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The Heart Takes Center Stage

Think of how often the word “heart” appears in songs, poems and sayings. It stands for love, empathy, courage and even life itself. This emphasis reflects the heart’s critical role in life and health, something we’ve known for thousands of years. Today we’ve taken that knowledge to the next step and are learning what we can do to get our hearts in top condition and keep them there. 

The heart: Part of a bigger system
The heart is a muscular pump that moves your blood around your body and lets the oxygen you breathe get to the cells that need it. The health of your heart – your cardiac health – and of the arteries and veins that carry your blood – your vascular system – have a strong connection. That’s why doctors talk about cardiovascular health. 

Cardiovascular problems you can help prevent
Some of the more common heart and artery disorders that you can help prevent or treat with healthy lifestyle choices are:

  • coronary artery disease – a narrowing or blockage of the arteries that provide oxygen to the heart muscle
  • heart attack – the severe reduction or complete stoppage of the blood supply to part of the heart muscle
  • congestive heart failure – a decrease in the heart’s ability to pump blood through the body 

Minimize your risk factors
The always-busy American lifestyle is not always friendly to your cardiovascular system. The table below shows some of the main risk factors for heart problems and the healthy lifestyle changes you can adopt to reduce those risks. 

Please consult with your physician before getting started on an exercise program.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Risk Factor

Why Is It a Risk?

What Can I Do?

Smoking

Smoking damages artery walls, causing fatty build-up and limiting blood flow. It raises your risk of having a heart attack and of dying if you do have one.

Stay away from secondhand smoke. If you smoke, quit with the help of your doctor or a quit coach, available through the Free & Clear® Quit For Life™ Program.

Learn More >

Physical Inactivity

An inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Without regular physical activity, inflammation occurs in the arteries, and fatty deposits lead to heart problems.

Try for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week – walking, gardening, doing housework, even dancing. It’s fine to break an activity up into pieces of 10 minutes or so at a time.

Learn More >

Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Hypertension weakens your heart by making it work harder. It raises your risk of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease

Exercise and stay at a healthy weight. Adopt a diet high in fruits, vegetables, nuts and low-fat dairy products. It should also be low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, red meat and refined carbohydrates. Get regular blood pressure checks and follow your doctor’s advice for controlling your pressure.

Learn More >

Need help getting started? Get the support of a health coach.

High Blood Cholesterol

Low Density Lipids (LDL) is just one component of your total blood cholesterol and is also known as "bad" cholesterol. LDL cholesterol mixes with other substances in your blood and tends to stick to artery walls, which clogs the arteries.

Since cholesterol is found in animal products, limit those foods by choosing low-fat alternatives such as lean meats, fruits, vegetables and low-fat or non-fat dairy products.

Learn More >

Need help getting started? Get the support of a health coach.

Excess Weight

Extra weight strains your heart. It also adds to other risk factors for heart disease.

If you need to lose weight, get more exercise and eat fewer calories! Stick to a healthy diet that is high in fiber and rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. Aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.

Learn More >

Need help getting started? Get the support of a health coach.

Know Your Heart Health 

It’s a good idea to monitor your own health condition and to visit your doctor regularly so that problems won’t sneak up on you. Here are a few ways to get to know your heart health: 

Make healthy heart choices
It’s easy, without even thinking about it, to make lifestyle choices that threaten your heart health. Giving a little thought to the choices you make can mean better choices and a big first step toward protecting your heart.                                              

Learn More: Quitting Smoking, Staying Active, Managing Your Blood Pressure, Lowering Your Bad Cholesterol, Keeping a Healthy Weight.  

Sources:
Anatomy of the Heart, www.biology.about.com
UConn Health Center, http://heart.uchc.edu
American Heart Association, 2007, www.americanheart.org
Calorie Control Council, National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, 2006
UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, 2006
Whatislife.com, 2006, www.whatislife.com
 “Physical, Psychological Benefits of Walking More Each Day,” AScribe Newswire, 2006
American Diabetes Association, 2006, www.diabetes.org
National Institutes of Health, 2007, www.nih.gov
American Academy of Family Physicians, 2007, www.familydoctor.org
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2007, www.fda.gov
American Heart Association, 2008, www.americanheart.org
“Heart Attack,” Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2007, www.mayoclinic.com
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008, www.cdc.gov


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