Lifestyle Changes
Helping to Prevent and Control Heart Disease

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. About 950,000 Americans die of heart disease each year, which amounts to one death every 33 seconds.

Previously thought to only be a concern for men and older people, heart disease is becoming more prevalent in women and in people aged 15-34. As the leading cause of death in both men and women, heart disease has become a major area of concern for Americans. Even as the death toll rises, Americans do not seem to be adopting healthier lifestyles. Many of the risk factors for heart disease are preventable. The key strategy for addressing these risk factors is to educate the public and health care practitioners about the importance of prevention.

Factors We Can Control

• Healthy Diet
• Physical Activity
• Healthy Weight
• Monitor and Control your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
• Quit Smoking
• Use Medications (if needed)
• Control Your Diabetes
• Manage Stress

Healthy Diet
Adjusting your diet will help you control your cholesterol levels. By cutting back on saturated fat, you will help decrease your levels of your LDL (bad) cholesterol. A healthy diet will also help you control your daily calories. Additional calories add up and increase body weight.

A healthy diet contains
Healthy fats: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.
Healthy carbohydrates: whole grains, whole wheat bread, brown rice and oatmeal
Healthy protein: cut back on red meat and increase your fish intake. Fish contains certain healthy fats that are beneficial to your heart. Also try beans, nuts, and seeds.
Fruit and Vegetables: increase the servings of each to 3-5 per day

A healthy diet also tastes great. Make sure you enjoy your food. If it tastes awful, you will be less likely to maintain your healthy routine.

Physical Activity
Don't worry! We are not talking about the "no pain, no gain" type of exercise. All we are talking about is trying to incorporate enjoyable activity into your everyday routine. Imagine doing fun physical activities you enjoy and look forward to. Do physical activity for enjoyment and you will be surprised by the health benefits that will follow.

Guidelines
Adults should strive to meet either of the following physical activity recommendations.

• Adults should engage in moderate-intensity* physical activities for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days of the week.
  • *moderate-intensity: a "perceived exertion" of 11 to 14 on the Borg scale or the effort a healthy individual might expend while walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming, or bicycling on level terrain, for example.

• Adults should engage in vigorous-intensity* physical activity 3 or more days per week for 20 or more minutes per occasion.
  • * vigorous-intensity: a "perceived exertion" of 15 or greater on the Borg scale or the effort a healthy individual might expend while jogging, mowing the lawn with a nonmotorized pushmower, chopping wood, participating in high-impact aerobic dancing, swimming continuous laps, or bicycling uphill, for example

Healthy Weight
According to the CDC, currently more than 44 million Americans are considered obese by BMI index; that is, have a Body Mass Index (Kg/m2) greater than or equal to 30. This reflects an increase of 74 percent since 1991. Obesity increases blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, blood pressure and the risk for developing diabetes. Incorporating a heart healthy diet and physical activity into your everyday routine will help control your weight.

Monitor and Control your Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
Make sure you stay on top of all of your health screenings at your yearly physical. If you have already been diagnosed with high cholesterol or hypertension, make sure you follow your doctor's orders and advice.

Quit Smoking
The detrimental effects of smoking on your body are numerous. Smoking damages your heart by raising your blood pressure, damaging blood vessels, lowering HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and increasing buildup of plaque in arteries. In addition, it may cause the blood to clot easier, depriving your heart of oxygen. Quitting smoking is an outstanding way to decrease your risk of heart disease.

Use Medications (if needed)
We all know that we need to monitor our cholesterol and blood pressure, but sometimes we need to treat high levels with medication. If your doctor prescribes medication for either high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, make sure you follow the recommended treatment guidelines. This medication may help save your life.

Control your Diabetes
According to the American Diabetes Association, 2 out of 3 people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. Listen to your doctor, and follow the recommended treatment guidelines. Ask your doctor about proper physical activity and healthy diets for people with diabetes.

Manage Stress
Increased levels of stress can increase chemicals within your body. These harmful chemicals work against your heart and its vessels. Over time, the stress on your heart can increase your risk of a heart attack. The good news is that research shows exercise and healthy eating help to create a more relaxed individual. When you are feeling healthy and good about yourself, your stress levels drop! There are also many stress management techniques such as: progressive muscular relaxation, mental imagery, and diaphragmatic breathing, that can help you alleviate outside stressors.