What are the best ways to improve cardiac health and avoid heart attack and stroke? Cardiologists are medical specialists who diagnose, treat, and prevent heart problems. They can help improve your heart function and keep your blood vessels clear of harmful plaque.
Below is some helpful advice, but we recommend calling EMU Health to discuss your individualized care with one of EMU Health’s Cardiologists.
Exercise
Regular exercise can help improve your heart health by reducing your risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Just being intentional about getting up and moving throughout your day can add beneficial steps to work your heart and musculoskeletal system. Exercise is important to cardiovascular health because it helps to strengthen the heart and blood vessels, and can help to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Regular exercise, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, can help to improve cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about the best exercise program for your individual needs and health status.
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, it’s important to understand that this association is not the same as causation and that excessive alcohol consumption can have harmful effects on the cardiovascular system and overall health. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure and contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
It’s important to note that these potential benefits are associated with moderate alcohol consumption, defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Excessive alcohol consumption, on the other hand, can increase blood pressure, lead to heart failure, and increase the risk of developing other health problems such as liver disease and cancer.
If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s important to do so in moderation and to talk to your healthcare provider about any potential risks or interactions with medications. If you do not currently drink alcohol, it’s not necessary to start in order to gain any potential cardiovascular benefits. A healthy diet and lifestyle, including regular exercise, are more important factors in maintaining cardiovascular health.
Stop All Tobacco Usage
Smoking is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. If you smoke, quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. One in every three deaths from cardiovascular disease is related to smoking. Cigarette smoking constricts your blood vessels, but the small ones in the lower extremities in particular. Plus, smoking makes the interior walls of veins and arteries stickier, making blood-borne cholesterol adhere, accumulate, and block circulation.
Quitting tobacco use is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your cardiovascular health. Even after years of tobacco use, quitting can help to improve your cardiovascular health and reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Your healthcare provider can provide resources and support to help you quit, such as nicotine replacement therapy, prescription medications, and counseling.
In addition to quitting tobacco use, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle, including regular exercise, to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Watch What You Eat
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats can help improve your heart health. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars. To control your weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, and more, reduce your intake of sodium, salt, fat, and processed foods. Consume “clean” foods that come from natural sources, and learn to read product labels for calories, fiber, sodium content, and suggested portion size.
Increase your intake of soluble fiber (6 to 8 grams a day are ideal), water, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and seafood. Your cholesterol levels, weight, and waist size can all improve by watching your diet.
Manage Chronic Conditions
Managing chronic conditions is important for maintaining cardiovascular health, as many chronic conditions are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Here are some strategies for managing chronic conditions and maintaining cardiovascular health:
- Diabetes Management: If you have diabetes, it’s important to keep your blood sugar levels under control through regular monitoring, medication, and lifestyle changes. This can help to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
- Blood Pressure Management: If you have high blood pressure, it’s important to monitor your blood pressure regularly and take medications as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and a healthy diet, can also help to lower blood pressure.
- Cholesterol Management: If you have high cholesterol, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to develop a plan to manage your cholesterol levels through lifestyle changes and medication, if necessary. This can help to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
- Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight is important for reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
- Stress Management: Chronic stress can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It’s important to develop healthy coping mechanisms for managing stress, such as exercise, meditation, or talking with a therapist.
- Medication Adherence: If you are taking medications for a chronic condition, it’s important to take them as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Skipping doses or stopping medications can increase the risk of complications and worsen cardiovascular health.
Working with your healthcare provider and developing a plan to manage chronic conditions is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health. Regular check-ups, monitoring, and lifestyle changes can help to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and improve overall health.
Reduce Stress
Chronic stress can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Try to find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, meditation, or talking to a therapist. The ordinary tensions of life can build up, increase your blood pressure, and impact how well your heart pumps blood around the body. So, learn to take a breath–or better yet, many slow, deep breaths. Meditate, pray, and think about the positive aspects of your life. You’ll feel a difference as your blood pressure improves.
BestCardiologist Near Me
By making these lifestyle changes, you can help improve your heart health and reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. It’s also important to work with your healthcare provider to develop a personalized plan for preventing or managing cardiovascular disease based on your individual risk factors and medical history. If you are in need of heart health advice or care, come to EMU Health, where our professional team helps patients every day achieve the best possible heart health. All our providers are experienced and board-certified, so you’ll be in safe hands.
Call us for a consultation: (718) 850-4368, or request a visit online.
