Diabetes and Heart Disease: How to Keep Your Heart Healthy?
Heart disease and diabetes often go hand in hand. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease or suffer a stroke compared to those without diabetes. The longer you live with high blood sugar levels, the more damage it causes to your blood vessels, increasing heart-related risks.
Poor lifestyle habits—like unhealthy eating, lack of exercise, stress, and smoking—can lead to both diabetes and heart problems. High blood sugar increases “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can clog arteries and raise blood pressure. When your heart has to work harder to pump blood, it becomes more prone to failure, heart attacks, and stroke.
How to take care of your heart if you have diabetes:
- Follow a heart-healthy diet – Eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts (soaked and peeled). Avoid animal-based dairy and fatty foods. Stick to complex carbs high in fiber.
- Lose weight – Shedding just 7–10% of your body weight improves heart function and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol.
- Exercise regularly – A mix of cardio and resistance training helps control sugar levels and supports your heart.
- Manage stress – Practice meditation, yoga, or tai chi. These reduce blood pressure and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Track your ABCs –
- A1C below 7
- Blood Pressure under 140/90
- Control cholesterol
- Stop smoking
Reversing diabetes is the best way to protect your heart. At FFD, over 13,000 people have reversed their diabetes through the Holistic Transformation Program—many with heart conditions. You can too!
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