Diabetes, elevated cholesterol and blood pressure often occur together. There are special dietary and lifestyle recommendations for each of these conditions, but following these five sensible steps will help you manage them all at the same time. Proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle can help you achieve a better diabetes control with optimal blood sugar levels and improve your blood cholesterol profile, in addition to lowering your blood pressure.
Step 1
Control and moderate your carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrates are found in whole fruits and their juices, grains, yogurts, milks, sweets and desserts. Look at the label of the food you buy to determine the amount of carbohydrates the portion you eat contains. Based on the information obtained on food labels or by using a paper-based or online-based nutrient database, estimate the amount of carbohydrates you consume at each meal. Aim for 45 to 60g of carbohydrates per meal, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Step 2
Choose healthy unsaturated fats and avoid harmful saturated and trans fats. Eliminating bad fats from your diet, such as shortening, butter, fatty meats and whole dairy products, can help you keep your bad LDL cholesterol levels down. Moreover, by replacing harmful fats with healthier ones, mainly monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, canola oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, you will further improve your cholesterol profile, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Step 3
Limit your sodium intake. Your blood pressure is influenced by your sodium intake. Sodium, or salt, is found in many processed foods, such as frozen meals, sauces, processed meats, tomato juice, cheeses and foods prepared at restaurants, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Find low-sodium alternatives, or choose more natural foods and cook your meals at home using fresh herbs, black pepper and spices to add flavor instead of salt.
Step 4
Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Losing 5 to 10 lbs. can significantly improve not only your diabetes but also your cholesterol levels and blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic. Losing weight is not easy, but gradually reduce portion sizes, eliminate unnecessary snacking and avoid drinking your calories to see the weight come off slowly. To ensure the weight loss is healthy, aim for no more than 0.5 to 2 lbs. of weight loss a week.
Step 5
Be physically active on a regular basis, aiming for 30 to 60 minutes a day. Not only will it help you lose weight, but it will help you better manage your blood sugar levels and diabetes. In addition, exercising will improve your blood cholesterol levels -- lowering the bad LDL cholesterol and boosting the good HDL cholesterol -- and will lower your blood pressure.
Tips and Warnings
- Meet with a registered dietitian to get an individualized eating plan to reach your targets.
- Consult a health-care professional to help you establish the right blood sugar, blood cholesterol and blood pressure targets for you. These targets need to be individualized according to your own health risks.
