Diabetes & Heart Attack Diet

Approximately two out of every three people with diabetes suffer a stroke or heart disease related death, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Lifestyle changes such limiting carbohydrates, reading food labels, watching cholesterol intake and eating plenty of fresh water fish may help diabetics lead a longer and healthier life.

Limiting Carbohydrates

Diabetics should eat a variety of healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, non-fat dairy, whole grains and lean meats, according to the American Diabetes Association. It's also important to watch carbohydrates carefully.

Since carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise, choosing complex carbohydrates (grains, breads and cereals) over simple carbohydrates (sugars and fructose) is important when managing diabetes.

Carbohydrate needs will vary depending on a variety of factors, such as activity level. According to the American Diabetes Association, as a general rule, people with diabetes should eat no more than 45 to 60g of carbohydrates during each meal. Talk with a nutritionist to find out your precise carbohydrate needs per meal.

Read Food Labels

Read labels and become familiar with carbohydrate counts for foods that don't have a label. For example, a small piece of fruit has 15g of carbohydrates, according to the American Diabetes Association. A cup of soup, slice of bread and cup of oatmeal also contain approximately 15g of carbohydrates.

When reading food labels, it's important to pay attention to serving sizes. Try pre-measuring servings in small baggies. This will prevent you from doubling or even tripling your carbohydrate consumption by eating extra servings.

Also, the ADA recommends limiting saturated and trans fats, which can boost the risk of stroke and heart disease.

Cut Out Empty Calories

For better cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends cutting out "nutrient poor foods." These foods include sugary beverages and foods packed with fat, cholesterol and sodium. The AHA recommends eating 300mg or less of cholesterol each day.

Stay away from high sodium foods, eating 2,300mg or less of sodium daily. When reducing sodium, watch out for frozen and processed foods, which use high-sodium preservatives. Cook meats without the skin to cut out extra fats and limit your alcohol consumption to no more then one beverage each day.

Stock Up on Fish

Eating fish twice a week may reduce risks of coronary artery disease, according to the AHA. Eat fresh water fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, herring and trout. When cooking fish, choose heart healthy olive oil instead of margarine.