Having high blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol has so many health consequences. It is no joke, especially when a healthy lifestyle can minimize it all.
As a medical student and briefly as an intern physician, I've seen many patients with diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), and high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia). They're so common that I'm amazed to see any older patient with none of these three. What's more amazing is how these three conditions are fairly preventable with diet, exercise, and weight control.
Why are these three conditions so bad? Well, high cholesterol leads to atherosclerosis. High blood pressure injures the inner lining of the arteries, paving the way for atherosclerosis. Diabetes does it, too. When you have arterial plaques, you are at risk for at least several conditions.
Additionally, hypertension over many years puts a strain on the heart and can lead to congestive heart failure. If you leave it significantly uncontrolled long enough, like a blood pressure of 180/99, there is a risk of aortic dissection. In a severe case, like a blood pressure of 210//110, you enter the zone of hypertensive emergency with risks of mental status changes, stroke, or heart attack. Yes, there is such a thing as hypertension with symptoms.
As for diabetes, it leads to visual changes, blindness, chronic kidney failure, and foot damage, not just the problems stemming from atherosclerosis.
Patients may be passive about diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia because they consider them to be just abnormal numbers. The medical community, however, takes them very seriously. Imagine having these so-called abnormal numbers and having one to ten additional medical problems later on. If you can prevent it all with a healthy lifestyle, don't lose your chance. If you have these conditions, change your lifestyle while taking any medications prescribed.
Quality of life is not just about indulging in life's pleasures now. It's also about living longer and healthier so that you can optimize your quality of life in your later years.
