Be heart healthy during the month of February:
Know Your Lipid Profile (Tip #1)
The recommendation is that everyone over the age of 20 should have a complete lipid panel done at least every 5 years. Do you know what your numbers are? If not, start the year off right by scheduling a physical with your doctor. You can’t know your risk of cardiovascular disease without knowing these very important numbers. There are at least four lipid values that you need to know.
Blood Pressure Matters (Tip #2)
Similarly, if you do not know what your typical blood pressure numbers are then it is time to get your blood pressure checked. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a serious risk factor for heart disease and needs to be medically controlled as it can cause undue pressure on the artery and heart walls. Since the symptoms of hypertension are “silent” you need to have regular blood pressure checks.
Take a Look at Your Diet (Tip #3)
A heart healthy diet is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt and high in fiber, fruits, vegetables and grains. Making simple and gradual changes in your diet such as using fat free dairy products and adding fruit and vegetable servings can improve your heart health.
Move It or Lose It! (Tip #4)
Exercise improves heart function, lowers blood pressure, stress and cholesterol, boosts energy and helps to control weight - all factors that promote heart health. The general recommendation is to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise (test: you can talk easily but not sing while doing it) on at
least five but preferable most days of the week. The 30 minutes does not have to be done all at once, breaking it up in to 10 or 15 minute intervals are okay.
Keep an Eye on Your Weight (Tip #5)
The statistics from the National Health Education and Nutrition survey state that nearly one third of adults in the United States are obese. A simple formula for managing a healthy body weight really comes down to calories in and energy out. It is important that you find out how many calories you should consume in a day if you want to lose weight. Simply multiply your current body weight by 15 and you will get the number of calories needed to maintain your current weight. So eating less than that amount per day combined with exercise will give you a negative calorie balance and you will begin to lose weight. Maintaining good portion control can also be a helpful strategy in helping to control weight. Over the decades, our sense of what a single portion is has become distorted. Making exercise a fun activity such as dancing, walking the dog or playing a sport is just as healthy for your heart as a trip to the gym. Adding fitness minutes to your day like taking the stair, parking in the farthest space and generally moving as much as possible throughout.
More Exercise (Tip #6)
Making exercise a fun activity such as dancing, walking the dog or playing a sport is just as healthy for your heart as a trip to the gym. Adding fitness minutes to your day like taking the stair, parking in the farthest space and generally moving as much as possible throughout the day will help increase your heart health as well.
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