Here’s To Your Heart: 7 Steps to A Heart Healthy Lifestyle

By Roquell Wyche, MD

Chesapeake & Washington Heart Care, PC

. http://chesheart.com/

More Heart Disease, Stroke and Diabetes Articles

Here’s To Your Heart: 7 Steps to A Heart Healthy Lifestyle

Heart disease is 95% preventable. Certain risk factors can cause a heart attack, stroke, organ failure, peripheral vascular disease or death. They can be changed with simple lifestyle modifications. How should you start?

1. Develop a Heart Healthy Relationship With Your Doctor

Your doctor can be an important partner in helping you set and reach goals for heart health. Ask specifically about your chances for developing heart disease and how to decrease your risk.

2. Take Charge of Your
Blood Pressure

Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or less. With daily lifestyle changes, including eating more fruits and vegetables, reducing sodium intake and exercising daily you can lower your blood pressure.

3. Control Your Cholesterol

Excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can cause narrowing and blockage of all the blood vessels in the body, called atherosclerosis. Total cholesterol should be less than 200, the HDL greater than 60 and the LDL less than 100. Your doctor may prescribe medications to help bring your numbers into a healthier range. You can also help your cholesterol by reducing your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

4. Track Your Blood Sugar

Diabetes occurs when the body is not able to make or use insulin, causing too much sugar to build up in the blood. Adults with diabetes are 2-4 times more likely to die from heart disease. Have your doctor check your hemoglobin A1C, which reflects your blood level for the past three months. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4% signals prediabetes. Diabetes is diagnosed when the A1C is over 6.5%. Monitor your blood sugar levels and take medications on a consistent basis. Diabetes can be prevented or better controlled with regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet with proper portion sizes.

5. Quit Tobacco

Smoking cigarettes increases the rate at which fatty deposits accumulate in the blood vessels. Your risk for heart disease will go down within one day of the last cigarette and will continue to decrease the longer that you do not smoke. Talk with your doctor about different therapies to help you to quit.

6. Get Moving

Exercise has multiple health benefits. Exercise is vital to losing or maintaining a healthy weight. It lowers blood sugar and blood pressure when done on a regular basis. HDL cholesterol is increased and LDL cholesterol is decreased. Take part in a cardiovascular physical activity 3-4 times per week for 30-40 minutes. This can include a brisk walk, jogging, biking, swimming or playing a sport.

7. Make Smarter Eating Choices

Smart eating helps you to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Follow a diet that emphasizes fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and legumes and limits sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages and red meat. Grill or broil your meals instead of frying them, using light olive oil or cooking spray. Limiting your sodium intake by more than 1,000 mg per day reduces heart disease and stroke event by 30%.

By adapting these seven steps, you are well on your way to a healthy heart and a longer, healthier life. Here’s to your heart.