Link between diabetes and heart disease – Know what to look for!Eating carb-rich foods like potatoes and starchy vegetable earlier in the day may help people with diabetes lower their risk of dying from heart disease, a study has suggested. The study, recently published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, was conducted by researchers from Harbin Medical University in China.
The researchers wanted to investigate whether food intake time across three meals is associated with longevity among the people with diabetes. To find out, they looked at data from 4,642 diabetes patients participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2003 to 2014. The participants’ eating habits, based on 24-hour food questionnaires, were compared with levels of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality over time.
Study data showed that participants who ate carbs-rich veggies like potatoes earlier in the day (breakfast) had lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Similar results were seen for participants who ate whole grains in the afternoon (lunch), and those who ate dark, leafy vegetables at night (dinner).
On the contrary, eating a lot of processed meat in the evening was linked to higher risk of dying of heart disease, according to data.
The findings indicate that nutrient timing could help diabetes patients match their meals to natural biological rhythms of insulin sensitivity to improve their longevity.
Dr. Qingrao Son, co-author of the study and researcher at Harbin Medical University, suggested that nutritional guidelines and intervention strategies for diabetes should integrate the optimal consumption times for foods.
Link between diabetes and heart disease
People with diabetes are more likely to develop heart disease than those without the condition. This is because high blood glucose can damage their blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart. Over time, this can lead to heart disease. Moreover, diabetes patients are more likely to have certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, that can increase their chances of having a heart attack or a stroke, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) which is part of the United States National Institutes of Health.
NIDDK states that adults with diabetes are nearly twice as likely as adults without diabetes to have heart disease.
People with diabetes can protect their heart by controlling their blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Manage your diabetes to lower your chances of having heart disease or stroke, advises NIDDK.
If you smoke, stop it. Smoking can also increase the risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke in people with diabetes. This is because both smoking and diabetes narrow blood vessels. In addition, smoking can increase your chances of developing other long-term problems such as lung disease.
People with diabetes should also get their blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure can strain your heart, damage blood vessels, and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, as well as eye or kidney problems.
NIDDK also suggests diabetes people to limit the amount of fat, and eat more plant-based foods, and to get regular physical activity to improve their cholesterol levels.
High levels of LDL, often called “bad” cholesterol, can clog your blood vessels and raise your risk of developing heart disease. On the other hand, higher levels of HDL, sometimes called “good cholesterol” is linked to lower risk for heart disease and stroke.
