Ways To Prevent Heart Disease
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By living a healthy lifestyle, you can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels normal and lower your risk for heart disease and heart attack. You can choose healthy habits to help prevent heart disease. Here are several tips from the CDC on choices you can make today!
Choose Healthy Foods and Drinks
Choose healthy meals and snacks to help prevent heart disease and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer processed foods.
Eating lots of foods high in saturated fat and trans fat may contribute to heart disease.
Eating foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol can help prevent high cholesterol.
Limiting salt (sodium) in your diet can also lower your blood pressure.
Limiting sugar in your diet can lower your blood sugar level to prevent or help control diabetes.
Do not drink too much alcohol, which can raise your blood pressure. Men should have no more than 2 drinks per day, and women no more than 1 drink per day.
Keep A Healthy Weight
People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk for heart disease. Carrying extra weight can put extra stress on the heart and blood vessels.
To find out if your weight is in a healthy range, you can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) at CDC’s Assessing Your Weight website.
Get Regular Physical Activity
Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. For adults, the Surgeon General recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking or bicycling, every week. Children and adolescents should get 1 hour of physical activity every day.
Don’t Smoke
Cigarette smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. Your CCH healthcare provider can suggest ways to help you quit.
CCH is open, safe and ready to see you
With almost 80 physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners in nearly 20 specialties, CCH is committed to your wellbeing right here at home. If you have been putting off a visit to your doctor for a regular checkup, contact them; they can help weigh your personal healthcare risks and avoid further delayed diagnoses. To learn more about the Cardiovascular Services offered at CCH, click here.