Prevention of Heart Disease and Stroke

Being proactive about your health is the most beneficial step you can take to have the best chance for longevity and enjoying a greater quality of life. Making positive lifestyle choices and discontinuing harmful habits promotes overall health and prevents high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and many other forms of heart disease.

The doctors are devoted to prevention as the first and best line of defense against cardiovascular disease. They provide you with clear guidance on the lifestyle choices that help you stay as healthy as possible. While genetics are factors in your heart health, your lifestyle choices directly and dramatically impact your cardiovascular health.

When you work in partnership with your doctors, you’ll know you’re doing everything you can to prevent heart problems. If you do develop cardiac issues, you’ll receive the best treatment, care and attention followed by cardiac rehabilitation to avoid future problems.

Dietary Choices for Heart Health

A heart-healthy diet includes choosing a variety of fresh foods in your everyday meal planning. Reducing your intake of salt, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar-sweetened beverages and high-calorie snacks lowers your blood pressure and improves your cholesterol levels. The most successful heart disease prevention diet consists of:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Low-fat dairy products
• Nuts
• Beans
• Fish
• Poultry

The Benefits of Exercise and Moving More

A healthy heart requires regular exercise. If you’re have sedentary habits, your lifestyle gradually contributes to a heart that’s susceptible to disease. Active people, on the other hand, feel better, live longer and are less likely to develop chronic illnesses — including heart disease. Exercise is beneficial for heart health in several ways, including:

• Improving your circulation
• Lowering cholesterol
• Decreasing blood pressure
• Helping you maintain a healthy weight
• Reducing anxiety
• Improving your sleep at night
• Strengthening the muscles surrounding your arteries, veins and heart

Before you start an exercise program, check with your doctor to make sure you’re healthy enough to start exercising. If you haven’t been active for a while, start slowly by walking or biking short distances. Work your way up to exercising 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Discontinuing Harmful Habits

The things you do on a day-to-day basis have an impact on your health, even though the effects may not be obvious right away. Some habits wreak havoc on your heart and your overall health. Discontinue these unhealthy habits if you hope to live a long life. Examples of bad habits include:

• Smoking. If you’re a smoker, ask your doctor for help giving up this harmful habit. Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiac problems.
• Drinking too much alcohol. Too much alcohol increases your blood pressure and adds empty calories to your diet, which may lead to weight gain, another risk factor for heart disease.
• Consuming too much caffeine. In moderation, caffeine doesn’t usually disrupt your heart’s rhythm, but high energy drinks with concentrated doses of caffeine can cause a dangerous jolt to your cardiovascular system.

You may not give much thought to things you do habitually, but breaking these habits can save your life. Ask your doctor for safe, effective techniques that may include therapy, stop-smoking aids and support groups.