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Diabetes and Heart Disease Are Related   Most people living with diabetes are aware that they have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. But the statistics can be truly staggering: Nearly two-thirds of people with diabetes have high blood pressure, and, according to the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease or have a stroke than people who don't have the condition. The good news: Learning more about the link between heart disease and diabetes can help you take steps to help protect your heart and manage your diabetes. How Diabetes and Heart Disease Are Related T he connection between diabetes and heart disease starts with   high blood sugar   levels. Over time, the high glucose in the bloodstream can damage the arteries, causing them to become stiff and hard. Fatty material that builds up on the inside of these blood vessels, a condition known as   atherosclerosis . This can eventuall...

Protecting Your Heart When You Have Diabetes If you believe you are at a higher risk for heart disease, don’t despair. There are several small lifestyle changes you can make to not only help   prevent heart disease , but also manage your diabetes more effectively. Be active .   The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of  aerobic exercise  five days a week. If you don’t have time for all 30 minutes at once, break it down in to 10-minute segments. In addition, the American Diabetes Association recommends getting up every 30 minutes to do a few minutes of light activity during prolonged sedentary periods to help improve blood sugar control. Consider low-dose aspirin.   The American Heart Association recommends taking a low dose of  aspirin  every day, which may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, be sure to talk to your doctor about whether or not this is right for you, as there are risks, and aspirin ...

Diabetes     Diabetes is one condition that must be treated as soon as it is diagnosed, even though in its early stages it doesn’t hurt, or cause inconvenience, or create any worrisome symptoms. But ignoring it is a mistake, because the blood sugar imbalance we diabetics live with can cause a variety of complications, even leading to other serious health conditions. One major cause for concern is adverse effects on our hearts. Our unstable blood sugar levels can cause poor circulation