It’s only about the size of a fist, but as you know, your heart is a vital organ in your body. This little pump is responsible for keeping your blood moving, and each day it beats nearly 100,000 times. It does its job to keep you healthy. So you should return the favor.

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, almost 2,000 Americans die of heart disease every day—that’s one every 44 seconds. Don’t let yourself be a statistic. There are some simple steps you can take to keep your heart in tip-top shape.

Stop Smoking

Smoking has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. This condition leads to heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Talk to your doctor about the best way to quit smoking. And if you don’t smoke, don’t start! Also, if you are exposed to secondhand smoke, try to alter your environment to change that.

Get Moving

If you’re like most people, you are completely overscheduled and can barely find any time for yourself each day. But no matter what your schedule is like, it’s important to carve out time to exercise. Most experts suggest you exercise most days of the week for at least 30 or 45 minutes each time. You’ll find that regular activity will lower your blood pressure, help you maintain a healthy weight, give you more energy, and improve your mood. That’s a welcome change for your stressed-out day.

Eat Right

There are certain foods that can be beneficial for your heart health, so try to make these your staples:

• Fish, which contains omega-3 fatty acids
• Fruits and vegetables, which contain important vitamins but not too many calories
• Whole grains, which contain fiber that can lower blood pressure

Overall, try to limit your intake of salt and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day. Also if you choose to drink alcohol, women should have no more than one drink a day, and men should have no more than two.

Watch Your Blood Pressure

Did you know that high blood pressure affects one in every three adults? This condition can lead to blood clots, hardened arteries, and ultimately stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure. Sometimes called “the silent killer,” high blood pressure has no symptoms, so often it goes untreated. Be sure to have your blood pressure checked and take steps to lower your numbers if needed. Shoot for a reading of 120/80 or less.

Keep Cholesterol in Control

There is good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL), and the bad kind can clog arteries, which leads to heart attack and stroke. Some cholesterol is produced by your body, and some comes from the foods you eat. Your combined cholesterol reading should be 200 or less. To keep your LDL number down, be sure to eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and other healthy choices. Your doctor can prescribe medication if necessary.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

As you probably know, obesity has become a major health issue, and it’s especially problematic if you carry extra weight around your waist. Extra pounds can lead to high blood pressure, which can result in heart disease and stroke. Talk to your doctor about a nutrition and exercise plan that will help you get to a healthy weight and stay there.

Check for Diabetes

They might not seem related, but diabetes and heart disease can go hand-in-hand. A diabetic person who also is overweight or has blood pressure is at increased risk for heart attack and stroke. Discuss this issue with your doctor to see if you should be tested.

Want to know more? On September 16, Blake Medical Center will be hosting a Heart Smart event. For details or to register, call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-359-3552.

And for further information about keeping your heart healthy, contact the Heart Institute at Blake Medical Center. We’re here to answer all your questions.

SOURCES
American Heart Association
Discovery Health

We’re just days away from “American Heart Month”, and Blake Medical Center is proud to take part in the nationwide effort to draw attention to preventing America’s No. 1 killer, cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association has come up with 7 simple steps you can take to live better and keep your heart healthier.

Get active:  By exercising for as little as 30 minutes each day you can reduce your risk of heart disease.  So start walking now.  The American Heart Association set up a social media soul-mate to get your started.  Click here to sign up!

Control your cholesterol:  It’s important to know your cholesterol level. A cholesterol level of 200 or higher puts you in a high-risk category and is cause to take action. 

Eat better:  A healthy diet is one of your best defenses against the disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating a wide variety of nutritious foods daily from each of the basic food groups including: vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods, fish and lean meats and poultry and low-fat dairy products. 

Manage your blood pressure:  Hypertension is the most significant risk factor for heart disease. Statistics show 1 in 3 adults had high blood pressure, but about 21 percent don’t even know they have it.

Lose weight:  145 million Americans 20 or older are obese, according to research.  That’s nearly 77 million men and more than 68 million women.  If you’re overweight, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by safely losing weight and keeping it off.

Reduce blood sugar:  Diabetes is considered one of the six major controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease by the American Heart Association. Studies show adults with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke than adults without diabetes.

Stop smoking:  Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease.  When it acts with the other factors experts say it increases your risk from those factors, too. Smoking decreases your tolerance for physical activity and increases the tendency for blood to clot.  It also decreases HDL (good) cholesterol. Your risks increase greatly if you smoke and have a family history of heart disease.

To learn more about the Simple 7 plan, log onto mylifecheck.heart.org.

Blake Medical Center is also offering a free Heart Smart Screening Thursday, Feb. 11 from 7-9 a.m. in the Dolphin/Pelican Room.  The screening includes glucose, cholesterol & lipid panel and blood pressure check.  Fasting is required.  To RSVP, call 1-888-359-3552.

Blake is proud to have an award-winning Heart Institute with a superior cardiac program combining a highly-skilled team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart disease along with advanced technology to increase a patient’s chance of surviving a heart attack with fewer complications.

For heart month, we are also offering two free Dinner with a Doctor seminars with renowned cardiac surgeon and Mitral Valve Specialist Dr. Alessandro Golino on January 29 and February 26 at 5:30 p.m.  A healthy dinner with be served. 

Reservations are required.  Call 1-888-359-3552, or visit us online at www.blakemedicalcenter.com.

Did Mona Lisa have high cholesterol?  Media organizations around the world, including Time, are reporting an Italian medical expert believes the famous smile was probably the result of fatty acids accumulated around her left eye.

While we may never know for sure if the subject of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece had high cholesterol or not, the rest of us need to know if we do.

“High Cholesterol has no symptoms.   So that means you don’t have to worry about it then, right?  ABSOLUTELY false,” Blake Medical Center’s Vice President of Cardiovascular Services Donna Disbro said.  “Even though high cholesterol is silent, it can potentially result in a heart attack or stroke.”

Several factors can increase your risk of having high cholesterol including age, family history, obesity, a high-fat diet, a sedentary lifestyle and excessive alcohol intake.

Here are five tips to help lower your cholesterol:

• Eat a low-fat, high-fiber diet.  Before starting any diet, consult your doctor about the best plan for you.
• Avoid processed foods, refined sugars and starches (white bread, white potatoes, white rice and simple sugars).
• If you are overweight, lose weight.
• Exercise regularly.  If you don’t, begin a safe program with the advice of your doctor.
• If you smoke, quit.

“Knowing your cholesterol levels and addressing these levels can help you avoid heart disease and other complications later in life,” Disbro added.

Blake Medical Center is offering free screenings on Thursday, February 11 in the hospital’s Dolphin Pelican Room.

The screenings include:

• Cholesterol & Lipid Panel
• Glucose
• Blood Pressure

Call 1-888-359-3552 to make your appointment now. Fasting is required. 

Other screening dates include:

• April 23
• June 10
• September 16
• December 9

If you have questions about high cholesterol, call our free Consult-A-Nurse hotline at 1-888-359-3552.  Or for more information about Blake Medical Center, visit our website at www.blakemedicalcenter.com.