American Heart Month takes place every February to raise awareness for cardiovascular health. Heart disease is responsible for one in every four deaths and is the worldwide leading cause of death. Every year, it kills more people than all forms of cancer combined.
While the statistics are alarming, research shows that lifestyle changes like maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in physical activity, and managing stress can greatly reduce your risk. This is why heart disease awareness and action is so important.
How to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack
There are several behaviors that can lead to heart disease. A person’s lifestyle plays a large role in increasing or reducing their risk of heart disease or heart attack. Here are some of my recommendations on lifestyle changes you can make today.
- Following a balanced diet or healthy eating plan is very important for good health. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a healthy eating plan:
- Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
- Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts
- Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars
- Stays within your daily calorie needs
- Incorporating regular physical activity is important for good health and is especially important for cardiovascular health. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week. However, you should check with your doctor regarding the most appropriate exercise regimen for you.
- Maintaining good health by getting routine care and preventive screenings. It’s also important to treat and manage other health conditions, especially is you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
- Getting adequate sleep. Over the past two years many of us have dealt with unconventional work arrangements, virtual school, and the 24-hour news cycle, contributing to making life more stressful, which can often increase your risk of a heart attack. One way to manage stress appropriate is by focusing on getting adequate sleep. It may not always be easy, but I recommend aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Understanding the signs of heart attack and stroke
Potential heart attack symptoms can be subtle, like extra fatigue, feeling out of breath or unexplained pains. Here are a few things to know about heart disease to better understand if you’re experiencing a heart attack.
- Chest pain. Even though women may experience some different heart attack symptoms than men, chest pain is still the number one warning sign for both sexes. The pain could be sharp, dull or a heavy sensation on your chest, and may radiate to your arms or neck.
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, or sweating. Breaking out in a cold sweat, dizziness or lightheadedness can also be warning signs, according to the American Heart Association.
- Changes in your ability to exercise. One big warning sign is lower exercise tolerance. For example, maybe you used to be able to walk up the stairs easily, but now you feel very breathless or even have to stop mid-way and take a break.
- Heavy or labored breathing. Being short of breath, especially while at rest, can be a sign of heart attack or heart failure – when the heart function is not normal.
- An overall feeling of being uncharacteristically unwell or fatigued. Some people who simply report not feeling well or feeling fatigued go on to have a heart attack hours later.
If you are ever feeling any symptoms that seem strange or are not normal to you, don’t ignore them and go see your doctor.
