According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 630,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, which equates to one in every four deaths. Coronary heart disease is the most common type, killing about 366,000 people in 2015. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds.
In addition, 103 million American adults have high blood pressure and 6.5 million are living with heart failure. With February being American Heart Month, this is the ideal time to consider strategic lifestyle changes that can make a huge impact on your heart health.
If you’re a smoker, you must quit and do it now. For overall heart health, the best thing that can be done is kicking the smoking habit, which is the most preventable cause of premature death in the U.S. Smokers have a higher risk of developing many chronic disorders including the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries that trigger heart disease.
Do all you can to maintain a healthy weight and keep close tabs on your blood pressure and total cholesterol. While there are standard guidelines for blood pressure and cholesterol, ideal weight goals are individual to each person, and a physician can help determine an appropriate goal weight based on your height and age.
Many in the U.S. have no idea that they currently have untreated diabetes that can lead to heart disease. A simple blood test will indicate if you have diabetes and your primary care physician may help you with a variety of ways to keep it under control.
Increasing physical activity is one of the best ways to get your heart pumping and keeping it in good working order, and exercise can improve your overall mental and physical health. According to the American Heart Association, you should schedule at least five 30-minute moderate exercise sessions each week, which could amount to two or three 10 or 15 minute segments during the day. Walking, jogging, biking and swimming are all great forms of exercise for you to consider trying.
One of the most effective ways to take good care of your heart is to focus on eating a healthy diet. Salmon, nuts, berries and oats are a few of the many heart “superfoods” that will help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. You’ll also want to do all you can to limit your intake of junk food. Too much of it will negatively impact your heart health and your overall health causing weight gain, higher blood pressure and clogged arteries.
Searching for ways to decrease the stress in your life is also beneficial to good heart health. Too much stress may lead to weight gain and other unhealthy habits, making it more difficult to stick with a heart-healthy program. Too much stress decreases overall happiness and increases the risk for anxiety and depression.
Getting proper sleep restores your body and is also good for your heart. It contributes to your overall happiness and decreases the stress in your life. Sleeping seven hours each night and waking at the same time each day are all great ways to establish healthy sleep patterns. A calming and regular bedtime routine is also helpful in getting necessary sleep, along with participating in physical activity whenever possible.
If you have concerns or questions about your health, the health of someone in your family or are in need of a primary care physician for yourself or someone else, please call 317-880-7666 or visit www.eskenazihealth.edu/doctors.
Dr. Nydia Nunez-Estrada
Family Medicine Physician at Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington