Diabetes, Exercise and Your Risk for Coronary Artery Disease

Dr. Richard M. Moe, MD, PhD, Preventive Cardiologist with Cardiovascular Consultants of Saint Lukes Mid America Heart Institute, explains what type of exercise, diet and lifestyle changes you must make to lower your risk for developing Coronary Artery Disease.

Two types of activity include aerobic and anaerobic. Anaerobic is the type that we typically can't maintain for a long period of time, such as heavy weight lifting. Aerobic is physical activity that we can sustain for an extended time frame, such as walking. We are most interested in aerobic activity if we are trying to maintain heart health.

Exercise can help reduce risk for heart disease. It can help with blood pressure control, blood sugar control, cholesterol control, stress control, overall maintenance of heart structure and function, maintaining suppleness of the large arteries we have, and it can give a sense of relief and confidence. Often, exercise is linked to helping to control depression, which often has a relation to heart disease.

The average American today needs some sustained aerobic activity, less dietary saturated fat, and should utilize fish and/or fish oil in the diet and a baby aspirin regularly. A consistent exercise program, similar to cardiac rehab or a daily setting with camaraderie is good for any diabetic patient. These help the patient to take accountability and can influence continued exercise and diet.

The diabetic patient has a higher potential to develop coronary disease. Type 2 diabetes has progressed within the country and has become an even more difficult puzzle to solve. There are some lifestyle alterations that might make a difference include some dietary change, exercise, and weight loss. Often diabetic patients have an excess of saturated fat and a limited amount of unsaturated fat. The biggest contributor to people developing type II diabetes is not a genetic issue, but it is a weight issue.

For more information, visit www.cardiotabs.com.

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