to the size of LDL-C molecules and other factors in people with diabetes, there exists ability for diabetes to effect the lowering of the good cholesterol in the blood, all while promoting an increase in the bad cholesterol. This premature risk is all the more reason to work with your primary care provider to manage cholesterol when you have diabetes. Lifestyle habits likely play a role in the increased risk, with some people developing dyslipidemia prior to a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is important to manage cholesterol for general health throughout life.

Most Of The Time Choose Plant Proteins Such As Beans And Tofu Over Meat

We all know that eating lean meat like skinless chicken breast is better for our hearts than fatty meats like prime rib. And certainly, lean meats like white poultry and game meat are part of the Pritikin Eating Plan.

If plant-based, protein-rich foods like tofu have turned you off in the past, youre in for many delicious surprises at Pritikin.

But is your goal ratcheting down your blood cholesterol as much as you can? Are you trying to not only halt but reverse the build-up of plaque in your arteries?

If so, its a good idea to choose plant proteins over meat most of the time. Thats because leaner cuts of meat, including skinless white poultry, still contain some saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. For optimal cholesterol lowering, limit lean meat to no more than once weekly, and to a 3.5-ounce serving or less.

Plant Proteins

Plant proteins like beans and tofu are not only free of artery-clogging saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, theyre also high in soluble fiber, which lowers blood cholesterol.

Fish

Another excellent choice is fish, particularly fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and trout. Choose at least 2 times weekly. If youre using canned fish, such as canned sardines, select very-low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties.

Other types of fish do not contain as many omega 3s, but theyre still good choices, preferable to land animal meat.

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How To Lower A1c With Type 1 Diabetes

Regina made some drastic changes to her diet and saw immediate results. She changed from eating about 50 grams of carbohydrate per day to eating upwards of 400 grams of carbohydrate per day and reduced her insulin use from 15 to 13 units per day.

At her next doctors visit, Regina’s A1c decreased from 12.3% to 5.3%, while eating more carbohydrate energy. In addition, her total cholesterol dropped from 215 mg/dL to 124 mg/dL and her blood pressure decreased from 150/90 mmHg to 120/70 mmHg.

Take a look at her blood work between 2017 and 2018 to see how her nutrition habits affected her overall health:

Biomarker
150/90	120/70

Regina stays physically active and on-the-go as both a teacher and a coach, but by following a low-fat, plant-based, whole-food diet she says she doesnt even feel like she has a disease.

Regina is truly an example of how to lower A1c using a simple approach that has been backed by more than 85 years of evidence-based science.

Her story shows just how easy it is to feel great eating a low-fat, plant-based, whole-food diet living with type 1 diabetes, and verify that this lifestyle works after receiving excellent laboratory blood work.

Best of all, Regina has a progressive mentality that is sure to keep her incredibly healthy for years to come. She finally understands how to lower A1c using a low-fat, plant-based diet and minimize her risk for chronic diseases in the long-term a powerful gift she wish she had learned many years ago.

About the author

Cholesterol And Pre Diabetes

A dyslipidemia may clue providers in to the need to test a person for pre-diabetes or diabetes due to the connection between the insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. A patients A1C may show in the pre-diabetes range of 4.8-5.6 percent. This serves to give the person a heads up related to managing their dyslipidemia and pre-diabetes state with diet and exercise. The goal in pre-diabetes is generally to lose 5-7 percent of overall weight, and to obtain 150 minutes of physical activity in a week, along with healthy eating, in order to prevent Type 2 diabetes.

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Watch Out For The Rest Of Your Health

Even if youre careful about controlling both your blood sugar and your blood cholesterol, diabetes can affect other parts of the body over time. That means its important to stay on top of all facets of your health as you go.

• Your eyes. Both high cholesterol and diabetes can affect your eye health, so be sure to see your eye doctor every year for a checkup.
• Your feet. Diabetes can affect the nerves in your feet, making them less sensitive. Check your feet regularly for any blisters, sores, or swelling, and make sure that any wounds heal as theyre supposed to. If they dont, check with your doctor.
• Your teeth. There is some evidence that diabetes can increase risk of gum infections. See your dentist regularly and practice careful oral care.
• Your immune system. As we age, our immune system gradually weakens. Other conditions like diabetes can weaken it even more, so its important to get your vaccinations as you need them. Get your flu shot each year, ask about the shingles vaccine after you turn 60, and ask about the pneumonia shot after you turn 65. The

Health Conditions Related To Triglycerides And Cholesterol

High blood lipid levels may increase your risk for plaques to develop in your arteries or thicken the walls of your arteries .

Other health conditions related to high triglycerides or cholesterol include:

• High blood sugar levels or diabetes
• Metabolic syndromea cluster of conditions that increase your risk for heart disease
• Hypothyroidism
• Genetic conditions

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Are There Any Diets For High Cholesterol And Diabetes

Yes, when you have high cholesterol you should follow a heart healthy diet. You should increase your good cholesterol intake, and decrease your bad cholesterol intake. Remember, the good cholesterol carries the bad cholesterol out of your body by way of the liver, so you will want to know how to increase those oils and foods that contain HDL-C, and decrease the foods that contain LDL-C.

Doing This For Just Minutes A Day Can Lower Your Cholesterol

Learning you have high cholesterol can be scary and overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure exactly what it means or how to fight it on your own. There are specific lifestyle and diet changes you can make right now to start lowering your cholesterol levels. But first, it’s important to better understand what high cholesterol means. Read on to find out more, and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You Have “Long” COVID and May Not Even Know It.

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Ways To Lower Your A1c Level

Diabetes is a life-altering chronic disease. If diagnosed, you must deal with diabetes daily. And this means you need to make big life changes, like monitoring and lowering your A1C level.

There are two types of diabetes: insulin-dependent diabetes and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, also known as type II diabetes. By far, the majority of people have type II diabetes. This is the type of diabetes that usually occurs later in life. It is also very often correlated with lifestyle and obesity. These correlations are not always present, but generally speaking they are true.

The good thing about this correlation is that you can take advantage of lifestyle changes to affect your bodys biology. That means if you improve your lifestyle, then you can improve your diabetes control! Good diabetes control means you will be at a lower risk of complications like blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage.

Most people these days measure their diabetes control using the hemoglobin A1C test. The A1C test looks at your average blood sugar over the last three months. If your A1C is above the goal that your doctor sets, then your diabetes is in poor control. If your A1C is lower than your doctors goal, then your diabetes is in good control. If youre able to make these lifestyle changes, then you will impress your doctor with your falling A1C.

A1C Levels That Are Unhealthy

The Weighted Average of the A1c Test

Your A1c Result Corresponds to an Average Blood Glucose Level

Dietary Changes

Cholesterol Is Fat That Is Found In Our Blood Sometimes Its Called Lipids When We Hear This Word We Think Of It Building Up In Our Arteries And Contributing To Long

Healthy levels of cholesterol are vital for our cells to function and to make vitamin D and some hormones.

There are two main types HDL or high-density lipoprotein and LDL or low-density lipoprotein . If the levels of your bad cholesterol become too high and the good cholesterol too low, you are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications .

There are also triglycerides . These can have bad effects on your health if levels are high, too.

For many people, eating a healthy, balanced diet and being physically active is enough to keep cholesterol levels healthy. But if your bad cholesterol is high, most people need medication to lower it. And for people with diabetes, it is important that you have your levels checked every year. You can find out why it’s important in our video.

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Three Important Diabetes Measures

There is so much to think about when you have diabetes, but this easy-to-remember acronym will help you focus on what’s important and take control of your health. Read our breakdown and talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.Don’t Miss: 12 Healthy Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar

A = AIC

What is it?An A1C blood test measures the percentage of hemoglobin coated with sugar. It measures your average blood glucose level over the past two to three months. The A1C test gives you and your health care provider a measure of your progress. Most people with diabetes should have an A1C test every three to six months people who are meeting their treatment goals may need the test only twice a year.Why is it important?The A1C test is a good measure of how well your glucose is under control. It can also be a good tool for determining if someone with prediabetes is progressing toward or has developed type 2 diabetes. Adults over age 45 with hypertension, obesity, or a family history of diabetes also are advised to get an A1C test because they have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Finding out you have an elevated A1C is a cue to make positive changes to your lifestyle.What do the numbers mean?

• 5.7% or lower = normal blood glucose levels
• 5.86.4% = elevated blood glucose levels
• 6.5% or higher = diabetes

B = Blood pressure

What do the numbers mean?

C = Cholesterol

• Related:

Will A Keto Diet Lower Triglycerides And Cholesterol

No, keto diets have been shown to increase cholesterol levels. The Mediterranean diet, however, has been shown to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiac events.

The Mediterranean diet promotes eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats daily eating fish, poultry, beans, and eggs weekly reducing portions of dairy and limiting red meat.

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S Of Reducing Cholesterol & Sugar Levels

Here are a few natural methods to lower cholesterol levels:

• Ditch Trans-fat
• Trans fat or partially hydrogenated fats are present in several processed foods. These varieties of fats are also called partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and are by far the most damaging to your body.
• Trans-fats are modified fat molecules and are not metabolized properly. The byproducts of this type of fat increase the levels of VLDL and LDL greatly while reducing HDL levels by over 20%, hampering the natural system of governance of cholesterol within your body.
• It is believed that trans-fat causes almost 10% of all deaths concerned with heart disease. The FDA has effectively banned the use of trans-fats as of 2021. However, make sure you watch out before making any processed food purchases at the store.

• Eat Vegetables & Whole-Foods
• Vegetables contain several beneficial components like dietary fiber, polyols, antioxidants, pigments, and vitamins that help keep your metabolism prim and proper.
• Whole foods such as grains, oatmeal, berries, nuts, seeds, and natural oils help reduce bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol levels.
• Whole foods are a must in a diet for pre-diabetes and high cholesterol. They reduce sugar and cholesterol levels as they have low glycemic indices and have high concentrations of unsaturated fats.
• These foods are also high in micronutrients and minerals like iron, calcium, copper, cobalt, zinc, magnesium, and selenium.

Control Your Serving Size

One of the easy ways to remember about the balanced diet is to know the rule of hand. Your palm is the amount of proteins that should be in a portion. Your fist tells about the volume of veggies to be included in the food, your cupped hand tells about the amount of carbs to add in the food, and your thumb tells about the amount of fats to add in food.

It is equally important to eat daily at a fixed time. Cut down on your portion size, and further learn to estimate the size of your portion. It is also a good idea to have big breakfast, but light dinner, as you have the whole day to burn your calories.

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What Is The Best Diet For Diabetes And High Cholesterol

People with diabetes should learn to count their carbohydrates, and they should learn to eat a heart healthy diet. Its not that difficult to eat heart healthy with a little preparation. When you have both diabetes and high cholesterol, your risk of heart disease and stroke is heightened, and you need to lower your risk for cardiovascular problems down the road.

How To Lower A1c

To lower A1C, blood sugar level should maintain within the target range without low or high . Naturally, you may want to ask, how to keep blood sugar within a healthy range?

A low-carbohydrate diet, in combination with regular exercise, can help lower your HbA1c.

On the other hand, a high carb diet causes blood glucose spikes and need more insulin, thus it is challenging to maintain blood sugar. If you reduce your insulin requirement , then it is easier to prevent hypo or hyper, thus able to maintain a better blood sugar level.

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How To Lower Cholesterol And Triglycerides

• Frequently Asked Questions

Triglycerides are a type of lipid, or fat, your body produces to store extra calories and provide energy. Cholesterol is another lipid that circulates in your blood. Your body uses cholesterol to build cells and produce hormones.

Both triglycerides and cholesterol are essential for your health but having levels that are too high puts your health at risk. Living a healthy lifestyle helps to keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels within a normal range.

This article covers how triglycerides and cholesterol affect your health and how you can lower them naturally.