Preventing Neuropathy

Weight gain. Heart disease. Stroke. These are all risks that you live with if you have diabetes. There’s another risk you might not think much about, but it can be painful and debilitating if ignored. That’s diabetic neuropathy… nerve damage in your extremities that causes pain and discomfort. It puts you at higher risks of certain kinds of infections and can even lead to loss of limb.

New research is revealing more about what triggers diabetic neuropathy. One of the things they’ve discovered is that high triglyceride levels contribute to nerve damage. In fact in a recent study conducted at the University of Michigan Medical School, researchers found that elevated triglycerides levels are the most accurate predictor of diabetic neuropathy.

Researchers conclude that managing triglycerides levels is just as important as managing blood sugar when it comes to preventing diabetic neuropathy.

If you’re diabetic, you should be concerned about your triglyceride levels. The main contributor to high triglyceride levels is diet. Most people worry about fat consumption because triglycerides are a form of fat in the blood. However, the real culprit is carbohydrates. Carbohydrates readily convert to triglycerides in the blood.

So, the first step to reducing triglycerides is to make smarter choices about carbohydrates. Focus on getting your carbs from high fiber sources like vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans rather than lower fiber sources like refined sugars and grains.

The next step is to get more exercise, but when it comes to lowering triglycerides certain kinds of exercise work better than others. Studies show that short bursts of higher intensity exercise are more effective when it comes to reducing triglycerides.

Finally, studies also show that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids is a good way to control triglyceride levels. Fish oil is the best source of omega-3s because fish oil contains multiple kinds of these beneficial oils.

If you have diabetes, controlling your triglyceride levels can help protect your nerves from damage. That will mean a better quality of life as you get older.

Stay well,
Meghan Krohn