Diabetes – Costco Benefits

The gut-brain connection

Do you ever get butterflies when you’re excited or nervous? Or feel hungry after watching a pizza commercial on TV? That’s your gut communicating with your brain.

The relationship between these two parts of your body affects your mood, sleep and digestion. So, it’s important to get the right treatment if you have gut issues, such as bloating, constipation or acid reflux.

If these conditions affect you, you’re not alone — digestive disorders are the second most common diagnosis among Costco employees. That’s why Costco employees now have access to a new, free digestive health program from Cylinder to help get the best possible care for gut issues.

Substance misuse and the gut

95% of your body’s serotonin, the “happiness hormone”, is manufactured by gut bacteria. Misusing addictive substances, such as alcohol or narcotics, disrupts your gut health which lowers your serotonin levels. This can cause feelings of depression and anxiety. Restoring gut health is one way to help return serotonin to healthy levels, an important part of substance misuse recovery.

Gut health and diabetes

Gut health may also be tied to diabetes. For years, researchers have been studying the composition of the gut microbiome, a collection of microorganisms that include fungi, bacteria and viruses that live in the digestive tract. People with higher levels of certain bacterium are more likely to have insulin resistance, which can cause high blood sugar and diabetes. Improving your gut health can help balance your gut bacteria and may reduce symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.

Your new digestive health benefit

If you’re one of the many people with gut issues, often suffering in silence, your new digestive health benefit from Cylinder can help. It’s available at no cost to employees and their family members age 18+ enrolled in a Costco medical plan.

This free virtual program offers 24/7 digestive health support, starting with a free at-home gut microbiome test to measure the good and bad bacteria in your gut. A registered dietitian and health coach will then work with you to get to the root problem of your digestive symptoms. This highly effective resource has helped 91% of users improve their GI health. For more information, visit Go.CylinderHealth.com/Costco and use access code: Costco or call 888-246-5019.

Better health starts with the gut. Get support from the resources below.

*Not available in Puerto Rico.

Sources:
National Geographic. Your gut health can affect the rest of your body. Here’s why.
Cedars Sinai. Gut bacteria may play a role in diabetes.

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MARCH 2024

Cholesterol tips and tricks

Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells. But too much puts you at risk for heart disease.

High cholesterol is often the result of unhealthy choices — which makes it preventable and treatable. With some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can protect your heart and your health.

Looking for more? Find other articles below

What is high cholesterol?

If you have high cholesterol, it means there are too many lipids (fats) in your blood. These lipids build up in your arteries to form fatty deposits, or plaque. Over time, those deposits grow, making it difficult for enough blood to flow through the arteries. Sometimes, those deposits can break suddenly and form a clot that can cause a heart attack or stroke.

“Good” versus “bad” cholesterol

Good cholesterol (HDL) helps your liver keep cholesterol levels balanced. Bad cholesterol (LDL) is the culprit that makes fatty deposits form in your arteries. Boosting HDL and reducing LDL are healthy goals to have.

Get checked

The only way to tell if you have high cholesterol is with a blood test. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends getting cholesterol screenings every five years, starting between ages 9 and 11. That should be bumped up to every two years at age 45 for men and age 55 for women. All people over age 65 should get their cholesterol tested annually. If you have heart disease, diabetes or a family history of high cholesterol, you may need to get your cholesterol checked more often.

Do you know your numbers?

Your cholesterol numbers show how much cholesterol is circulating in your blood. Your HDL cholesterol is the number you want to be high, ideally above 60. Your LDL should be below 100. Your total cholesterol should be below 200. Talk to your provider about what your results mean for you.

People with diabetes are more prone to having high cholesterol. This is also true of people with high blood pressure. Omada for Hypertension is now available for Costco employees and their household members (age 18+) and joins Omada for Diabetes and Prevention to help you manage these conditions and improve your heart health. Enrollment is easy at OmadaHealth.com/Costco.

Follow these tips to improve your cholesterol

Trim saturated fats.

Rich, animal-based foods contain saturated fat that can raise your “bad” LDL cholesterol. These include butter, heavy cream, cheeses, processed foods, fatty cuts of beef and chicken with the skin on. Try occasionally swapping them for low-fat dairy products, lean poultry or fish. Trim any excess fat from red meat, and remove chicken skin before eating.

Avoid trans fats.

Some packaged foods, such as cookies, crackers and cakes, contain trans fats, or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. These man-made fats can raise not only your cholesterol, but also your triglycerides — another type of fat that contributes to heart disease. Check the ingredients of packaged foods before you buy them.

Up your fiber.

A diet high in fiber can reduce your cholesterol levels as much as 10%. Think fresh fruits and veggies, oatmeal, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. Aim to eat your fruits and veggies instead of juicing/drinking them. And don’t skip the edible skin or peel — there’s loads of fiber there, too.

Rethink fried foods.

Foods are often fried in oils that are rich in saturated or trans fats. Look for recipes and restaurant items that bake, broil, roast or stir-fry instead. You can also experiment at home with an air fryer, which fries foods without oil.

Get moving.

Sitting too much can deplete your “good” HDL cholesterol levels. Experts suggest aiming for 150 minutes of moderate exercise — such as brisk walking — each week, but any movement is good movement. Do what you can when you can. 

Quit or cut back on nicotine products.

Smoking lowers levels of “good” HDL cholesterol — especially in women. At the same time, it can increase both your triglycerides and “bad” LDL cholesterol.

Go ahead — enjoy that Sunday omelet.

While eggs get a bad rap for being high in cholesterol, you don’t need to give them up. Eggs are high in protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fat, making them a nutritious choice. Unless your doctor advises otherwise, it should be safe for you to eat up to seven eggs each week.

Sources:
Mayo Clinic. High cholesterol.
Cleveland Clinic. High cholesterol diseases.
Cleveland Clinic. Cholesterol numbers and what they mean.

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The gut-brain connection

Substance misuse and the gut