February is National Heart Month and a great time to consider making changes specific to your heart health.
Know your risk factors: Understanding what your risk factors are that would contribute to heart disease is a first step to beginning a heart-healthy lifestyle. There are certain factors that you can’t change: Age, Gender, Heredity & Race/Ethnicity. Then, there are factors that you can change: cholesterol, diet, exercise, smoking, weight, diabetes, blood pressure and stress.
Know your numbers: See your primary care physician regularly. If heart disease runs in your family, keep your eye on your numbers more closely. Work with your doctor to improve numbers that are not normal. “Blood pressure and cholesterol guidelines have changed recently” according to Dr. Jason Thompson, a board-certified cardiologist at Birmingham Heart Clinic. “Goal blood pressure is now less than 130/80 mmHg. Patients with heart disease should keep their cholesterol less than 70.”
Obtain a healthy weight: the impact losing weight can have on your health is significant. If you do not know your ideal weight, ask your doctor.
Eat for hearth health: the foods you eat have a large impact on your health. Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and cholesterol. Be sure to include whole grains, vegetables and fruits and cut down on the fast food.
Get moving: exercise can help decrease your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Every day, aim for 10-20 minutes of walking or some other moderate-intensity activity. Once you get in the habit, you will feel much better.
Get enough sleep: are you sleeping 7-8 hours a night? Poor sleep over the long term has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Get the rest your body needs.
Quit smoking and avoid second hand smoke: people who smoke are up to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smokers. There are tips for quitting smoking on the American Heart Association website.
For more information or for an appointment at Birmingham Heart Clinic please call (205) 856-2284 or visit the website at Birminghamheart.com
*Stats used here are from the American Heart Association.