A Healthy Heart
February 15, 2024
Your heart is your hardest working muscle. How do you keep it strong?
Although some heart disease risk factors like family history can’t be controlled, there are simple lifestyle changes you can make to improve your heart health.
Conditions that lead to heart disease may begin early in life, but there are many steps you can take to protect your heart health. Start by knowing your risk factors. Some, like family history or being over 45, are beyond your control, but there are risk factors that you can do something about.
Nearly half of all Americans have at least one of these three risk factors:
Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:
Habits for a Healthy Heart
A healthy diet is one of the best ways to avoid heart disease. Your heart and overall health will benefit if you follow these nutritional guidelines:
- Include a variety of fruits and vegetables
- Eat fiber-rich whole grains
- Choose low-fat dairy products
- Eat lean meats and at least two servings per week of fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, trout, herring)
- Limit sodium to less than 1,500 mg a day
- Watch fat and sugar intake
- Drink alcohol only in moderation
- Watch portion sizes
A regular exercise program helps to decrease your resting heart rate and boost good cholesterol. Aim to get 30 minutes of exercise a day. Walking is a great way to get started, because it’s easy to do, inexpensive and available everywhere with no gear required. Small changes in exercise can have a big impact on cardiac wellness.
Your risk of heart disease and stroke lowers if you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Discuss your weight with your healthcare provider to make sure you are in the healthy range and determine which steps you can take to lose weight if you need to.
Making sure you get a good night’s sleep (at least seven hours per night) is another small step with big payoffs for heart health. Not getting enough sleep puts you at a higher risk for heart disease.
Keep stress in check by taking time each day to relax and unwind. Seek help if you have trouble coping because of depression, anxiety, or other health problems.
Danger Signals
Chest pain is the most common symptom of a heart attack for men and women, but women often describe the sensation as pressure, tightness or an ache. Research also shows that less typical heart attack symptoms like back pain, nausea or fatigue are more common for women.
If you experience any of the following symptoms of a heart attack, call 911. Faster treatment means less damage to the heart muscle and better odds of a full recovery.
- Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest
- Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, stomach, or shoulder
- Shortness of breath (with or without chest discomfort)
- Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
Know Your Numbers for Optimal Heart Health
Learn your key health numbers to keep your heart strong and healthy. Those indicators include cholesterol, Triglycerides, blood pressure and body mass index.
Take Small Steps
For some, getting a handle on heart health might require taking small steps. It’s important to talk to your health care provider about your key health numbers and your personal heart disease risk factors and discuss what you can do to keep your heart strong.
We’re also teaming up with Hartford Athletic with health tips to keep your heart in the game!
Heart and Vascular
Trinity Health Of New England’s Hoffman Heart and Vascular Institute offers patients access to an entire network of hospitals, specialists and outpatient clinics that address the full spectrum of cardiovascular conditions.
Learn more about the cutting-edge heart and vascular interventions and procedures available to you, no matter where you live by clicking on the link below.
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