If you are suffering from a headache, your vision is blurry and you feel light headed or dizzy you may have high blood pressure. These symptoms are not just indicative of high blood pressure though and you should seek medical attention to determine the cause. Other times there may be no symptoms at all when you have high blood pressure or it may be slightly elevated. It is smart to have your blood pressure routinely checked at your doctor’s appointments.

When you are obese, the most effective way to reduce your blood pressure is to lose weight. Follow a meal plan that works for your diabetes, making sure you are consuming enough food, and can still allow you to lose weight. Other changes that you can make that will improve your blood pressure are:

* An exercise routine that is followed on a regular basis
* Reducing stress in your life – mediation, yoga, letting go of some responsibilities
* Quit smoking
* Lessen the amount of salt you use for cooking or on your food

While you are making lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure your doctor may decide to put your on medication. If you have to take blood pressure medication it does not have to be forever. You can look at it as a short-term fix while you make the changes necessary to lower your blood pressure on your own.

In the beginning, the concern with a diabetic diet is to make sure you are getting enough food so your blood sugar does not drop too low. You will also want to monitor your levels to look for any spikes in your readings too. A dietician can work with you on this. If you are eating the recommended diet plan and it is not working, you are feeling hungry afterwards or your blood sugar is too high – call your dietician. He or she can work with you over the phone to make immediate changes and schedule an appointment to rework your plan.

Your dietician can also make recommendations on substitutions for your favorite foods that you were afraid you could never eat again. They will educate you on portion sizes too. There really isn’t too much that you can’t have as a diabetic as long as you are planning your meals out, getting exercise and eating in moderation.

Food guides change and your dietician or nutritionist will have the most up to date version. Try and follow it and combine foods as you have been taught by your support team. If you are unsure if something is allowable on your diabetic diet, call your dietician for advice and if you can’t reach them leave a message and hold off until you hear back from them.

A BMI of 30 or over is considered obese. The higher end of the scale for overweight
people (25 – 29.9) and people that fall into the obese category are at an increased risk for
developing type 2 diabetes. Other danger indicators are waist circumferences. If you are
a man and your waist measures 40 inches or more and if you are a woman and your waist
measures 35 inches or more, there is an increased abdominal fat risk factor for diabetes
and other diseases.

Maintaining a healthy BMI is all about being at a weight that is right for your height and
body type. Both of these goals will bring many more benefits than just better controlled
blood glucose levels. You will also have increased energy, can reduce the amount of
insulin you are on, and give yourself a longer life expectancy.

Reduce your total body fat to bring your BMI into a healthy range (18.5-24.9). Consult
your doctor and get advice on how to meet your goals. And if you are just starting an
exercise routine, get the okay from your doctor first. You do not want to overtax yourself
at the beginning and your doctor may have some restrictions for you to ensure you do not
suffer from injury or hypoglycemia.

People can go for years or even decades with undiagnosed pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Over this time, their blood glucose will be at above average range and this can due internal damage. Once you find out that you are pre diabetic it is wise to change your lifestyle and eating habits to prevent the onset of diabetes. For people who have already been diagnosed with diabetes, they can still experience damage from hyperglycemia if they are not controlling their diabetes effectively.

Hyperglycemia that goes unchecked for a long period of time can cause kidney damage up to the point of kidney failure that will require dialysis or a transplant. It also causes nerve damage, particularly to feet and the lower legs. People suffering from hyperglycemia will heal slowly and will have intestinal problems including diarrhea and can have eye difficulties leading to eyesight problems.

As soon as you find out that you are diabetic, test your blood glucose regularly to keep an eye on your levels. You will need to work closely with your health care team to bring your blood sugars under control. You can lessen the effects of prolonged hyperglycemia by keeping your diabetes under control. If you have not yet been diagnosed with diabetes but have been told you are pre-diabetic follow a healthy eating plan including plenty of physical activity to get healthier and keep your blood glucose levels in check.