Save Your Heart, Save Your Life – Preventing Heart Disease

Today, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, especially black women. But, that does not mean you have to accept it as your fate. It is true, there are risk factors we all have, family history or age, that we can not change, ( but, the factors that weight more heavily, are within our management. Here are the key heart disease prevention steps we can control.

1. Don’t smoke or use tobacco products

Smoking, and exposure to secondhand smoke, increases one’s risk significantly for developing heart disease. Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals, many of which can damage the heart and blood vessels, causing narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which leads to heart attack.

Cigarette smoking makes the heart work harder, the narrowing of blood vessels increases the heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke suppresses the bloods oxygen level, further increasing the blood pressure and forcing the heart to work still harder to supply enough oxygen.

Women who smoke and take hormone based birth control are at greater risk for a heart attack or stroke. However, when you quit smoking, your heart attack risk drops immediately, and within one year is near normal.

2. Get active

Regular exercise. Participating in moderately vigorous physical activity can reduce the risk of fatal heart disease. And when you combine physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

Physical activity helps to manage stress, builds muscle, strength, helps control weight, keeps circulation swift, reduces high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and can help control diabetes. All greatly benefits the heart.

We believe that 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week, is easy and appropriate for almost everyone. Consistency is important. It is important to start, and continue at whatever level you can manage. Remember that all activity counts, gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking with friends.

3. Eat a heart-healthy diet

A diet that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, 100% whole grains and low in dairy products and animal fats, is the best way to protect your heart. Leafy green veggies, legumes, in season fruits, lean protein and fatty fish are the best to feed the heart, and reduce risk of heart disease and stroke.

Watch out for saturated fat and trans fats. The trans fats include deep-fried fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines and crackers. Read labels for “partially hydrogenated” to avoid trans fats, which will increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising cholesterol levels. Major sources of saturated fat include pork, beef, margarine, cheese, milk, and palm oils.

Heart-healthy eating means making good food choices. Don’t think you have to go hungry, just add more fruits, vegetables and salads. Eating more fruits and vegetables will help prevent heart disease, and cancer.

Regular health screenings will tell if you are doing it right, or doing enough. But, don’t over do the check-ups.

• Blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked regularly at the same place. Best possible blood pressure is not greater than 120/80mm.

• Cholesterol levels. Be sure to have your cholesterol checked at least once every five years. Total cholesterol should be under 220, with the LDL under 120, and HDL above 60, for optimum heart health, (without drugs).

Heart disease, as with all chronic disease, is avoidable. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle really is easy, once you know how.

To avoid heart disease in the future, start today by creating a healthy lifestyle. Don’t smoke, get regular exercise, drink lots of water, and eat clean, healthy foods.

Make your health a priority today, and you will enjoy a healthier life for many, many years, barring accident.

Carolyn Guilford is a Consulting Nutritionist with Health Restoration Consulting in Savannah, GA.

The company provides Coaching and teaching in Wellness, Lifestyle Management, and Nutrition. Our goal is to help clients reverse Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer, with the best nutrition and lifestyle measures. Our programs are designed to help maximize the clients opportunity to live a longer, healthier life. The programs are simple, comprehensive, well documented and easy to follow. And we get results.”Nutrition Consulting Saves Lives”, Visit us Today at: http://www.Health-restoration-consulting.com

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