Type 2, or adult onset, diabetes and heart disease are inextricably linked and heart disease and stroke are the primary causes of death in people living with diabetes. Given this, it's easy to understand the importance of eating a healthy diet, whether you have diabetes, heart disease or both. Making fundamental changes to the foods you eat and your level of physical activity can significantly reduce your blood glucose levels. This can, in turn, reduce your risk of developing or worsening heart disease as well as hypertension and high cholesterol. Speak with your doctor before making large scale dietary changes or embarking on an exercise regimen.
Step 1
Emphasize complex carbohydrate foods like fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables and whole grain products. Reduce or eliminate simple carbohydrates in your diet like white flour products, soft drinks and any other foods that are highly processed and don't contain dietary fiber. The American Heart Association explains that individuals who have diabetes or who are at higher risk for diabetes should limit their intake of simple carbohydrate foods. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and because they contain fiber, are less likely to cause the rise in blood glucose that occurs when consuming simple carbohydrates.
Step 2
Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and aim for at least five servings daily. These foods are sources of complex carbohydrates and contain essential nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy. The National Heart, Lungs and Blood Institute explains that it's important for individuals with diabetes, pre-diabetes and heart disease to control blood pressure, blood glucose and weight. Eating fruits and vegetables helps you attain all three of these goals with a wide number of choices so you don't feel limited.
Step 3
Avoid saturated and trans fats and increase your consumption of unsaturated, heart-healthy fats. Saturated fats are usually found in animal proteins and in highly processed foods. Trans fats are easily identified because they are solid at room temperature and when found in foods, are listed as hydrogenated fats or oils. Unhealthy fats are also easier to identify because they tend to appear in unhealthy, nutrient and fiber-poor foods such as fast and convenience foods. If you have heart disease, diabetes or both, you should get your daily fat intake from foods like salmon, nuts, seeds, olive oil, flaxseed oil and canola oil.
Step 4
Eat low-fat sources of protein by choosing skinless white meat poultry, pork, egg whites, low-fat dairy products, soy products, beans and legumes. Limit or avoid heavily marbled red meat, dark meat poultry, whole eggs and full-fat dairy products. Animal proteins are sources of saturated fats which can raise cholesterol and cause obesity that can lead to diabetes and heart disease. Consider eating a vegetarian meal once or twice a week to incorporate more healthy proteins like beans, legumes and soy products, which provide beneficial nutrients without saturated fat. Choose healthier cooking methods for proteins such as baking, broiling, roasting or poaching instead of frying.
Step 5
Add spices or herbs to your foods for flavor, rather than salt or condiments that contain sodium. You get adequate amounts of the mineral sodium from the foods that contain it naturally. This means adding sodium is excess for your body to have to process and sodium is one of the primary contributors to hypertension and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that you consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. Using spices, herbs and herb mixes that don't contain sodium is a way to add flavor to the foods you eat without compromising your heart health.
Tips and Warnings
- Check with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet. Incorporate a plan of regular physical activity to your newly adopted diet, for additional health benefits.
