#1 Habit for Better Heart Health If You Have Diabetes

While managing diabetes is essential for blood sugar regulation, it’s also crucial for heart health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. Over time, having high blood sugar can damage your heart’s blood vessels and nerves. The good news is that adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help you better manage diabetes and support cardiovascular health. Among them, the No. 1 habit to support better heart health if you have diabetes is engaging in regular physical activity.

In this article, we’ll cover how exercise improves heart health, share practical tips for incorporating physical activity into your daily routine and explain why diabetes poses unique challenges to cardiovascular well-being. Read on to learn more.

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How Regular Exercise Improves Heart Health

Regular physical activity helps strengthen your heart, improve circulation and manage cardiovascular disease risk factors like high blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. A recent study found that exercise helps regulate blood sugar by significantly increasing insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to use glucose better. This effect can reduce strain on your cardiovascular system and lower blood sugar levels. “Regular physical activity helps lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol while increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol, improving overall lipid profiles,” explains Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian with Balance One Supplements. “It also promotes weight management, reduces inflammation and improves circulation, all of which are crucial for minimizing the risk of complications such as atherosclerosis and heart attacks.”

But what type of exercise is best for heart health? Research suggests that aerobic exercises like walking, swimming and cycling can improve your heart’s ability to pump blood, leading to lower blood pressure and reduced inflammation. 

Additionally, recent studies show that strength training can support cardiovascular health, as it helps build muscle mass and improve metabolism, which can improve blood sugar levels and support healthy weight management.

Strategies to Incorporate Regular Exercise

• Start Small: If you want to make your exercise habit stick, keep it simple in the beginning. Going for a 10-minute walk outdoors or doing some light stretching are excellent options. Over time, you can gradually increase the duration and intensity as you build confidence and endurance. “Adding an extra 1,000 steps per day can lower your mortality risk by 12%,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, a registered dietitian and author. “So park farther away, take the stairs, stand and talk on the phone instead of sitting. These little pieces of movement matter.”
• Choose Exercise You Enjoy: Whether it’s dancing, gardening, hiking or playing sports, a 2022 study found that picking physical activities you enjoy doing makes it much easier to stay consistent with regular exercise.
• Break Your Activity into Mini-Sessions: If finding time for a full workout is challenging, break it into smaller sessions throughout the day. Research suggests that “exercise snacks” are easy to incorporate into busy schedules and can help you reduce time spent being sedentary. For structured workouts, Palinski-Wade advises, “Break down your exercise goals into manageable chunks, such as 30 minutes five times a week or 25 minutes six times a week. Avoid going more than 48 hours between sessions for optimal glucose control.”
• Stay Consistent: As per the CDC’s recommendations, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week. Consistency is more important than intensity, especially when starting out. Melissa Mitri, RD, a registered dietitian with Melissa Mitri Nutrition, tells EatingWell, “Schedule your workouts ahead of time so they become a regular part of your day. Exercise is much more likely to happen if it’s on your calendar instead of telling yourself, ‘I’ll try to exercise today.’”

How Diabetes Can Impact Your Heart

If you consistently have high blood sugar, it can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart. This increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and other conditions like peripheral arterial disease. This explains why the National Institutes of Health says diabetes often coexists with other conditions that exacerbate heart issues, like high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol.

“Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to nerve and blood vessel damage over time, increasing the risk of stroke and heart attack,” says Mitri. “Keeping blood sugar levels in check with a balanced diet and regular exercise protects the nerves and vessels in the heart, maximizing its efficiency.”

The Bottom Line

Exercise is the No. 1 habit for protecting your heart health if you have diabetes. Regular physical activity can help strengthen the heart for better circulation, improve blood sugar regulation, lower cholesterol and support healthy weight management. Start with small, manageable steps to help you incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine. Remember: staying consistent with your exercise is essential for long-term health. If you’re unsure where to start, speak with your health care provider to learn more about how exercise can help support your heart health and diabetes.