Integritus Prime

Hypertension (HTN) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) are common ailments in Fiji and the world. A lot has been said about them being top killers in adults. Here, on the heels of one of our recent Beyond Medicine: Lifestyle Demons videos on this topic, I want to explore 11 connections these two conditions have: 6 in the form of risk factors and 5 in terms of organs affected. HTN and T2D are somewhat like twins: whenever one appears the other is not far behind. Also, these two conditions are very much related to lifestyle risk factors such as:

1. Being overweight or obese,
2. Not being physically active,
3. Eating unhealthy foods,
4. Dealing with stress poorly
5. Having raised blood cholesterol, and
6. Smoking.

HTN is also related to taking too much salt. Our daily requirement for salt is one level teaspoon (5 grams) for the whole day. This usually comes from whatever foods or fluids we take. Many natural foods have some salt in them. However, some processed, packaged and pre-cooked foods have a lot of salt in them. To know how much salt these foods have we need to learn to carefully read labels on the packages or bottles. Snacks, such as potato chips and soups have a lot of salt in them, and we eat them without realizing that we are taking too much salt.

So, what happens when we take too much salt? Salt is absorbed into the blood from our gut. Too much salt in the blood makes the water remain in the blood. This hinders the work of the kidneys, which need water to filter out toxins from our body. Secondly, when there is too much salt in the blood for a longer period of time, it causes damage to the blood vessels. Arteries harden and become narrowed and this requires the heart to work harder to push the blood around the body. This increases blood pressure. In addition, when we have other risk factors present, such as the 6 mentioned above, the damage to blood vessels occurs more rapidly and in turn, causes harm to the brain, eyes, heart, kidneys and legs.

If we look at T2D, the risk factors are the similar: obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, high blood cholesterol, stress, smoking. The additional problem here is that the blood sugar level is too high. This causes damage to blood vessels and nerves. Excess sugar in the blood filters through the kidneys and is passed out in the urine. This also overworks the kidneys because now they have to remove excess sugar in addition to its usual job of eliminating toxins. T2D damages the same organs as HTN, and this is a second way the two diseases are connected:

1. Brain,
2. Eyes,
3. Heart,
4. Kidneys, and
5. Legs.

Generally, with good control of HTN and T2D, it may take ten years or more for the damage to start showing. However, when smoking is combined with HTN and T2D, the damages occur over a very short period of time. This is because smoking independently increases the risk for blood vessel damage, aside from risks of cancer and breathing disorders.

These eleven connections are pretty solid: both diseases share the same risk factors and attack the same organs. It is not enough to just pop a pill for either HTN or T2D. Lifestyle changes need to be addressed for preventing organ damage. With lifestyle changes, medications – which in large doses often have numerous side effects – can be reduced or even stopped. A healthy whole foods plant-based diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding cholesterol-laden foods, dealing with stress effectively, and not smoking are the biggest gifts you can give yourself to have a healthy body and mind. Share with us lifestyle changes that help you.

This blog post is written by Dr. Margaret Cornelius.