L ife ’s Si m p l e 7
Lose Weight
Get Active
Control Cholesterol
Manage Blood Pressure
Reduce Blood Sugar
Quit Smoking
Eat Better
Triple Threat: Diabetes, Elevated Cholesterol And High Blood Pressure
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someone who has diabetes keep his or her systolic blood pressure under 130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure under 80 mmHg. And anyone over age 40 who has diabetes plus one or more major CVD risk factors, such as overweight or high blood pressure, needs to keep LDL (bad) cholesterol level below 100 mg/dL. Luckily, one set of lifestyle recommendations control all three conditions: Maintain a healthy weight: Body mass index between 18.5-24.9; Get regular physical activity: 150 or more minutes a week of moderate activity, or 75 or more minutes a week of vigorous activity or a combination; and Don’t smoke. While making these changes may be difficult, you will quickly see benefits. For example, losing just five pounds can significantly reduce your risk for heart disease. And just a few days after quitting smoking — once the nicotine and carbon monoxide are cleared from your body — your blood pressure probably will go down, and levels of oxygen and carbon monoxide in your blood should return to normal.
eople with diabetes are at significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) than people without this metabolic disorder. At least 65 percent of people the U.S. who have diabetes die from CVD, and research suggests that cholesterol and blood pressure levels should be monitored and treated as carefully as insulin levels. Life’s Simple Seven In A Nutshell Elevated blood pressure and high choCardiovascular health encompasses two basic components: ideal lesterol are the common and potentially lehealth behaviors, and ideal health factors. thal links between diabetes and CVD. Two in five people with diabetes have poor choThe behaviors include not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, lesterol control, one in three has poor blood meeting or exceeding AHA recommendations for physical activity pressure control and one in five have poor and eating a healthy diet. glucose control. The health factors include blood pressure, fasting blood glucose If diabetes is caught early on, a combiand total cholesterol levels that are within the AHA’s recommended nation of medication and lifestyle changes range — preferably without needing medication to keep them there. can greatly improve longevity and quality of life. Modest lifestyle or behavioral changes can improve your health and The first step is to understand that opmove you in the right direction. And those who make behavioral timal blood pressure and cholesterol levels changes before developing any serious health risks can look forfor people with diabetes are higher than ward to a better quality of life and moving toward excellent heart for people without diabetes. The American health. Heart Association (AHA) recommends that
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AU G UST 2010