Health and Lifestyle

6 Ways to Manage Diabetes and Heart Health

Dr. Veena Madhankumar

Jun 10, 2019 — 3 min read

If you are determined to keeping sugar levels in check there are several lifestyle changes which could help you do that. These minor changes to your diet and lifestyle can keep your diabetic levels in check as well protect you from the risk of other cardiovascular diseases.

Read further to learn about a few of those changes which experts believe to be able to help you in the long term.
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1. Unsaturated fat.

Increased saturated fat content in your diet can be a reason for higher levels of cholesterol. Saturated foods are high in cholesterol. Unused cholesterol converts into fat, resulting in increasing your weight. Keeping track of the total amount of fat you consume is key, while it comes to managing your weight. The trick is not to cut down on your fat consumption entirely but to replace saturated fat with unsaturated fat.

2. Cut down on salt.

Too much intake of salt can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor which can trigger cardiovascular diseases. Processed food by default has a lot of salt content in them. Make sure you check every product label and go for the low salt variant. Keep it a practice to check food labels to make healthier life choices.

3. Get plenty of physical activity.

Regular workout is a proven technique which can keep your diabetes levels in check and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It is not necessary to follow a heavy workout which includes weight lifting. Focus more upon cardio sessions like walking, biking, jogging and swimming if possible. Such workouts increase your heart rate and strengthen your heart. This in turn, strengthens your blood vessels by increasing blood flow.

4.Get plenty of sleep.

Lack of sleep specifically due to stress is not good. If you are a person who only gets less than seven hours of sleep on a regular basis, your risk of developing heart disease or type 2 diabetes is very high.

5. Try to maintain a healthy weight.

If you are overweight or obese, you will face several complications, including metabolic factors which will increase your blood sugar level and risk of heart disease. Carrying excess weight in specific parts of your body can also be an issue.

6. Don’t smoke.

Apart from worsening the complications caused due to diabetes, smoking also causes short term spikes in your blood sugar, which are very unhealthy. Smoking damages your blood vessels and also increases plaque buildup. Another commonly known risk factor of smoking is lung cancer. Hence it is advisable to quit smoking as a whole.

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