What should be the diet for hypertension and type 2 diabetes

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are incurable diseases that are undesirable “companions” in relation to each other. A joint course threatens with kidney damage, loss of vision, heart attack and stroke, gangrene of the extremities. Balancing nutrition for hypertension and type 2 diabetes is a giant step in the fight against negative consequences, preventing death, improving the quality and quantity of life. After all, it is extremely important for the patient to maintain both the sugar level and the blood pressure indicator within the normal range, which is possible with strict adherence to the diet.

The need for nutritional control in the development of 2 diseases

According to the World Health Organization, a combination of a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension was recorded in every second elderly person and in every fifth at a young age.

An analysis of the causes of diseases will allow us to formulate a causal relationship of coexistence:

1. An imbalance in nutrition leads to weight gain, often to obesity, which contributes to both an increase in blood sugar levels and an increase in pressure, since there are difficulties in passing viscous and thick blood through the vessels.
2. Fats and low permeability of blood through the vessels due to high sugar contribute to the appearance of cholesterol plaques, leading to clogging of blood vessels. At the same time, the vessels lose their elasticity and narrow, reducing the diameter of the bloodstream, as a result of which the blood flow increases speed and increases pressure.
3. Alcohol abuse provokes the formation of both pathologies at once, since ethanol-based products have a high calorie content and increase nervous tension. Excessive calorie intake leads to type 2 diabetes, excessive arousal leads to increased blood flow and increased pressure.
4. Diabetes contributes to an increase in protein in the kidneys, which can lead to kidney failure. At the same time, the kidneys do not cope with their direct function - the removal of fluids from the body. Excessive liquid entails an increase in the indicators of the tonometer.
5. Kidney dysfunction leads to delayed excretion of sodium, which results in the addition of a liquid to dilute the salt. Excess sugar attracts an additional portion of fluid, as a result of which blood pressure rises.
6. An increase in sugar levels leads to the inability of blood vessels to self-regulate, depending on physical and emotional stress, and can cause a hypertensive crisis. A diabetic needs to constantly monitor the pressure, since it may not decrease at night, have different indicators in a lying, sitting and standing position.
7. Many blood pressure medications increase blood sugar levels, and conversely, diabetes medications contribute to hypertension.

Diabetes mellitus and hypertension complement each other, forming a vicious circle, which can be broken by an optimally designed diet. For both diseases, control over the process of nutrition from importance and significance turns into a necessity.

Nutrition Features

A diet for hypertension and diabetes is not a temporary phenomenon, but a prescription that must be observed for life. Depending on the presence or absence of excess weight, glucose levels, blood pressure indicators, specialists make adjustments to it. Strict compliance will allow you to abandon medications, improve the general condition of the body, stabilize the work of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems. Over time, the diet will become not a duty, but a lifestyle.

If the patient is overweight, then in order to stabilize the general condition of the body, first of all, it is necessary to lose weight. Often, weight loss by 4-5 kg ​​allows you to bring the sugar level back to normal, lower blood pressure. The diet of obese diabetics should be low in calories.

• from vegetables - cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini, peppers, radishes, beets, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic;
• from vegetable greens - lettuce, spinach, parsley, dill, celery, sorrel;
• from berries - cranberries, lingonberries, black and red currants, blueberries, cherries;
• mushrooms;
• wholemeal bread;
• from drinks - tea, coffee, chicory (without sugar and cream), mineral water;
• from cereals - buckwheat, oatmeal, barley;
• from oils - sunflower, olive, soybean;
• olives, olives;
• soy products;
• of non-caloric sugar substitutes - saccharin and aspartame.
• from fruits - unsweetened apples, citrus fruits.

Obese diabetics need to take into account the glycemic index - a measure of the effect of calories consumed on sugar levels. A low glycemic index of up to 50 units is considered the norm.

When forming a diet, you should include the main calories in the first half of the day and unload the second as much as possible. Between dinner and sleep, the time interval should be at least 2-3 hours. The benefits for getting rid of excess calories are brought by physiotherapy exercises, movement, walks in the fresh air.

According to statistics, about 80% of type 2 diabetics suffer from obesity. Proper nutrition along with exercise will release "frozen calories" in adipose tissue, thereby promoting weight loss. For this purpose, it is recommended to use medicinal plants: dandelion root, bean leaves, cuff. Funds must be purchased at a pharmacy, the course of treatment is 1 month, after a 2-3-month break, which can be repeated.

After weight stabilization and sugar normalization, the list of products should be expanded, since starvation and lack of valuable vitamins and minerals by the body are unacceptable for hypertensive patients.

If the patient's weight indicators are normal, then there is no need to control the intake and consumption of calories. In order to control glucose levels, it is important to avoid eating high-carbohydrate foods.

• low-fat varieties of fish, meat, poultry;
• vegetable soups or soups with low-fat broth;
• low fat cheeses;
• fat-free kefir, curdled milk, yogurt, fermented baked milk, low-fat milk;
• salads with low-fat seasonings;
• cereals with the exception of semolina and white rice;
• potatoes, corn, beans;
• pasta;
• bakery products, with the exception of pastry;
• fruits other than grapes;
• vegetables and herbs in any quantities;
• caloric and non-caloric sweeteners;
• freshly squeezed juices without added sugar.

Foods containing carbohydrates should be treated with caution, as the rapid absorption of carbohydrates contributes to an increase in sugar. It is advisable to boil potatoes with whole tubers instead of mashed potatoes, do not boil porridge and pasta. As a result of the breakdown of glucose, the body will have to spend a lot of energy, as a result of which there will be no jump in sugar levels.

The level of the glycemic index in a diabetic patient with normal weight can be increased to an average, which is 70 units. The average index is the limiting indicator for a diabetic, regardless of the presence or absence of overweight.

• meat and fish of high fat content;
• lard, smoked meats, fatty sausages, sausages, sausages;
• any canned food in oil;
• cream, sour cream, fatty cheese and cottage cheese;
• mayonnaise, ketchup;
• sugar, sweets, chocolate;
• cakes, pastries, ice cream, biscuits;
• jams, honey, jams, marmalade;
• sweet drinks;
• alcohol;
• fast food products.

Nuances of nutrition in hypertension

The higher the stage of hypertension, the more scrupulously the patient is required to comply with clear medical instructions for control. This applies to taking medications and dieting.

With hypertension, it is important to limit the amount of sodium in the body that comes with table salt. If the condition is stable, then the daily intake of salt should not exceed 5 g, with swelling, a decrease to 3 g is necessary.

• pickles, marinades;
• sauces, ketchups, tomato pastes;
• smoked and dried food;
• fast food products;
• chips and nuts;
• semi-finished products with the addition of salt.

When cooking, it is recommended not to add salt at all, but to salt the prepared food at an acceptable rate. To correct the taste, you can add dill, celery, parsley, lemon juice. The body quickly gets used to a salt-free diet, which subsequently does not cause concern.

diet recipes

The most useful and common dishes included in the menu for hypertension and type 2 diabetes include:

1. Vegetable stew. The composition includes, if desired: zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, carrots in any quantities. Chopped vegetables are poured with a weak broth, put in the oven and stewed until tender.
2. Cranberry juice. Add 2 liters of water to a glass of berries, bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes, then cool the drink. You can add a couple of saccharin tablets or a teaspoon of honey before drinking.
3. Bean soup. In the vegetable broth brought to a boil, add green beans, a couple of potato tubers cut into cubes, finely chopped onions and grated carrots. Cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, then add greens.

Principles of diet formation

A number of common causes contribute to the development and progression of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, the main of which is malnutrition. Energy carriers are energy components such as fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Fats are the most caloric, followed by carbohydrates. The body needs vitamins and minerals (magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, iron) for normal functioning.

1. Reduce the amount of fat. To do this, it is necessary to abandon fatty foods (lard, fatty meat and fish, sour cream, mayonnaise, butter), instead of frying food, stew, boil, bake in your own juice, use special dishes and grills. Before cooking, it is important to remove all visible fat.
2. Estimate energy calories. When purchasing products in stores, it is advisable to pay attention to the constituent elements. It is especially important when choosing dairy products, the energy value of which varies greatly depending on the fat content.
3. Save vitamins and minerals as much as possible. Any heat treatment leads to a decrease in the vitamin complex, so it is advisable to eat vegetables and fruits raw. In order to prevent fats from entering the body, salads are recommended not to be seasoned with fatty seasonings (sour cream, mayonnaise), but to be limited to a minimum amount of olive or soybean oil.
4. Limit carbohydrate intake. In the presence of excess weight, minimize high-calorie foods, with a body weight within the normal range, abandon easily digestible carbohydrates that lead to an increase in sugar.
5. Eliminate sugar and sugar-containing foods from the diet. Use dietary substitutes based on fructose, saccharin and xylitol. In terms of energy value, sweeteners for diabetics are on a par with glucose.
6. Eat small meals. The number of meals may vary depending on the general state of health, it is contraindicated to eat at night, which provokes the deposition of fat, leading to an increase in blood sugar and an increase in blood pressure.

Correctly compiling a diet is the way to stabilize arterial hypertension and type 2 diabetes. There is a list of products recommended for one disease and prohibited for another.

• strong black tea, coffee, chocolate, as they contribute to increased pressure and spasm of cerebral vessels. An alternative is green tea, which lowers blood pressure and chicory, which lowers cholesterol;
• fruit juices, jelly and compotes. Drinks are useful for hypertension and are contraindicated in type 2 diabetes due to the content of sugar in its natural form and its analogues;
• amount of liquids. Diabetics are recommended to take from 2 liters per day, for hypertensive patients the use of liquids is limited;
• salted and pickled foods due to the salt content. Sodium has a negative effect on pressure, with increased sugar and obesity it does not play any role;
• choice of cereals. With hypertension, pearl barley is prohibited, with diabetes - rice and semolina;
• jam, honey, contraindicated in diabetes. Arterial hypertension does not impose restrictions on the use of jam, honey is recommended for use, as it has a beneficial effect on the process of pressure stabilization.

When forming a diet, the patient must establish the golden mean for himself. Some experts recommend keeping a food diary, in which you count not only the calories you have acquired, but also record in detail the list and quantity of foods eaten. According to others, the body should be set free, allowed to decide on the food basket, as a result of which physiology will make the best choice.