Transient Ischemic Attack
June 19, 2020Protect Your Eyes as You Age
July 10, 2020A healthy heart is important to the well-being of seniors. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Although heart disease risks increase with age, it is generally preventable. The right lifestyle practices and a heart-healthy diet can help you keep your heart healthy no matter how old you are.
What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is a term given to a group of different health conditions that affect the heart and its blood vessels. Most conditions involved by heart disease can increase a person’s risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, chest pain, and irregular heartbeat.
Here are some tips for maintaining heart health:
Get Enough Exercise
Exercise is good for your heart health at every age. It can help lower your blood pressure, increase your energy levels, and keep your heart and bones strong. Specialists recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise per day depending on each senior’s level of fitness and mobility. It is important to always check with a doctor first what is best activity for you especially if you have chronic conditions.
Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is vital for your heart health and your overall health, the food you eat can decrease your risk of heart disease. Make sure to eat nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fatty fish. Limit saturated fats, sugar, salt, heavily processed foods, and foods containing cholesterol.
Quit Smoking
Smoking is incredibly harmful to heart health. It is essential to avoid smoking and to stay away from smokers. If you do smoke, it is time to quit. Ask your physician about help to quit smoking.
Watch Your Weight
Maintain a healthy body weight for your size to maintain healthy heart, being overweight may increase the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Visit the Doctor Regularly
It is important to visit your doctor regularly for check ups and blood work, these visits help monitoring your blood pressure, cholesterol, and other heart-related numbers. Also, regular doctor visits will help catching any health problem early, which mean better chances for treating or at least minimizing its impact.
Minimize Your Alcohol Consumption
Drinking alcohol daily or drinking excessively can worsen health conditions, it can raise your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and your risk of heart attack.