Controlling blood pressure is vital for people with diabetes for a lot of reasons. High blood pressure raises a person’s risk for many conditions such as stroke, heart disease, eye problems and kidney damage. High blood pressure and diabetes unfortunately goes hand-in-hand! Around 2/3 of people with diabetes also have high blood pressure, which means they are prone to the above mentioned conditions.
Changes in your whole lifestyle is necessary, especially people with diabetes and high blood pressure. An effective diet can help control both high blood pressure and blood sugar and as an added benefit, help in controlling blood cholesterol levels.
English: Checking the blood pressure by using a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Diet plan
Follow a diet rich in fruits, whole grains, vegetables, low-fat proteins and monounsaturated fats, instead of Trans and Saturated fats. You can have fish, nuts and dairy as they include lower-fat proteins. Though important should be given to eating carbohydrate rich foods, this diet is effective in controlling high blood sugar levels.
Doctors prescribe the same diet for managing high blood pressure. The famous DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet also includes the same foods and protein choices however, the recommended sodium consumption is limited to 2400 milligrams a day. Moreover, the DASH diet helps in controlling both high blood pressure and blood sugar.
Exercise
As mentioned earlier, lifestyle changes are necessary for controlling diabetes and hypertension. Walking or doing some cardiovascular workouts for 30 minutes, 5 days in a week is recommended to help control high blood pressure and blood sugar. BP chart is available for those who are serious about their health and want to track their progress.
Weight control
Obesity or overweight are relatives of high blood pressure and diabetes. Doctors recommend a calorie balance in food consumption in order to maintain a healthy weight. People who are looking for reducing a few pounds to earn a healthy weight, have to consume a fewer calories every days than they burn. Hence, they will be able to control both diabetes and high blood pressure.
Smoking
Smoking is a vital risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. So, it is must to stop smoking immediately if anyone wants to control diabetes and high blood pressure.