Nuts for Neurons

High blood sugar has an accomplice: Elevated triglycerides, which may be a hidden cause of nerve damage in people with diabetes. In a University of Michigan study, diabetic participants whose triglyceride levels were highest had 25% more nerve damage after a year than those with lower levels, regardless of either group’s glucose levels. “High tri­glycerides probably leads to oxidative stress, which causes injury to motor and sensory neurons,” says study author Eva Feldman MD. If your triglycerides are above 150 milligrammes per deciliter, swap refined carbohydrates for a daily dose of pistachios.

 

 

Photography by Levi Brown

 

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