Regardless of which of those four categories you fall into …
The best steps for managing – or avoiding – diabetes overlap considerably with the best steps for maintaining good heart health. Remember, diabetes greatly increases your chances of developing heart disease, so taking steps to avoid or manage diabetes is likely to benefit your heart. Similarly, doing things that are good for your heart may help keep you diabetes-free or keep symptoms of diabetes from becoming more serious.
These five steps are highly recommended for everyone who is serious about enjoying the benefits of a healthy heart while minimizing risks associated with diabetes:
- If you’re a smoker, quit.
According to the National Diabetes Education Program, smoking doubles the risk of heart disease in people with diabetes. But whether you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or not, smoking is a filthy habit that’s likely to shorten your breath and shorten your life.
If you’re a Medicare recipient and haven’t been able to quit smoking on your own, you ought to look into the Medicare smoking cessation services we discussed in that recent post. Smoking is a powerful addiction, and it’s important to get whatever help you need—especially when you consider all the benefits your heart would get from being smoke-free.
- Watch your weight.
Don’t simply assume that diet and lifestyle changes will automatically result in weight loss. They probably will, but it’s still important to monitor your weight. Weight loss is often an indication that your exercise and nutrition programs are working, and it’s important to see where you stand weight-wise from week to week. Discuss your ideal weight with your doctor, and set goals to stay within your ideal range. Unfortunately, many people seem to think their ideal weight is greater than it actually is. For most people, a reduction of 10 or 20 pounds would result in a significantly reduced risk of diabetes and heart disease.