Some of the most common diabetes complications involve the heart. If you are worried about experiencing heart problems because of being diabetic, just know that you do have some control over the situation. That’s because there are a number of ways to stay healthy, with exercise being one of the most important tools for preventing heart problems. If you are interested in taking control of your health as a diabetic, check out these tips before you make any moves.

Get Help from Your Doctor

According to Boyle County Health Department, about two-thirds of diabetics die of either a heart attack or stroke, which should give you some clue as to your risk of health complications when you have this disease. Fortunately, you can work with your doctor to prevent health problems, namely by monitoring your blood pressure, levels of bad cholesterol, and of course your blood glucose.

Your doctor can also help you stop smoking if you have this habit and are having trouble quitting. Stopping smoking is a great way to get on track to getting healthier when you have diabetes. Managing your weight is another major way to prevent heart problems, as well as a number of other health issues. Though your doctor can also give you tips on this, you should be able to get results on your own by simply improving your diet and exercise routine.

Make Your Diet Diabetes Friendly

Be Healthy, Be Happy advises you to take control of your diet if you want to prevent heart problems. Firstly, you should increase your fiber intake by sticking to mostly vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Lean protein, such as fish and skinless chicken, is usually best, as are unsaturated fats like nuts, seeds, and avocados.

As for what not to eat when you have diabetes, or at least what you should limit, sodium is a great example. You can keep it to a minimum by using herbs to season your food, not salt, and go for the fresh version of your favorite food instead of the processed alternative. You should also limit unhealthy fats, which you can do by substituting olive oil for butter and choosing the nonfat or low fat versions of dairy products.

Get Regular Exercise

Of course, when you have diabetes and are looking to stay in shape and keep your heart healthy, you can’t forget to exercise. According to Everyday Health, working out can lower your chances of getting heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. In general, you should aim for about 150 minutes of exercise every week. This comes out to about a half hour of exercise five days per week. If you can’t find at least 30 minutes of time in your day, how about exercising at high intensity for about 10 minutes, three times daily?

If you aren’t used to working out, you can start by walking most days of the week. In that case, getting a pedometer is a good idea! It will help you to have a starting point and help you to create goals. Choose a pedometer that best fits your needs.

Diabetes in Control did a study and found that people with diabetes who took 10,000 steps per day were able to improve their weight, blood glucose, cholesterol, and overall fitness. So taking 10,000 steps per day is a good goal to have. Other recommended ways to work out include jogging, swimming, and riding a bike. In addition, lifting weights two to three times per week is recommended because it can increase bone strength.

Now that you know how diet and exercise can benefit your heart and your body overall, you should be feeling motivated to make some changes for the better. If you are not sure how to safely begin a workout routine and change your diet when you have diabetes, you should talk to your doctor. He or she can likely give you the encouragement and medical advice you need to see results.