A combination of high blood cholesterol and diabetes is a dangerous duo, greatly increasing your risk of coronary artery disease, or plaque buildup on the arteries of your heart. Reducing your intake of saturated fat, trans fats and high-cholesterol foods is essential in lowering your cholesterol along with consuming low glycemic index or low-GI foods. Low-glycemic foods have a minimal effect on your blood sugar compared to high-glycemic foods.
Significance
If you have diabetes, your bad cholesterol carriers, or LDL, are smaller and more dense compared to someone who does not have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. This more compact cholesterol carrier has a higher affinity to the walls of your arteries, increasing the rate of plaque development. Thus, you have a higher chance of coronary artery disease and are more likely to suffer from a heart attack if you have high blood cholesterol and diabetes.
Benefits
Following a low-cholesterol, low-glycemic diet may help to decrease the dosage of your cholesterol and diabetic medications. Increasing your intake of cholesterol-lowering foods such as salmon, almonds, walnuts, apples, and beans is also helpful in keeping your blood sugar stable; these foods have a low glycemic index, according to a 2003 article by Stephen Wong, Ph.D., and registered dietitian Susan Chung, published in "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal."
Considerations
Along with a cholesterol and diabetic-friendly diet, you should consider engaging in a regular exercise program. Both aerobic and resistance training have an insulin-like effect in that these types of exercises facilitate the entry of glucose into your cells, decreasing your dependence on insulin. Aerobic exercise may also improve your level of good cholesterol carriers, or HDL.
Grains and Dairy
Whole grain breads and cereals like whole wheat tortillas, all-bran cereal and cooked spaghetti noodles have low-glycemic index. Choose these grains as long as they have no saturated or trans fats. Skim milk has a GI of only 32 with only 15 mg of cholesterol compared to whole milk with plenty of fat and 34 mg of cholesterol. Leave the full-fat cheeses and yogurts on the shelves because of their high fat and cholesterol content; you should not eat more than 200 mg of cholesterol per day, according to a 2007 article by registered dietitian Janet Brill, Ph.D., published in the "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal."
Protein
Refrain from eating egg yolks as one yolk has over 200 mg of cholesterol, or more than a whole day's allotment. Use egg whites only or an egg substitute. While certain cuts of chicken and beef are low in fat, these sources of protein have about 80 mg of cholesterol in a 3 ½ oz. serving, according to Dr. Brill. Eat chicken and beef once in a while. Stay away from organ meats and shrimp as they are also high in cholesterol. Consume salmon, sardines or mackerel at least twice per week because they are rich in the omega-3 fats that help lower your LDL and raise your HDL.
Fruits and Veggies
Fruits are good for you, but some fruits can raise your blood sugar too much. Limit your consumption of pineapple and watermelon as they have a high glycemic index. Eat bananas, mango, kiwi, and grapes with unsalted nuts occasionally. Apples, oranges, pears and sweet cherries are the best fruits to eat because they have a low GI and are rich in fiber. Fill your plate with plenty of vegetables with your fish. These vegetables have a moderate GI and lower your cholesterol.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Treating High Cholesterol in People with Diabetes
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Glycemic Index: An Educational Tool for Health and Fitness Professionals; Stephen Wong, Ph.D., and Susan Chung, R.D.N.; November/December 2003
- "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance"; William McArdle, Frank Katch and Victor Katch; 2007
