Introduction
The number one cause of death in America is heart disease. Heart disease refers to several different types of heart conditions, the most commonly known as coronary artery disease (CAD) affecting blood flow to the heart. The heart stops when there is a lack of oxygen-rich blood. Another way to look at heart health is your blood health.
Heart attack: blood flowing to your heart is clogged.
Stroke: blood flowing to your brain is clogged.
If you currently have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, or diabetes you might be interested in how you can reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
Below is a heart-healthy checklist to review your habits and adjust as needed.
- Smoking
- Diet Review
- Physical activity
- Stress level
- Weight check
Smoking
You might be thinking what does smoking have to do with your heart or blood when it’s the lungs that are affected? It’s the chemicals in cigarettes that put you at a higher risk for heart disease due to blood thickening. Once this happens your arteries become “sticky” causing a build-up of plaque known as atherosclerosis, narrowing the arteries, and reducing blood flow which carries oxygen.
Why quit smoking?
When you stop smoking your blood flow improves, allowing more oxygen to reach your heart. The levels of carbon monoxide from cigarettes begin to decrease and return to normal.
Your heart rate will improve as your blood pressure decreases.
Smokers have lower levels of Vitamin C than non-smokers. If you’re a smoker and don’t plan on giving it up, at least increase your Vitamin C.
Diet Review
Your diet (the foods you typically eat) has a great impact on your heart. To promote a healthy heart, start with the following:
Decrease processed foods
Processed foods are foods that have been cooked, canned, frozen, or packaged. Think of them as “ready-to-eat foods” like crackers and bread that you buy. Processed foods are high in sodium (salt) and/or sugar. Some examples include canned soups, sauces, frozen entrees, and bakery products such as muffins and cakes. They are foods already prepared with multiple ingredients including the ones you can’t pronounce.
Heart healthy diets
I typically don’t recommend diets in general because each person is unique in their dietary needs. We each have our preferences, likes, dislikes, tolerances, intolerances, possible food allergies, religious beliefs, traditions, and special dietary requirements for whatever reason(s). That said, there are always exceptions to the rule. The following two diets can be beneficial to follow for a heart-healthy diet.
DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
This diet was created to help prevent and treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and reduce your risk of heart disease. It focuses on reducing salt, fats, and added sugars. See DASH Diet for more information.
Mediterranean diet
This diet has become of interest since the 1950s and has been ranked the best overall diet for the past 6 years. The focus is to eat more nutrient-dense foods without calorie counting. The way it should be!
The emphasis is on more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, seafood, and olive oil. Less poultry, eggs, cheese, and dairy. It’s not restrictive like most diets today which omit major food groups. Sample menu
Physical activity
Physical activity is a must to help strengthen your heart and keep the blood flowing, increasing oxygen levels.
Best physical activity
Simply put, any activity that you like and works your muscles more than what you’re usually used to. A good place to start is by walking if you don’t follow any planned physical activity. Consult your doctor if you have been restricted from physical activity or if you experience any unusual symptoms such as pain or shortness of breath that reduces your ability to breathe. Be consistent with whatever you choose.
Sitting and heart health
Numerous studies are indicating that sitting for too long for prolonged periods of time can increase your risk of heart disease even if you exercise regularly! Think of how often you sit. You sit to eat, read, and watch TV. Many people have desk jobs and are tied to their computers. Sedentary time is built into our day automatically. For more information, check out this article published in Nature.
Sitting negatively impacts blood pressure, blood glucose, and brain blood flow. Remember, heart health is really about your blood health.
How often should you stand up and move?
Begin with blocks of 30 minutes. For every 30 mins., move for 2 mins. or at the very least, stand for 2 mins. Set an alarm to remind yourself to get up and move. Once you get in the habit of breaking your sedentary time, it will become easier to move more often.
Train yourself to stand when the phone rings and for commercials on TV. Walk for 5-10 mins. after you eat whether it’s a meal or a snack.
Stress level
Your level of stress impacts your heart. It was once believed that stress didn’t cause heart attacks. We now know that’s not true. Everyone experiences stress differently. What stresses you out may not stress someone else in the same way or at all. Physical activity can help reduce stress.
Triggers
Get to know your triggers for stress and do your best to reduce them or avoid them if at all possible. Learn what helps you to lower stress. This is difficult for stress eaters. Future blog topic!
Tips to reduce stress:
Leave your phone behind when you walk or go to the gym. If you must carry it, turn it on airplane mode or off.
Don’t look at it first thing in the morning. Whatever is on there will be there when you are ready to turn it on.
Keep your to-do list short and reasonable.
Listen to music, watch a comedy, or read a book.
Get adequate sleep. Not getting enough sleep and feeling tired will increase your stress.
Get out in nature, go for a walk or bike ride.
Weight check
It’s no surprise that being overweight can impact your health and increase your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and many other health issues.
How excess weight (fat) affects your heart
People with excess fat tissue tend to have greater blood volume which causes more strain on the heart to pump blood. When the heart works harder, the muscle increases causing a condition called ventricular hypertrophy. The wall of the heart’s main chamber (left ventricular) becomes thickened. This activity increases blood pressure due to the poor action of pumping the blood.
Obesity is an indicator of coronary artery disease (CAD)— cholesterol plaque buildup in the arteries of the heart. CAD is targeted in the abdomen with “central” or “visceral” fat. This is located deep inside your stomach cavity and surrounds your organs (kidneys, liver, intestines).
Belly check
Women: aim for waist measurement of 35 inches or less.
A predictor of intra-abdominal fat is the size of your waist. This is a better indicator than BMI (body mass index), which is a screening tool to quickly categorize weight. BMI is a calculated number that’s based on your height and weight. This number does not distinguish body fat from lean muscle and may falsely show an underestimated BMI due to loss of muscle mass, such as what happens in older adults or overestimated BMI, especially for bodybuilders or athletes. While not a metabolic marker for health, it’s often used as one.
To measure your waist circumference: While standing, place a flexible/fabric tape measuring horizontally and level around the belly button which is the widest part of your stomach, snug, but not squeezing the skin. Don’t hold your breath. Measure on an exhale. It’s easier if another person helps.
Risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes
Men are more at risk with a waist measurement of 40 inches or more.
Women are more at risk with a waist measurement of 35 inches or more.
3%-5% and 5%-10% Weight Reduction Can Make All the Difference
A 3%-5% loss of body weight can reduce triglycerides, and blood glucose, and decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The many benefits of decreasing weight especially an increase in your energy level, better-quality sleep, and improved mood. Greater amounts of weight loss (5%-10%) will improve your blood pressure, LDL, HDL, and may reduce the need for medications to control these conditions.
To help you get started on 3% weight loss download No Diet Required.
Conclusion:
Embracing a healthy lifestyle will keep your heart healthy. You’ll strengthen your mental and physical health which will help to decrease your daily stressors.
Steer clear of cigarettes—Breaking this habit will make it easier to improve the other areas for a healthy heart.
Healthy diet—Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress. The healthier you eat, the healthier your mind and body will remain.
Reduce caffeine, sugar, and alcohol—Reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, and sugary snacks in your diet will leave you feeling more energetic and will improve sleep.
Regular movement—Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. There’s nothing like a good sweat to help release tension and think clearly. Walking outdoors will promote relaxation and improve your mood.
Stress Less—Explore healthier ways to cope with stress if your current methods aren’t working. Be open to changing your approaches. This will require experimenting with your techniques and possibly seeking professional help in the process.
To get a copy of blood tests to monitor your heart health contact me.
In optimal health,
Lisa