Have you been putting your heart health on the backburner? If so, now is the perfect time to rethink your daily habits and decisions. Per the CDC, heart disease is the top killer for both men and women, but it does not have to be this way. You can begin to implement a heart-healthy lifestyle TODAY! The key is to start small with sustainable changes that build upon one another. Here at Innova Primary Care, we want to see everyone thrive. We know that lifestyle changes can be a challenge, but we hope that we can make the case that creating a healthy lifestyle that serves you and your heart doesn’t have to be complicated. Read on for more.

Every 36 seconds, someone in the United States dies from heart disease. This is a sober statistic. In fact, estimates are that for every 4 deaths, 1 is related to heart disease costing out nation around $363 billion dollars a year for all manner of health care services and more. Did you know that over 18 million adults in the US have coronary heart disease, the most common form of heart disease? We don’t share any of these statistics with you to incite fear, rather, we want you to be informed.

Risk factors for a not so healthy heart

When you know more, you can make wiser choices. And that’s why we are here. To help you make informed choices about your health and wellbeing.

With this information in mind, what can you do now to improve your heart health? First of all, know your risks. Do you have a family history of heart disease? What is your ethnic origin? Believe it or not, some ethnicities are more likely to develop heart disease than others. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Asian American or Pacific Islanders and Non-Hispanic Blacks are at the highest risk. The reality is that heart disease is the number one killer for the majority of ethnic and racial groups in the United States.

Cardiovascular disease does not discriminate with it comes to gender either. Heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women making it an equal opportunity

Ethnicity and race are not the only risk factors for heart disease. We’ve already mentioned family history, but high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and smoking are all leading risk factors for developing heart disease. Lifestyle choices can make a huge impact on heart health as well. Lack of physical activity, overconsumption of alcohol, and diets high in saturated fats are all lifestyle choices that top the list.

Eating for a healthy heart

The great news is that you can start making changes now to benefit the health of your heart. How you fuel your body makes a huge difference when it comes to heart health. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, fiber, legumes, complex carbohydrates, and low in saturated fats is a great way to start. The effects of a lifestyle like this have positive effects on your entire body.

If healthy eating feels like a struggle, you are not alone. The best advice we can give you is to start small. Perhaps begin by adding in a vegetable with every meal or doing a pantry overhaul to remove processed foods. Find success one step at a time and let the habits build upon themselves over time. Give yourself some grace here!

Movement for a healthy heart

Physical activity is so important to heart health. Did you know that less than 25% of American adults get the recommended amount of physical activity on a daily basis? The CDC has a few recommendations when it comes to getting enough physical activity per week. One recommendation is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per day. Think of a brisk walk, hiking, low-intensity jogging, cycling, or swimming here. Combine this moderate movement with at least 2 strength sessions a week to create a well-rounded program.

Their next recommendation involves at least 75 minutes of vigorous activity – running, HIIT, challenging cycling, etc. – per week along with at least 2 full-body strength days. The final recommendation from the CDC is a combination of moderate and high intensity throughout the week and, once again, a base of 2 strength days or more that work the entire body.

Movement really is medicine. Regular exercise works to help your heart from the inside out by helping to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, decrease the risk of diabetes, and maintain healthy body weight, all factors in heart health. Strikingly, aerobic cardiovascular exercise helps to stress hormones that have a negative effect on the heart. Not only this, but exercise literally makes your muscles superheroes by improving their ability to gather oxygen, therefore, reducing the necessity for the heart to work so hard to distribute blood to the muscles.

Healthy weight for a healthy heart

This is not about being a certain size or fitting into a favorite pair of jeans. A healthy weight, for you, is important because increased weight gain and obesity are often correlated with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Here’s some great news: by beginning to eat a healthy and balanced diet and incorporating more physical activity into your day, you can help achieve a healthier weight AND improve your heart health.

Peaceful mind for a healthy heart

Stress is something we all have to deal with and can we all just admit that the last couple of years have been stressful! While stress is a natural part of life, long-term stress can really impact your heart. The stress response is actually meant to keep you safe, to prepare your body for fight or flight. Your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol to help protect you, but when cortisol is present in the body for too long this can lead to increases in blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, and even blood sugars. We know all of these things work against heart health, so learning to manage your stress is incredibly important.

Here at Innova Primary Care, we treat the whole person. We know that heart health is complex and requires effort on your part. However, with the right tools and the right medical team on your side, you can live well. Our mission is to change healthcare from the inside out and we do this by providing patient-centered care that focuses on every aspect of who you are. Here’s to your heart!