Six Health Practices for Diabetic Patients to Keep Their Heart Strong
According to the American Diabetes Association, adults with diabetes are twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke than those without it. In-fact, People with diabetes face up to four times higher risk of experiencing cardiovascular complications compared to the general population.
Link between Diabetes and Heart Diseases
In a large population-based study conducted in Ontario, Canada, the risk of cardiovascular events associated with diabetes decreased from 1994 to 2019, while the risk associated with prior cardiovascular disease remained stable. This shows that efforts to manage diabetes and reduce heart risks might be working. That means with the right practices, you can reduce your risks of cardiovascular diseases triggered by Diabetes.
Heart disease is a significant concern for individuals living with diabetes, often being the primary cause (around 2/3rd) of mortality in people with type 2 diabetes.
This happens because diabetes can damage blood vessels and make the heart muscle stiffer, causing fluid retention and heart failure. Additionally, diabetes can lead to early and accelerated development of coronary artery disease, heightening the chances of experiencing repeated heart attacks and the formation of scar tissue in the heart muscle.
Managing diabetes through lifestyle changes, such as following a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, can help lower the risk of heart disease.
Six Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy While in Diabetes
Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Keeping an eye on your blood sugar levels is really important if you have diabetes. It helps you know if your numbers are in the range that your doctor recommends. By checking your levels regularly, you can spot patterns and make adjustments to what you eat, how active you are, and the medicine you take. This can help you get your blood sugar under control. Check out to know more about managing diabetes and prediabetes.
A diet with lots of whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and healthy fats is good for stabilizing blood sugar levels and keeping you healthy overall. Regular exercise, like brisk walking, swimming, or lifting weights, helps your body use insulin better and keeps your blood sugar in check.
Managing stress, getting enough sleep, and staying hydrated also play a role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. It’s crucial to work closely with your healthcare team to create a personalized plan for managing your diabetes. This includes regularly checking your blood sugar levels and getting ongoing guidance and support.
The key is being consistent with monitoring your levels, following a balanced diet, staying active, and working with your diabetologist doctor at BCure to find the right approach for you.
Control Blood Pressure
Having high blood pressure and diabetes together is pretty common, and high blood pressure can raise your risk of heart disease. So, it’s really important to keep an eye on your blood pressure if you have diabetes. You’ll want to work closely with your doctor to make sure it stays in a healthy range.
There are some lifestyle changes that can help lower your blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and exercise is key. You’ll also want to follow a low-sodium diet, limit alcohol, and stay physically active on a regular basis. Things like going for walks, swimming, or even just moving more throughout the day can make a difference.
In some cases, your doctor might prescribe medication to help control your blood pressure. It’s crucial to take any medications exactly as prescribed and go for regular check-ups. This will allow your doctor to monitor your blood pressure and overall heart health.
By working closely with your healthcare team and making necessary lifestyle adjustments, you can effectively manage your blood pressure and lower your risk of heart-related complications that can come with having diabetes. The key is following your treatment plan, staying active, and making heart-healthy choices every day.
If you are Odisha, you can do that by getting the right treatment at the right time from the best heart surgeon near you in Bhubaneswar, cuttack or Kendrapara.
Manage Cholesterol Levels
Having high levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides can increase your risk of heart disease, especially if you have diabetes. To manage your cholesterol levels, it’s important to follow a heart-healthy diet that’s low in saturated fats, Trans fats, and cholesterol. This means eating more foods with healthy fats like fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, and walnuts. These foods can help lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Along with dietary changes, regular physical activity is key for managing cholesterol. Activities like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling can help increase your HDL (good) cholesterol and keep your heart healthy.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medications like statins to help get your levels under control. But it’s crucial to follow your doctor’s treatment plan, attend regular check-ups, and monitor your cholesterol levels. This can help reduce your risk of heart-related complications that often come with diabetes.
The main things to focus on are following a heart-healthy diet, staying active, taking any prescribed medications as directed, and working closely with your healthcare team to keep an eye on your cholesterol numbers. Making these lifestyle adjustments can really help manage your cholesterol levels and protect your heart health.
Manage your ABCs
Average Blood Sugar (A1C Range): A1C Test gives a picture of your average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months. Your goal is to keep your A1C in the range recommended by your doctor.
Blood Pressure: You want to keep your blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg. Do this through healthy lifestyle choices like a balanced diet, regular exercise, and managing stress. If needed, your doctor may also prescribe medication to help control your blood pressure.
Cholesterol: Follow a heart-healthy diet with less saturated fat and more foods with good fats like fish, nuts, and seeds. Stay active, and take any cholesterol-lowering medications as prescribed by your doctor. This will help manage your cholesterol levels.
Manage Stress, Quit Smoking, Limit Alcohol, and Get Enough Sleep
Chronic stress can mess with your blood sugar levels and overall health. Try relaxing techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or just getting out in nature. Finding healthy ways to reduce stress can make a big difference.
Smoking raises your risk of heart disease and makes managing diabetes even harder. Talk to your doctor or look into support groups and quit programs. They can provide guidance and tools to help you successfully kick the habit for good.
Drinking too much can affect your blood sugar, raise your blood pressure, and lead to weight gain – none of which are good for diabetes. Stick to moderate drinking as advised by your doctor.
Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep. Not getting enough quality sleep can disrupt your blood sugar control, metabolism, and overall health. Aim for 7-9 hours of restful sleep each night. This will help keep your body and mind in top shape.
Regular Medical Check-ups
It’s really important to go for regular check-ups with your doctor or healthcare team if you have diabetes. During these visits, they’ll perform tests to keep an eye on how well you’re managing your diabetes and assess your overall heart health.
This might include blood tests to check your cholesterol levels, monitoring your blood pressure, and potentially an ECG (electrocardiogram) or other heart tests if needed. These give your doctor a good picture of how effective your diabetes management is, identify any changes in risk factors for heart disease, and catch any early signs of heart problems or complications.
The key is to attend these medical check-ups as often as your doctor recommends. Don’t skip them! This allows your healthcare team to closely monitor your condition and make adjustments to your treatment plan if necessary.
Feel free to bring up any concerns or questions you have about managing your diabetes and protecting your heart health. Your doctor is there to provide guidance and support. By working closely together and having these regular evaluations, you can stay on top of your diabetes and maintain a healthy heart.
Conclusion
Collaborating with your diabetologist at BCure and staying proactive about monitoring and managing diabetes and heart health can help individuals reduce the risk of heart disease complications and improve overall health outcomes.
If you need the best diabetologist in Kendrapara, we can help you get appointments and consultation from best endocrinologists from Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
