Keep your blood sugar level under control
Keeping your blood sugar level under control will lower your risk of heart disease. By exercising often and eating a healthy diet, many people with type 2 diabetes (the kind of diabetes you’re not born with) can keep their blood sugar levels nearly normal. Some people have to take medicines to control their blood sugar levels.
Lose weight – and keep it off
Weight loss is important if you have a lot of extra weight around your waist and tummy. You don’t have to lose a huge amount to lower your risk for heart disease. Depending on your BMI, losing even 5kg can help.
Lower your cholesterol level
Your doctor may tell you to lose weight if you are overweight and eat a healthy diet if your cholesterol level is high. Your diet should limit the amount of fatty and cholesterol-rich foods you eat.
Increase your physical activity
Along with diet, exercise is very important for people with diabetes. Diet and exercise work together to help your body function properly. If you have changed your diet to lose weight, exercising can help you lose weight faster.
Control your blood pressure
The same lifestyle changes that control blood sugar levels and lower your risk for heart disease may also keep your blood pressure at safe levels. Weight loss (if you are overweight) and exercise are important. The more weight you lose, the more you lower your blood pressure. It is also important not to drink too much alcohol.
If your blood pressure does not come down enough with exercise and diet, your doctor might have you take medications that will help control it.
If you smoke, stop smoking
Smoking is bad for everyone, but it is even worse for people with diabetes because it damages the blood vessels. If you have diabetes and you also smoke, you double your risk of getting heart disease. Worse still, if you keep smoking while you try to reduce other risks (like losing extra weight), you won’t be able to exercise as much and you probably won’t lose the weight you need to.
REMEMBER Diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and obesity are interrelated. Diet and exercise are good ways to control all these conditions and thereby reduce the risks of heart disease. If these measures fail, you may consider medication with your doctor’s guidance. You can do a lot to help with your own efforts.
