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Type 2 Diabetes - Does High HDL Cholesterol Help In Lowering Blood Sugar?

High density lipoprotein, or HDL, the "good" kind of cholesterol, is thought to promote blood sugar control. Researchers at the University Medical Center and University of Groningen in the Netherlands studied pancreatic beta cells, the cells responsible for making and releasing insulin, along with high density lipoprotein (HDL) function.

HDL functions in transporting cholesterol out of your body so it will not clog your blood vessels. This helps to prevent heart attacks and strokes. It also serves as an antioxidant, preventing damage to cells by not allowing oxidation reactions to take place.

This particular study, published in May 2012 in the journal Atherosclerosis, included:

    37 volunteers with normal blood sugar levels,


    36 with slightly elevated blood sugar, and
    22 diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

In the people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, beta cells were found to function best when HDL was doing its job as an antioxidant and causing cholesterol to leave the body. The HbA1c percentage was lowest in those whose HDL was working best.

From the above information it was concluded the healthy function of HDL could actually contribute to good beta cell function.

HDL is the so-called "good cholesterol". For good health, aim for an HDL cholesterol of:

    60 mg/dL or greater.
    levels of 40 mg/dL or lower put people at risk for disease, even when total cholesterol levels are normal.

To keep up a high HDL level, perform aerobic exercise for 30 to 60 minutes per day. Aerobic exercise is any physical activity that increases your heart and breathing rates. A simple walk or jog for a half hour every day can provide aerobic exercise if it increases your breathing and pulse rate, making your body take in more oxygen...

1. Spring time has arrived in the northern hemisphere, so it's a great time to get out and enjoy the warm weather and blooming flowers. In the southern hemisphere, put on a sweater, get out and enjoy the brisk fall weather.

2. If you are overweight or obese, normalizing your weight can also contribute to raising your HDL level. For every 6 pounds lost, your HDL can increase by as much as 1 mg/dL.

3. Avoiding saturated and trans fats also helps to raise HDL levels, so avoid animal fats and palm oils. Instead choose nuts, olive oil, and liquid vegetable oils.

4. Tobacco smoke lowers HDL levels, so quitting or not starting is another good way of helping to maintain healthy HDL levels.

5. Drinking in moderation, one drink per day for women and two for men, tends to raise HDL levels, so if you drink, limit it to only one or two drinks a day. If you do not drink, do not start, because alcohol can have other unhealthy effects.

How do you start to create a healthy lifestyle today so you can have healthy HDL cholesterol levels and good blood sugar control?


Article Source: Beverleigh H Piepers

1 comment:

  1. I enjoyed reading your post and found it to be informative and to the topic. Thank you for not rambling on and on just to fill the page.
    Control high blood sugar

    ReplyDelete