Date: 2/8/2010
TUMSPR News: The American Heart Association (AHA) recently suggested seven measures with the goal of educating the public on how to maintain a more productive and healthier life. The measures are discussed here in details.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently suggested seven measures with the goal of educating the public on how to maintain a more productive and healthier life. The measures are discussed here in details.
I. Eat Better
Frankly, there are mixed messages about meat, dairy products, sodium, etc. But the best tactic is to get informed from credible sources so that you can make smart choices with lasting benefit on your heart and more generally to your health.
Your body may needs nutrient-rich foods that have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients, but have lower calories. To do this, choose foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products and fat-free or low-fat dairy products most often.
Recommended Food Choice Guidelines
- Being high in vitamins, minerals and fiber and low in calories, vegetables and fruits may help you control your weight and your blood pressure.
- As AHA puts it, unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber that can help lower your blood cholesterol and help you feel full, which may help you manage your weight.
- Eat fish at least twice a week. Eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, trout, and herring) may help lower risk of death from coronary artery disease.
- Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat that are present in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils
- Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy products.
- Try to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
- Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
- Aim to eat less than 1500 milligrams of sodium per day.
II. Lose Weight
Being Fat especially at waist predisposes you to higher risk for high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes mellitus.
If you are overweight or obese, reduce your risk for heart disease by losing weight with a fitness and nutrition plan.
III. Control Cholesterol
Too much cholesterol in the blood is a major risk for coronary heart disease and for stroke.
Try to keep your blood cholesterol below 200 mg/dL.
To Lower Your Blood Cholesterol
Take the prescribed medication by your doctor and consider the advice and dietary and lifestyle change by your nutritionist.
To keep your cholesterol under control The American Heart Association recommends that you:
- schedule a screening,
- eat foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat and free of trans fat,
- maintain a healthy weight,
- and stay physically active.
IV. Get Active
Overcome your overscheduled program and find time for exercise [1].
Sometimes procrastination (deferring action until the opportunity is lost) is the problem. Procrastination will not suddenly go away. You have to take the first step toward your goal!
The Importance of Being Active
By exercising for as little as 30 minutes each day you can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Regular Physical Activity Helps:
- Lower blood pressure,
- increase HDL “good” cholesterol in your blood,
- control blood sugar by improving how your body uses insulin,
- reduce feelings of stress,
- control body weight and
- make you feel good about yourself.
American Heart Association Guidelines Suggest:
- At least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise
- or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise
- or a combination of moderate and vigorous.
Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming or biking benefit your heart.
Strength and stretching exercises are best for overall stamina and flexibility.
The simplest, positive change you can make to effectively improve your heart health is to start walking.
V. Manage Blood Pressure
Hypertension is the single most significant risk factor for heart disease. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can injure or kill silently as it has no symptoms.
American Heart Association Guidelines
While there is no cure, high blood pressure is manageable.
Even if your blood pressure is normal (less than 120 mm Hg systolic AND less than 80 mm Hg diastolic) you can prevent heart-related accident by life-style modifications as these changes may reduce your blood pressure without the use of prescription medications:
- eating a heart-healthy diet, e.g. reducing salt;
- enjoying regular physical activity;
- maintaining a healthy weight;
- managing stress;
- limiting alcohol;
- avoiding tobacco smoke.
VI. Reduce Blood Sugar
AHA considers diabetes as one of controllable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Adults with diabetes are 2 - 4 times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke.
The Importance of Reducing Blood Sugar
Pre-diabetes and subsequent type 2 diabetes usually results from insulin resistance.
Controlling glucose can slow the progression of long-term complications. The sum of small changes will produce so great results to reduce your need for medications.
American Heart Association Guidelines
- Go to a doctor for changes in eating habits,
- control weight
- do exercises
- take the medication
- have regular check-ups.
- work closely with your healthcare provider to manage your diabetes and control any other risk factors, e.g. blood pressure for people with diabetes should be lower than 130/80 mm Hg.
VII. Stop Smoking
Impact of Smoking on Health
Smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States.
Smokers have a higher risk for developing atherosclerosis
The worst time to smoke a cigarette is immediately after a meal leading to the deposition of cholesterol in the intima of arteries and big vessels [2]), myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.
Controlling or reversing atherosclerosis is an important part of preventing future heart attack or stroke.
Importance of Quitting Smoking
- Smoking decreases your tolerance for physical activity
- increases the tendency for blood to clot
- decreases HDL or good cholesterol
- your risks increase greatly if you have a family history of heart disease
- smoking also creates a higher risk for peripheral artery disease and aortic aneurysm
- And increases the risk of recurrent coronary heart disease after bypass surgery
During the quitting process, you might slip and have a cigarette or two but it is important not to feel like a failure. Once a person who was quitting narcotic addiction said “It’s like a boxing ring, you might get a couple of punches but it’s important to be standing when it comes to an end”.
To quit smoking:
Seek medical help, e.g. psychiatrist, look for quit-smoking programs support groups.
Parents should talk to kids about cigarette smoking. Once cigarette smoking is initiated, it can be difficult to stop, even during adolescence.
References
1- American Heart Association
2- Robin’s Pathological Basis of Diseases
http://publicrelations.tums.ac.ir/english/news/detail.asp?newsID=15567
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