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Are you a type 2 diabetes patient looking for ways to be healthy? These tips will help you to manage your type 2 diabetes and heart health.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with diabetes have twice the risk of having heart disease or stroke at a younger age than people who don’t have diabetes. Also, the body states that heart diseases are the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.
As a type 2 diabetes patient, it is crucial that you are concerned about how your heart is faring and practice habits that will help your heart stay healthy.
I’m sharing this info because I am bestselling wellness author.
I founded a nutritionist recommended online program called:
>>>The Stop Emotional Eating Course!
I love sharing insights and techniques to help people to enjoy their healthiest life.
And so I put together this guide on Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Health.
This article will give you tips to help you manage your diabetes condition, avoid heart diseases and stay healthy.
Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases are closely related chronic conditions. The two conditions are leading causes of death in the US. According to the CDC, people with diabetes have twice the risk of having heart disease or stroke at a younger age than people who don’t have diabetes.
In the long run, high blood sugar causes damage to the blood vessels and nerves that control your heart.
When these plaques break apart, the body sends small cells known as platelets to seal the leak. Unfortunately, this process backfires. Because the arteries are small, the platelets block the blood supply to the heart, and a heart attack develops.
Also, people with diabetes often have other associated risk factors that can increase their chances of having heart disease. Such includes;
Often, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases go hand-in-hand; managing your diabetes condition and watching out for your heart should also go together.
Adults with diabetes have twice the risk of having heart diseases or stroke as adults without diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Therefore, you need to check up on your heart routinely to lower your risks of having heart disease as a type 2 diabetes patient.
Keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range and some beneficial lifestyle modifications can help you lower your risk of having heart disease as a type 2 diabetes patient. To keep a healthy heart, you should do the following:
Eating healthy helps you improve your diabetes condition and your overall health. However, consuming foods high in carbohydrates, saturated fats, refined sugar, and processed grains is not safe for your heart and type 2 diabetes. You should also avoid processed foods such as packaged snacks.
Include more whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats as part of your diabetes meal. In addition, drink more water and fewer sugary drinks such as sweetened beverages. These will help you maintain a healthy heart.
Being physically active helps your body to be more sensitive to insulin and manage your insulin more effectively. As a result, it enables you to maintain a healthy range of blood sugar levels and reduces your risk of having heart disease.
30mins per day of moderate-intensity aerobic activities for five days a week is recommended.
Alternatively, you can also use 15mins/day of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities for five days a week or an equivalent combination of both.
Being overweight and obese have been associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes complications, including heart diseases.
It would be best to consider losing some weight as part of your diabetes management plan. This will help you control your blood glucose and improve your heart condition.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised that losing weight should be slowly, about 1 to 2 pounds a week. They say losing 5 to 10% of your total body weight will produce significant benefits.
Smoking has been associated with spiking up your blood sugar level, worsening complications from diabetes, and increasing the risk of having heart disease by damaging the walls of your blood vessels.
Therefore, smoking cessation should be part of your diabetes management plans. It will help you manage your diabetes and improve your heart health.
Sudden smoking cessation may not be easy, but phasing out is possible. It would help if you also considered talking to your doctor for professional guidance.
Limiting your liquor, beer, and wine intake may make blood sugar levels more manageable and keep your heart healthy.
The American Diabetes Association(ADA) recommends no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. This equivalence is of 12-ounce beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
Also, this is a change you might need to phase out slowly over time. So, you may join a program or talk to a professional for guidance.
Constant stress (physical or mental) is another underrated factor that prevents good blood sugar control. There is also a relationship between stress and heart diseases; stress increases your blood pressure which is a risk factor for heart diseases.
To help cope with stressful situations, your body releases some hormones when you are stressed. These hormones result in an elevation of blood glucose and blood pressure. This is one of the immediate changes you must make to improve your diabetes management. Whenever you feel stressed, you can:
Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases are closely related chronic conditions and leading causes of death in the United States. Eating healthy, being active, managing stress, and losing weight can help you control your blood sugar, manage your diabetes condition effectively and maintain a healthy heart. Klinio diet app contains easy-to-use interphases and features to make this possible.
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