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Tips for Diabetics with High Blood Pressure

We depend on blood pressure to force our blood through our vascular system. Many years ago people believed that a healthy blood pressure was 100 plus your age, but later that belief was discarded by the medical community; a blood pressure less than 120/80 is considered normal. We are all at risk of heart attacks, strokes and damage to many of the organ systems if we have prolonged high blood pressure. People with diabetes mellitus are even more at risk than those of us who don’t have diabetes.

Early symptoms of borderline high blood pressure, or borderline hypertension, is when an individual has a consistent blood pressure between 120/80 and 140/90. Most doctors prescribe blood pressure medicines if your blood pressure is 140/90 or above. Hypertension is diagnosed as a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher. It is very important to get your blood pressure under control, because the more pressure it takes to pump your blood through your vascular system, the harder your heart has to pump, which puts your heart at risk. A common problem of type 2 diabetics is high blood pressure. The following tips will help you to keep your blood pressure under control.

To maintain good control over your blood pressure, you will also need to control your blood sugar levels. You can best maintain a proper blood pressure by making healthy food choices. As you know, as a diabetic, you need to eat foods that don’t spike your blood sugar. You need to choose foods that have a more stabling affect on your blood glucose levels. Following a good diabetic diet approved by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) will help you to choose foods that stabilize blood glucose, while helping to maintain a healthy blood pressure. You can get lots of advice on healthy food choices by visiting an ADA food website.

Besides avoiding simple carbohydrates, you should also avoid salt, because salt tends to cause fluid retention and raise blood pressure. You can flavor your foods with many herbs. There are different brands of herbs you can use on your grocer’s shelves. One of the most popular brands of herb seasonings to replace salt is the famous Mrs. Dash seasonings. You can also use salt substitutes, but you should know that they normally contain potassium. You should always check with your doctor or dietary consultant when considering salt substitutes when you are trying to control your diabetes and elevated blood pressure.

If your doctor prescribed blood pressure medication to treat your hypertension, be sure to take it faithfully. Do not miss a dose, and don’t become complacent. If you have trouble remembering to take your pills you can set an alarm to remind you to take your blood pressure medicine. Almost everyone has cell phones nowadays, and most cell phones come with an alarm that you can set. Set your phone alarm to go off every day to remind you to take your medicines, if that is what it takes.

Check your glucose levels as often as ordered by your physician. Many people find they have more problems controlling their blood pressure when their blood glucose levels are out of balance. Your glucose meter can be your best friend, when you need to evaluate how well you are. When your blood glucose levels are elevated, it causes a strain on the rest of your body. Engage in healthy lifestyle practices to help keep your diabetes and your blood pressure in check.

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