I likely don’t have to tell you this, but having diabetes often
means more than just having high blood glucose. Sometimes other
“issues” come along for the ride, such as eye problems, nerve
damage, high blood pressure, and yes, high cholesterol. Health
experts advise people with diabetes to focus particularly on one
type of cholesterol, called low-density lipoprotein, or LDL.
Also commonly called the “bad” cholesterol, LDL is really the
number to zero in on, more so than total cholesterol. And while
HDL, or “good” cholesterol is important in that it seems to have
a protective effect against heart disease, there’s not as much
that you can do about changing HDL, other than exercising and
stopping smoking. But LDL you can do something about. Why is LDL
“bad”? It’s a big contributor to plaque buildup inside artery
walls. Plaque can lead to blockages, meaning that blood has
difficulty getting through arteries. This is problematic because
it means that vital organs (like your heart and brain) don’t get
enough blood