How to Prevent Heart Disease

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Do you take care of your family? Goes without saying. Do you take care of your home? Of course. Do you take care of your heart? Probably not.

It may not be at the top of most women’s to-do lists, but caring for your heart through a healthy diet and regular physical activity is the secret weapon to preventing heart disease. While many may assume that popping a few pills that your healthcare provider prescribed is enough to quell symptoms or prevent a heart attack, the real preventative power lies with real changes to your lifestyle – which can reduce the risk for heart disease by as much as 80 percent. Read on to find out how.

Good Fats Tips
Not all fats are created equal. While saturated and trans fats are bad for you, monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats can actually be good for you. How as that possible?

“Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthy fats because they do not raise the “bad” LDL cholesterol in your body and may actually help raise your “good” HDL cholesterol,” says Dr. Rachel Johnson, Robert L. Bickford Jr. Green and Gold Professor of Nutrition at the University of Vermont. “They also seem to have an anti-inflammatory affect and studies have shown that people who have that diets rich in these types of fats have lower rates of heart disease and diabetes.”

Let’s explore these good fats tips

Foods Containing Good Fats
Interested in starting a diet that is rich in healthy fats? If so, head to the grocery store and stock up on vegetable oils. This can include everything from olive oil and canola oil to peanut oil and sesame oil. Monounsaturated fats are found in these oils as well as avocados, olives and various types of nuts, including almonds and peanuts.

Eating fish is an excellent way to incorporate polyunsaturated fats into your diet. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, trout and tuna are excellent options and also are high in Omega-3 fatty acids—known to help with inflammation.
 
Managing Intake of Good Fats
Just be careful about calories. Foods with healthy fats can be high in calories.”
The problem with good fats is that it is easy to consume too many calories,” she says. “For example, if you have a child that is very active and lean, nuts are a wonderful snack. But if you have someone who is overweight, they may get too many calories going out to eat and munching on nuts at the dinner table.”

The American Heart Association recommends people eat foods with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats instead of saturated and trans fats. Aim for healthy fats to not exceed 35 percent of your total daily calories, according to the AHA. To control portions, try just a handful of nuts or olives for a snack.

Life's Simple Ways
Do you know there are seven easy ways to help control your risk for heart disease? Manage your heart risk by understanding “Life’s Simple 7.”
 
1. Get Active

Daily physical activity increases your length and quality of life. If you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day (like brisk walking), five times per week, you can almost guarantee yourself a healthier and more satisfying life while lowering your risks for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

What To Do

Start by learning the basics about fitness. Also, children need 60 minutes a day–every day–of physical activity, so find ways to workout with your kids to help ensure their heart health in addition to your own.
 
2. Control Cholesterol

When you control your cholesterol, you are giving your arteries their best chance to remain clear of blockages. Cholesterol is a waxy substance and our bodies use it to make cell membranes and some hormones, but when you have too much bad cholesterol (LDL), it combines with white blood cells and forms plaque in your veins and arteries. These blockages lead to heart disease and stroke.

What To Do

Try these tips to lower cholesterol with diet and foods.
3. Eat better
Healthy foods are the fuel our bodies use to make new cells and create the energy we need to thrive and fight diseases. If you are frequently skipping out on veggies, fruit, low-fat dairy, fiber-rich whole grains, and lean meats including fish, your body is missing the basic building blocks for a healthy life.

What To Do

Want more ways to eat better? Try these tips:

    Track what you eat with a food diary
    Eat vegetables and fruits
    Eat unrefined fiber-rich whole-grain foods
    Eat fish twice a week
    Cut back on added sugars and saturated fats

4. Manage Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. When your blood pressure stays within healthy ranges, you reduce the strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys which keeps you healthier longer.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, means the blood running through your arteries flows with too much force and puts pressure on your arteries, stretching them past their healthy limit and causing microscopic tears. Our body then kicks into injury-healing mode to repair these tears with scar tissue. But unfortunately, the scar tissue traps plaque and white blood cells which can form into blockages, blood clots, and hardened, weakened arteries.

What To Do

To manage blood pressure, you should:

    Eat a heart-healthy diet, which includes reducing sodium
    Get regular physical activity and maintain a healthy weight
    Manage stress, limit alcohol and avoid tobacco smoke.

5. Lose Weight

If you have too much fat — especially if a lot of it is at your waist — you’re at higher risk for such health problems as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. If you’re overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by successfully losing weight and keeping it off. Even losing as few as five or ten pounds can produce a dramatic blood pressure reduction.

What To Do

Calculate your body mass index (BMI) to help you determine if you need to lose weight.
 
6. Reduce Blood Sugar

Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (or blood sugar) that our bodies use for energy. Your body makes a hormone called insulin that acts like a carrier to take your food energy into your cells. If your fasting blood sugar level is below 100, you are in the healthy range. If not, your results could indicate diabetes or pre-diabetes.

Although diabetes is treatable and you can live a healthy life with this condition, even when glucose levels are under control it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact, most people with diabetes die from some form of heart or blood vessel disease.

What To Do

The following tips can all help reduce your blood sugar:

    Reduce consumption of simple sugars that are found in soda, candy and sugary desserts
    Get regular physical activity! Moderate intensity aerobic physical activity directly helps your body respond to insulin
    Take medications or insulin if it is prescribed for you

7. Stop Smoking

Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health. Smoking damages your entire circulatory system, and increases your risk for coronary heart disease, hardened arteries, aneurysm and blood clots. Like a line of tumbling dominoes, one risk creates another. Blood clots and hardened arteries increase your risks for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease. Smoking can also reduce your good cholesterol (HDL) and your lung capacity, making it harder to get the physical activity you need for better health.



Sleep & Heart Disease
Exercise and eating nutritious foods aren’t the only things that can help increase heart health; sleep is also a factor. The better night’s sleep you get, the healthier your heart will be. According to a 2011 study by the American Heart Association, poor sleep quality is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, a potential cause of heart disease.

Our study shows for the first time that poor quality sleep puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure,

Recommended Amount of Sleep

So how much sleep is the right amount? Lundberg is hesitant to put an exact number on it. She says it varies from person to person, but that most people need seven hours per night. When we are young, we need more than that. As we grow older, we may need less, she says. According to the American Heart Association, studies have found that most people need six to eight hours of sleep each day and that too little or too much can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Negative Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

The heart is significantly impacted when the body doesn’t get enough sleep. People who are sleep deprived have slower metabolism and more difficulty losing weight. They also have the effect of not wanting to exercise or participate in other healthy habits.”

Positive Effects Of Good Sleep

The positive effects of a good sleep are immediately evident when we wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. Beyond just feeling good, Lundberg explains the solid benefits to our bodies. “The positive effect of sleep is not just on your heart health but also on your stress hormones, your immune system, your breathing, and your mental status,” she says.

People who get seven to eight hours of sleep have more alertness and better focus. They have less depression and anxiety. Getting a good night’s sleep has a positive impact on your metabolism and weight loss benefits.”
Issues for menopausal women

As women’s bodies go through menopause, sometimes their sleep is affected. This is often due to hot flashes and night sweats. Some is due to changes in their activity level and metabolism .Many women complain of the inability to fall asleep and many others complain of the inability to stay asleep. 

How To Improve Your Sleep Habits

Do you suffer for a lack of restful sleep? If so, there several things you can do to improve your situation.

    Exercise: Try getting adequate exercise. According to the American Heart Association’s 2013 exercise standards, it is important to schedule in 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise at least three to four times per week.
Avoid excess caffeine: Avoid excess stimulants, such as caffeine, particularly before bed as they may keep you awake.
Establish an evening routine: “Have an evening routine of preparing for bed that includes turning off electronic devices and having soothing activities such as a hot shower or bath,” recommended. “Drinking herbal sleepy-time tea can also be helpful, as can reading, praying or meditating.”

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