The health of your heart is largely dependent on lifestyle changes—here's what you can do.
As of 2022, heart disease remained the leading cause
of death for people in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While some factors like genetics may make you more prone to heart disease, the
best way to avoid cardiac (or heart) issues is to take good care of your heart
health. Many risk factors can be modified or controlled, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).
"Lifestyle is huge
with your heart health," Holly S. Andersen, MD, an attending
cardiologist and associate professor of clinical medicine at the New
York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, told Health. "It's
more important than genetics." Dr. Andersen's statement hits the nail on
the head: The AHA estimates that 80% of cardiovascular
disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, can be prevented.
Jennifer Haythe, MD, associate professor of
medicine in cardiology at the Center for Advanced Cardiac Care, associate
director of the adult pulmonary hypertension program, and director of the
cardio-obstetrics program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, agreed.
"A lot of heart disease is preventable," Dr. Haythe told Health. "If
people take care of their heart in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, they won't need to
see a cardiologist for most of their life."
So what exactly can you do
to get a clean bill of cardiac health? Here are some tips on modifying your
routine to keep your heart healthy as you age.
Exercise Most Days of the Week
The AHA recommends getting at least 150
minutes of moderate to intense exercise weekly. Can't swing that? You can work
out harder for a shorter period of time: The AHA also says that 75 minutes a
week of "vigorous aerobic activity" or a combination of moderate and
intense exercise works, too.
Keep in mind, the AHA
recommends spreading your exercise throughout the week vs. trying to jam it all
into one or two days. "Physical activity is the fountain of youth,"
said Dr. Andersen. "It makes your cardiovascular system more
efficient." If squeezing in an actual workout every day is challenging,
Dr. Andersen recommended aiming to do something "to get your heart rate
up" every day. (Walking counts, by the way.)
Keep Your Blood Pressure in a Good Range
Annual physicals are there
for a reason. Your healthcare provider can check you for heart disease symptoms
and stay on top of your blood pressure, said Dr. Haythe. Knowing your
blood pressure is incredibly crucial. There are no specific symptoms of high blood pressure (medically known as
hypertension), but having uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to heart
disease, the CDC says. If you and your healthcare
provider are on top of your blood pressure, you can take steps to fix it if it
starts to creep up.
If you are diagnosed with
high blood pressure, it's important to follow your healthcare provider's
recommendations. Your healthcare provider may advise you to make some changes to your lifestyle or put you on
medication. If you are prescribed medication, make sure to take it
consistently. And you may also want to empower yourself by getting an at-home
blood pressure cuff so you can monitor your blood pressure regularly.
Look Into Your Diet
Diet is an integral part of
a healthy lifestyle. While the Mediterranean diet gets a lot of airplay
for its emphasis on healthy fats and fresh ingredients, the AHA and MedlinePlus also name-check the DASH diet as
good for heart health.
If you're unfamiliar with
it, the DASH diet is an eating plan based on research from the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). DASH stands for dietary approaches to stop
hypertension. MedlinePlus cites research showing that a
DASH diet lowers high blood pressure and improves cholesterol, reducing your
risk of heart disease. The DASH diet generally follows many of the same
guidelines as the Mediterranean diet but allows for more dairy products and
meat.
However, there is a good
reason the Mediterranean diet gets so much attention. It has the most evidence
supporting this eating style for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events.
For example, a study of 7447 participants published in The New England Journal of Medicine in
2018 found that people at high risk of cardiovascular disease who followed a
Mediterranean diet were less likely to have a major cardiovascular event than
those who ate a reduced-fat diet.
The Mediterranean diet
encourages you to consume and limit the following foods, according to the AHA:
- Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits,
whole grains, and pulses or legumes.
- Include lots of healthy fats in your
diet. Pour on the extra virgin olive oil! Avocados, seeds, and nuts are
also good sources of healthy fats.
- Enjoy these foods in moderation:
low-fat or fat-free dairy products, eggs, and poultry.
- Have low to moderate amounts of
fish. Fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory
properties. Plus, with the large variety of seafood, you'll have many
options for mealtime. Also, look into sustainably caught or farmed fish.
- Wine is OK in low to moderate
amounts, preferably with meals.
- Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets. For
example, reach for fruit instead of sugary desserts.
- Cut back on red meat. Go for fish or
poultry instead.
- Try to cut out processed foods.
Minimally processed, plant-based foods are better choices than highly
processed foods like chips and processed meats.
Assess Your Weight
Maintaining a healthy
weight for your heart is like finding the Goldilocks zone. Being underweight
may put you at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a 2017
study published in Medicine (Baltimore).
This study defined underweight as a body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 kg/m2.
While the study uses Body
Mass Index (BMI) to measure the degree of obesity, BMI is a dated, flawed
measure. It does not consider factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex,
race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in
the medical community because it's an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a
person's potential health status and outcomes.
Being overweight or obese
can increase your heart disease risk as well. In a 2021 Scientific Statement From the
American Heart Association published in the journal Circulation, the authors
wrote that obesity contributes directly to cardiovascular risk factors,
including dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and sleep disorders.
Obesity also leads to the development of cardiovascular disease and death from
cardiovascular disease independently of other cardiovascular risk factors.
However, the authors wrote
obesity is a heterogeneous condition. Overall, body fat mass does not alone
make a person more susceptible to obesity-related cardiovascular complications.
Individual differences in regional body fat distribution also affect heart
health.
People with obesity may see
several heart health benefits from reducing overall body fat mass. Exercise and
dietary changes (as mentioned above) are some ways to help do so. Remember that
it is always good to check in with your healthcare provider about the right
options for you.
How Health at Every Size Is Trying To Change the
Way We Think About Weight and Wellness
Do Your Best To Minimize Stress
Seriously. Stress can be
tough on your heart, but it can also lead to being inactive and overeating,
which can cause high blood pressure and high cholesterol, the AHA says. And that can
up your risk of heart disease.
Still, it's tough to avoid
stress. "We're all so stressed out right now," said Dr. Haythe.
"It's hard." Annapoorna Kini, MD, interventional director
of the structural heart program at Mount Sinai Hospital, recommended adding meditation and
deep breathing exercises to your day—they only take a few minutes.
Don't Smoke
Most people are aware by
now that smoking is linked to all kinds of serious health issues. Cigarette
smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at a higher risk of having a
heart attack and stroke, Medline Plus points out. "Smoking is bad for the
heart and lungs—it's
bad in every way," said Dr. Kini. Avoiding smoking is so important that
Dr. Haythe noted this is the "single most important thing you can do"
to lower your risk of heart disease.
Consider Reserving Alcohol for Special Occasions
There are some confusing
messages surrounding alcohol and heart health. A 2017 study published in the
AHA journal Circulation suggested
that having a glass of red wine a day can lower your risk of dying from heart
disease, but there's nothing out there that proves drinking red wine will improve your
heart health, according to the AHA. "There's a lot of hype about red
wine being good for the heart, but, in general, alcohol is a toxin to the
heart," said Dr. Haythe.
That's why Dr. Haythe
recommended people try to drink only on special occasions. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend
that women have no more than one alcoholic drink a day and that men have no
more than two drinks a day.
Aim for the Right Amount of Sleep
Everyone's needs are a
little different, but the CDC recommends that most adults get
between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. Consistently dip below that, and
you could be hurting your heart. "Poor sleep has been linked to high blood
pressure and can make it difficult to lose weight," said Dr. Andersen. It
can also make you less likely to want to exercise, which is not great for your
heart.
Sleep is also a good time for your heart
to recharge, said Dr. Kini. "When you sleep, your heart rate goes down,
your hormones settle down, and you're not under a lot of stress," added
Dr. Kini. "It's good for your heart and your overall well-being."
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