Preventing Heart Disease?

We all have many choices and it is the pattern of our daily choices that can benefit our heart and total health.   The American Heart Association has identified seven health and behavior factors that impact health and quality of life. These are known as “Life’s Simple 7”1 and include the following:
 
1.      Don’t smoke.
2.      Maintain a healthy weight.
3.      Engage in regular physical activity.
4.      Eat a healthy diet.
5.      Manage blood pressure.
6.      Take charge of cholesterol.
7.      Keep blood sugar, or glucose at healthy levels.




1. Don’t smoke.
Smokers are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than nonsmokers. Smoking increases the heart rate, constricts arteries and can contribute to the formation of plaque in the arteries. Smoking also increases the risk of forming blood clots which can cause a heart attack or stroke.


2. Maintain a healthy weight
Achieving and maintaining a healthful weight is important. Excess body fat increases the workload on the heart. It can also raise blood pressure, blood cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels and contribute to the development of diabetes. Overweight results when one takes in more calories than expended. Consuming the same amount of calories as expended maintains body weight. Weight loss occurs when fewer calories are consumed than are expended. Even a five to ten percent loss of excess body weight can result in lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, lowering triglyceride and lowering blood sugar levels.

The keys for a healthful weight loss are to consume fewer calories and increase physical activity to burn more calories than are consumed. Even small changes in eating and exercise habits can accomplish this. The goal for those folks already at a healthful weight is to maintain that weight and prevent gaining excess weight. The goal for overweight adults is to achieve and then maintain a healthful body weight. A slow and steady weight loss achieved by decreasing calories while maintaining adequate nutrition and increasing physical activity is a reasonable plan.

Achieving and maintaining a healthful weight is really about balancing food intake with the energy expended during the day. Sometimes people develop habits that cause overeating and sedentary patterns. These habits can lead to weight gain. Habits are developed over time and aren’t usually changed quickly. But over time and with practice more healthful eating and exercise habits can be established. Consult a health care professional prior to starting a weight reduction program. This is particularly important for those with chronic diseases or on medication. A health care provider can make specific dietary and physical activity recommendations for individual needs.


3. Engage in regular physical exercise.
Regular moderate exercise can lower the risk of heart disease. An inactive lifestyle increases the risk of becoming overweight and developing high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels and diabetes. Choose to lead an active lifestyle. Look at ways to add activity to a normal daily pattern. Find exercise that is enjoyable such as going on walks, walking the dog, dancing, tennis, biking, swimming or other sports. Do more chores such as raking leaves, washing the car, gardening, etc. Or invest in some exercise equipment such as a stationary bicycle or treadmill. There are plenty of wonderful fitness centers to join. Consider using a fitness DVD. Do what is fun for you! The key is to develop an exercise program that works for you and do it regularly. It is a good idea to make a visit to your physician before starting an exercise program. This is especially true if one has any type of medical problems, is overweight, over the age of 40 or has not been exercising.

Physical activity can help one feel more energetic and sleep better. It also appears to promote psychological well-being and reduce feelings of mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

Setting aside a specific time each day for physical activity is helpful for actually making it happen! Substituting physical activity for sedentary activities is a great way to fit it in to a lifestyle. For example, replace sedentary activities in the evening such as watching television with something requiring movement like going for a walk or riding a stationary bike.

Tips to increase physical activity include:
· Walk or bike if possible to work, school, the store or other errands.
· If riding a bus, get off several blocks from the destination and walk the rest of the way.
· Park the car farther away from the destination.
· Choose Saturdays or an evening each week to walk with friends, family or neighbors.
· Keep a pair of walking shoes handy at work and take walking breaks instead of coffee breaks.
· Exercise while watching television. Good examples include riding stationary bicycle, walking on a treadmill or using a stair climber.
· Play with children or pets.
· Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator.

Gradually increase the time spent exercising. Vary activities. This keeps it more interesting and broadens the benefits. Just get moving! Be active every day in any way. Make fitness a part of daily life. Little bits of exercise throughout the day add up. It is always a good idea to check with a physician before starting an exercise program.


4. Eat a healthy diet.
Eating a healthy diet is so important. We need a variety of foods from all of the food groups daily. Make eating a healthful diet a part of everyday lifestyle. Numerous studies show that people who couple a healthful eating plan and are physically active are more successful achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight! So where does one start? Load up on nutrients, not big portions! The best way to do this is to choose nutrient dense foods. These are foods that are packed full of nutrients for the number of calories contained. Minimize empty calorie foods. These are foods that have very few or no nutrients for the calories. Examples of empty calorie foods are soda pop, sweets, candies and other high sugar foods.

There are so many foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, fiber and a host of other nutrients. Start by choosing plenty of whole grains. Grains contain many nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber that are vital for the health and maintenance of our bodies. These foods are an important part of a healthful diet. Wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley and foods made from these grains such as bread, cereals, tortillas, pasta and grits are examples of grains and grain products. Choose those without a lot of added fat.

Enjoy fruits! Different fruits contain different nutrients. Try many different fruits such as apples, tangerines, oranges, apricots, pears, bananas, blueberries, plums, cantaloupe, cherries, prunes, cranberries, figs, dates, grapefruit, grapes, papaya, guava, raspberries, honeydew, kiwi, strawberries, mangos, nectarines, watermelon, peaches, persimmons and pineapple. Unsweetened fruit juices are also good options but eating whole fruits instead of the juices provides fiber in addition to the nutrients.

Like fruits, different vegetables contain different nutrients. There are many vegetables available and yet many people tend to choose the same limited ones repeatedly. Include a wide variety. Dark green leafy vegetables include various types of greens, broccoli, chard, escarole and spinach. Examples of deep yellow or orange vegetables are acorn squash, pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots and yams. Starchy vegetables are higher in calories but are also rich in nutrients. Potatoes, green peas, lima beans, corn and rutabagas are starchy vegetables. Other vegetables include artichokes, beets, bell pepper, okra, turnips, asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, summer squashes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and celery. And there are many more! Make a point to include lots of different vegetables to get a wider variety of nutrients.

And you need protein every day. Choose low fat protein sources such as a wide variety of fish and seafood, skinned poultry, lean beef, pork and game. Also include plenty of legumes such as dried beans, peas and lentils. Eggs and tofu are also good protein sources. Nuts contain protein and other nutrients but are high in fat and calories. And choose skim or low fat milk and milk products. There are many wonderful fat free yogurts available as well as fat free and low fat cheeses. Oils that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are good choices. There are many healthful oils such as olive, canola, corn, safflower and sunflower. But remember, even though these are healthful fats they still are high in calories like all fats.


5. Manage Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force of the blood against the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day. But high blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a consistently higher than normal pressure. High blood pressure can damage the walls of the arteries and can speed plaque formation. This narrows the passage for blood to flow. Over time, as plaque builds up in the artery walls, the blood flow is restricted which can increase the blood pressure even more. This causes the heart to work harder. High blood pressure increases the risk of several forms of cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, stroke and kidney failure. The key to managing blood pressure is to follow your physician’s recommendations faithfully.


6. Take control of cholesterol.
September is National Cholesterol Education Month. It is a good time to get your cholesterol level checked and to start taking steps to lower it if it is high!

Cholesterol is a waxy fatlike substance and found in every body cell. It is essential for building cells. Cholesterol is produced by the liver. Cholesterol also comes from foods of animal origin such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products that we eat.

Cholesterol is carried in the bloodstream and this is called blood or serum cholesterol. High blood cholesterol levels increase risk for heart disease. Cholesterol can be deposited in the blood vessel walls and contribute to the formation of plaque. As plaque builds up it restricts blood circulation. This process is called atherosclerosis. The higher the cholesterol level the higher the risk for heart disease. Reducing high cholesterol levels lowers the risk for developing heart disease.

Triglycerides are another fat that circulates in the bloodstream. Neither cholesterol or triglycerides are soluble in blood (just like oil isn’t soluble in water) and so they are carried in the blood and into cells by carriers called lipoproteins. The two most common types of lipoproteins are low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL). The LDL cholesterol is known as the bad cholesterol. The LDL cholesterol can accumulate in vessel walls forming the plaque which restricts blood flow and increases the risk of heart disease. The HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol. It carries cholesterol from cells to the liver. A high HDL level seems to have a protective benefit and a low level places a greater risk for heart disease. A physician can test lipid levels (blood fats) and interpret the results for each individual.


7. Keep blood sugar, or glucose at healthy levels.
Diabetes is a serious disease in which the body does not produce enough or properly use insulin. This results in high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is a risk factor for heart disease. A physician will develop a treatment plan for a diabetic to manage blood sugar levels.