WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE?
You don’t need to become a super athlete or go on a very strict diet to protect your heart and lower your risk for heart disease. Every woman can take steps every day toward a more heart-healthy lifestyle. And the best part is that being more heart-healthy also lowers your risk for other diseases like cancer and diabetes.
GET MOVING
For the most health benefits, you need to get enough aerobic activity to get your heart pumping and do muscle-strengthening activities every week. (Always check with your doctor before starting any regular exercise you are not used to doing.)
You should get at least 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, on most days of the week. The 30 minutes of heart-pumping activity don’t have to be all at one time. You can break it up into 10-minute activities throughout the day.
Do the following each week:
Aerobic activity:
• 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as a brisk walk, or
• 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as running, or
• A combination of moderate and vigorousintensity aerobic physical activity
Muscle-strengthening activity:
• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days
AIM FOR A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Reaching and staying at a healthy weight will lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you already have heart disease, a healthy weight will help you control your disease and prevent heart attack. A slow and steady weight loss is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Talk to your doctor about how much weight you need to lose and the best ways to do it.
KNOW YOUR HEART DISEASE NUMBERS
Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides) and blood sugar levels. Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans must cover these tests at no cost to you. These tests will give you important information about your heart health. Your provider can tell you what your numbers mean and what you need to do to protect your heart.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Stress, anxiety, depression and lack of sleep can raise your risk for heart disease. Take care of yourself with these steps:
• Get enough sleep. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
• Don’t stress. Keep stress in check by taking time each day to relax and unwind.
• Treat mental health problems. Get help if you have trouble coping because of depression, anxiety or another health problem.
• Make a well-woman visit.
EAT HEALTHY FOODS
Making unhealthy food choices can lead to weight gain. But that is not the only risk. Unhealthy eating affects your arteries, blood pressure, glucose level and many other parts of your heart health. Talk to your health care provider about a heart-healthy eating plan that lowers your risk of heart attack and stroke.