Diabetes and High Blood Pressure

Keeping your blood pressure in control is very important, especially if you have diabetes. Having high blood pressure and diabetes together increases the chances of a heart attack and other problems.

Individuals with diabetes should monitor their blood pressure closely. High blood pressure is detrimental to one’s health, and people with high blood pressure are at risk of various cardiovascular problems. High blood pressure means the flow of blood through the blood vessels and the force applied to the wall of the arteries is very high. It is also known as hypertension.

Hypertension:

When you measure your blood pressure and find that it is 150/110 mmHg or higher, you have high blood pressure. It needs immediate medical attention. You need to make some major lifestyle changes to protect yourself from the ill effects of diabetes and blood pressure problems.

There are no signs of hypertension; however, this does not mean that you cannot have it. High blood pressure is thus referred to as a “silent killer.” You won’t be able to identify the condition until you get it checked by your physician. Thus, it is recommended to maintain regular checkup routines to identify potential problems. For patients with diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends keeping blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg.

The causes of high blood pressure:

Although most of the families have this problem in their genes, individuals are prone to have diabetes if their parents have it. Varied lifestyle choices can significantly contribute to high blood pressure. Too much alcohol, smoking, obesity, inactivity, and too much salt in the diet can cause diabetes. Another cause of diabetes is kidney failure that occurs due to increased blood pressure.

Ways to control high blood pressure and diabetes:

Reduce the salt intake:

Limiting salt intake is necessary as it reduces the sodium in the body, which is very helpful in controlling BP. You should not consume more than 1500 mg of sodium each day. Avoid salted snacks, canned foods, seasoned salts, ketchups, and salty dressings. Opt for condiments like mustard and herbs to make food tastier, and rinse canned food to remove salt from it.

Eat a healthy meal:

Include foods in your daily diet that contain more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free milk. These are rich in other important minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, fibre, and protein, but low in dietary sodium.

Limit alcohol consumption:

If you are an avid drinker, then you must understand that too much alcohol is harmful to your body, and you need to drink alcohol in moderation. Both high blood pressure and diabetes can become worse if you take more than two drinks each day, in the case of men and one drink in the case of women.

Stop smoking:

Smoking is not good for the health of a normal person, let alone a person with high blood pressure and diabetes. Smoking is known to constrict the blood vessels, causing them to harden and making it difficult for blood to flow smoothly through them.

Indulge in physical activity:

Daily physical exercise is very important for people suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes. Always consult with your doctor before starting an exercise regimen, as it may become strenuous in some cases. The doctor will recommend the best form of exercise. Generally, a doctor recommends thirty minutes of daily physical activity, such as a 30-minute morning jog, dancing, household chores, or a simple brisk walk. Doing this five days a week is enough to maintain good health.

Maintain a healthy weight:

Being overweight is a big problem, especially for those who have high blood pressure and diabetes. Therefore, it is essential to lose weight through effective means to lower blood pressure.

Take medications on time:

Not everyone is prescribed to take medicine to control high blood pressure, and many others are prescribed more than one blood pressure medication. Hence, the case varies from person to person. If you are prescribed certain medications to control blood pressure, take the medicine as directed by your doctor and take it regularly, without missing any doses.