#1: Eat Right1

Experts suggest that you modify, not overhaul, your diet1. Try some of these simple modifications every day:

• Go for more vegetables and have fruits in moderation
• When cooking, use oils such as vegetable, olive or sunflower oil2.
• Drinks are one way where a lot of sugar can sneak into your diet, so watch what you drink. When drinking soda, fruit juices, milk tea, or other beverages, read the labels carefully for sugar content2.
• Think fiber, especially soluble fiber found in avocados, potatoes, carrots, and apples, to achieve a lower LDL level (also known as “bad” cholesterol). Also, the next time you grab a loaf of bread, go for whole grain or white bread. Getting rice? Go for the bag of brown rice2

 

#2: Get Moving

Exercising has a host of benefits, including controlling blood sugar, strengthening the heart and lungs, improving blood pressure, and controlling cholesterol. An article by Harvard Medical School3 says that if you choose to do “just one thing” for managing diabetes and heart disease, choose exercise.

If you are already doing a fair bit of walking before or after work or even on the weekends, congratulations! Walking has been shown to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes in people with impaired glucose tolerance.

  

#3: Know your numbers4

A combination of diabetes and high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol levels further raises your risk for heart disease.

Keep track of your blood pressure and cholesterol. Here is a cheat sheet with key terms to remember, and numbers to aim for.

 

Cholesterol

 

Blood Pressure

 

If you have the means, consider purchasing a device to take readings at home.

Speak to your doctor to understand how you can best manage your diabetes and risk of heart disease. Your doctor may also be able to refer you to other specialists such as a nutritionist, to help you create a suitable meal care plan specific for your needs and preferences.

Additionally, you can determine your risk of heart disease by taking the our ASCVD Risk Calculator: Framingham Score Test, a test that estimates a patient’s risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease within a 10-year time period of a person who is currently not yet diagnosed with a particular heart disease. Knowing one’s risk can help you plan your next steps in taking care of your health and avoiding the complications of diabetes and heart disease.

 

 

     

Disclaimer: The information provided is for information purpose only and is not meant to be substituted for the advice given by a registered medical practitioner. This information should not be used for diagnosing health problems or for self-medication. Boehringer Ingelheim shall not be responsible for any damages or losses arising out of access to or use of information provided.

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1HealthXchange.sg. Diabetes and Food:  Top Tips on Fibre, Fruit and More. Last accessed May 2018.
2 Singapore Heart Foundation. For diabetics. Last accessed May 2018.
3 Harvard Medical School. 9 ways to protect your heart when diabetes threatens it. Last accessed May 2018.
4 Cleveland Clinic. Cholesterol Numbers: What Do They Mean. Last accessed May 2018.
This article can be found in the SG website : https://foryoursweetheart.sg/3-tips-for-diabetic-patients-to-keep-their-hearts-healthy