This past weekend at the Veteran's Health Screening was an enlightening experience for me as many questions were asked. It was great to see the community outreach and also share our message on making healthy choices to live a heart healthy life. I thought the questions were great one's so I thought I would share some information. When it comes to your heart, there is no question that should be left unanswered!
Learn about Heart Failure~
The heart is a muscle. Its pumps blood through the body. In heart failure, your hearts pumping power is weakened. Blood flows more slowly. Your body works harder to move blood.
Common cause if heart failure include
- Heart attack
- High Blood Pressure
- Narrow or blocked arteries
- Diabetes
- Overweight
- Smoking
- Alcohol abuse
- Heart Birth Defects Injury to the heart
- Illegal drugs
- Some cancer drugs
What is interesting to not is that 4 out of 5 of these are preventatable by making the RIGHT choices!
Signs and symptoms~
- Feeling Tired
- Shortness of breath
- weight gain (water retention)
- Trips to the bathroom at night
- Swollen ankles, legs and/or belly
What is the difference between a heart attack and heart failure you ask??
A heart attack happens when blood can't reach part of your heart. That part starves fore oxygen. As a result, the heart may not pump blood as it should. This can result in permanent damage to the heart, or death.
Coronary artery disease is a common underlying cause of a heart attack. Your coronary arteries are the blood vessels that bring blood and oxygen to your heart. Coronary artery disease happens when fatty deposits, called plaque, build up inside the coronary arteries. This substance can narrow or block coronary arteries. As a result, the heart gets less blood.
How can you reduce your risk of a heart attack~
If you smoke, quit. If someone in your household smokes, encourage them to quit. We know it's tough. But it's tougher to recover from a heart attack or stroke or to live with chronic heart disease. Commit to quit.
A healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. The food you eat (and the amount) can affect other controllable risk factors: cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and overweight. Choose nutrient-rich foods — which have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients but are lower in calories — over nutrient-poor foods. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole-grain and high-fiber foods, fish, lean protein and fat-free or low-fat dairy products is the key. And to maintain a healthy weight, coordinate your diet with your physical activity level so you're using up as many calories as you take in.
Select American Heart Association cookbooks
Fat lodged in your arteries is a disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later it could trigger a heart attack or stroke. You've got to reduce your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and get moving. If diet and physical activity alone don't get those numbers down, then medication may be the key. Take it just like the doctor orders. Here's the lowdown on where those numbers need to be:
Total Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg/dLLDL (bad) Cholesterol: If you're at low risk for heart disease: Less than 160 mg/dLIf you're at intermediate risk for heart disease: Less than 130 mg/dLIf you're at high risk for heart disease (including those with existing heart disease or diabetes): Less than 100mg/dLHDL (good) Cholesterol: 40 mg/dL or higher for men and 50 mg/dL or higher for womenTriglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dLVisit our Cholesterol website
- Lower high blood pressure
It's the single largest risk factor for stroke. Stroke is the No. 3 killer and one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Stroke recovery is difficult at best and you could be disabled for life. Shake that salt habit, take your medications as recommended by your doctor and get moving. Those numbers need to get down and stay down. Your goal is less than 120/80 mmHg.
- Be physically active every day
Be physically active every day. Research has shown that getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days of the week can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep your weight at a healthy level. But something IS better than nothing. If you're doing nothing now, start out slow. Even 10 minutes at a time may offer some health benefits. Studies show that people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness are much less likely to die early than those with a low fitness level.
Start! a walking program
Choose a BetterU: our free 12-week physical activity program for women
Obesity is an epidemic in America, not only for adults but also for children. An epidemic is when a health problem is out of control and many people are affected by it. Fad diets and supplements are not the answer. Good nutrition, controlling calorie intake and physical activity are the only way to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes — the very factors that heighten your risk of cardiovascular disease. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) can help tell you if your weight is healthy.
Calculate your Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of diabetes-related death. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease due to a variety of risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity.
Some scientists have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person's life that may affect the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. For example, people under stress may overeat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would. Research has even shown that stress reaction in young adults predicts middle-age blood pressure risk.
Get stress management tips and tools
Want to learn more? Log onto
http://www.heart.org/!!!! I did and look what I was able to learn and share!!!!
Remember 80% of living a heart healthy life can be controlled by making the right choices...EVERYDAY!
So today and everyday, don't forget to LISTEN TO YOUR HEART
D
