Much of heart health is in your control, with up to 80% of heart disease and stroke preventable with lifestyle changes, the American Heart Association notes. Doctors encourage patients to eat a healthy diet, exercise more and reach a healthy weight. They warn against a sedentary lifestyle, and a menu filled with processed meats and sugary drinks. Dr. James Stone, a cardiologist at the South Heart Clinic in Harlingen, Texas, focuses his patient warnings and education on one common diagnosis in particular. Heart health tip of the day: Take action to prevent diabetes Stone says many of his heart patients have Type 2 diabetes, and he’s taken aback that they seem OK with having the disease. “If I were to give a diagnosis of cancer, the patient would be shocked and mortified, and they would do everything they can to try to make things better. (But) when I talk to my patients about diabetes, they make it seem like, ‘Oh, I’ve got it. My whole family’s got it. I feel fine. Mine’s controlled,’” Stone tells TODAY.com. “I look at diabetes as a silent assassin, because you have diabetes for five to 10 years, feel fine, be told A1C is controlled … and then next thing you know, here comes the stroke, here comes the heart attack.” Health Wellness Sep 11 Too much light during nighttime sleep may damage the heart Diet Exercise Aug 30 A cardiologist's No. 1 rule for healthy eating is avoiding this food: ‘I don't touch it' Why it matters Cardiovascular risk is two to four times higher in people with diabetes compared to their peers who don’t have the chronic disease, researchers note. Cardiovascular disease is also the main cause of death and morbidity among people with diabetes, especially in those with Type 2 diabetes, they warn. “If you have diabetes, you’re clogging arteries,” Stone says. That’s because high blood sugar can damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s easier for plaque to build up on damaged artery walls, causing them to narrow and harden, leading to atherosclerosis, the American Heart Association warns. Stiff blood vessels lead to high blood pressure, a condition that’s twice as likely to affect people with diabetes than others, studies have found, and is a key heart disease risk factor. How to get started To prevent or delay Type 2 diabetes, start by reversing prediabetes — blood sugar that’s higher than normal, but not yet officially diabetes — by losing a little weight, eating a healthy diet and being more physically active, the CDC notes. For Stone, the main culprit of developing Type 2 diabetes is eating too many high-starch white foods such as added sugar, excess salt, white bread, white rice, white flour and white pasta. His No. 1 rule for his own diet is to avoid them, focusing on whole foods such as fruits, nuts, proteins, eggs and vegetables instead. The cardiologist warns parents especially to limit giving kids processed, high-starch white foods so that they’re not “hooked” on them as adults and develop Type 2 diabetes. This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: Cardiologist warns this common diagnosis is a ‘silent assassin.’ How to lower your risk Many prostate cancers don’t need treatment right away. Doctor reveals what to do instead This type of exercise is just as powerful for bone health as strength training ...read more read less