Once again, these five actions are vital for a diabetic patient, not just to prevent Heart Disease, but to prevent or slow the development of the other complications of diabetes. This cannot be stressed enough, and we list them here on this page, because many of the effects of diabetes can be directly attributed to the health of the heart and blood vessels.
Control Blood Sugar Levels
Keeping blood sugar levels under control is by far the most important action for a diabetic to take. Blood sugar is at its lowest eight to twelve hours after a meal and is called fasting blood sugar level, and is between 70 to 100 mg/dL (3.8 to 5.5 mmol/L). Two hours after the end of a meal, blood sugar should fall between 135 to 140 mg/dL (7.5 to 7.8 mmol/L). Keeping your blood sugar levels as close to these values as possible will go a long way in reducing or preventing the development of heart disease and other complications of diabetes. In addition, have your physician check your A1C levels once every three months with your goal being an A1C level of 7 percent or less.
Reduce High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is a "co-conspirator" of high blood sugar in the development of complications of diabetes, so keeping it under control is high on the list of importance. Your goals should be to get your blood pressure as close to 130/80 millimeters of mercury as possible, because consistently high blood pressure causes the heart to work harder than it should and can damage the coronary arteries, and other blood vessels that have been weakened by the effects of hyperglycemia, especially within the kidneys,the brain, and the eyes.
Control Cholesterol/Triglyceride Levels
Combining high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and high cholesterol and triglyceride levels and you have a more complete recipe for heart disease and the other classic complications of diabetes. It is recommended that your LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) or "bad" cholesterol levels be kept below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and even as low as 70 mg/dL for those who have other risk factors for heart disease. HDL (High-density lipoprotein) or "good" cholesterol should be kept at least 40 mg/dL, and up to 60 mg/dL or even higher for better health, triglycerides overall should be kept below 150 mg/dL.
Eat a Healthy Heart Diet
A healthy heart diet is just as the name suggests, which is a diet that promotes the overall health of the heart and blood vessels. There isn't room enough to outline a complete diet for the betterment of cardiovascular health here on this page, however here are a few general tips. Diets high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol levels, and diets high in salt (sodium) can cause an increase in blood pressure. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E have been shown to promote vascular health. Minerals and nutrients such as, Calcium, Zinc, Copper, Chromium and Selenium have been shown to help promote healthy function of the heart and blood vessel cells and aid in lowering blood fat levels, with Magnesium as probably the most important mineral in heart and blood vessel health. Essential Fatty Acids found in such sources as flax seed oil, Cod liver oil, safflower oil, fish, nuts, seeds, evening primrose oil, and borage seed oil are also equally important to vascular health. Since everyone has different health concerns, it is highly recommended that you work with a dietician to help you develop and plan a diet specifically suited to you and your individual health needs.
Follow a physician approved exercise program
Think of a machine that has been sitting unused for a long while and neglected in its regular maintenance, chances are it will have plenty of rusty and poorly moving parts if and when it is finally put to use. Your body is much the same way in many respects because the less you use it the less likely it is to work as it should. Everyone is at different levels of health and fitness and some may have physical conditions and limitations that make it necessary for us to recommend seeking a doctors approval before undertaking any committed fitness program. This isn't to say that you cannot do things now that you are certain you can handle such as a simple ten minute walk, water aerobics, simple exercises and even limited weight resistance training. If you have not exactly been the most active person that you could be, then its best to start off simple and work your way gradually into a more intense routine, but do something on a regular basis to get your body to use the systems it was designed to. It may be difficult at first, but the more you do, then the more benefits you will see from your efforts and the better you will find yourself feeling as a result.
Stop Smoking
It may be annoying to some of you for us to keep rehashing the subject of smoking, however the dangers to non-diabetics are bad enough, but the dangers to those of us that are diabetic are too great to not repeat the warnings. So here again are the ways smoking affects the circulatory system. In diabetes, smoking can affect the heart and blood vessels by increasing blood sugar levels which causes damage to blood vessels, increases blood fat levels (such as cholesterol) which can build on blood vessel walls raising the risk of heart attack, and by constricting blood vessels which impedes blood flow and reduces oxygen to tissues of the body (including the heart). Smoking can be a major factor in the risk of developing the other classic complications of diabetes, such as retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. Here is a helpful web site for those determined to quit: MyTimeToQuit.com
Next: Other complications of diabetes that can affect diabetic heart disease
Previous:Risks and Symptoms of Heart Disease
• Control Blood Sugar Levels