Taking care of your heart is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans, and over 800,000 Americans have a heart attack every year. Plus, nearly 50% of all U.S. adults have high blood pressure (hypertension), which is the major risk factor for health problems like heart disease and heart attack.
Ultimately, these numbers show just how critical it is to live a heart-healthy lifestyle. This means keeping blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check to prevent strain on your heart. Over time, keeping your heart healthy will reduce your risk of heart attack, coronary heart disease, and other cardiovascular diseases.
That’s why we’ve outlined 9 health tips and lifestyle changes below that you can use to take care of your heart.
1) Maintain a healthy weight
Conditions like overweight and obesity increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other problems. This is because excess fat in the body causes your heart to work extra hard. Over time, this strains the muscle and keeps it from being able to pump blood properly.
Healthcare providers generally use body mass index (BMI) to determine if someone has obesity or overweight. The BMI screening method only takes a person’s height and weight into account, so it has some flaws: it doesn’t consider a person’s muscle mass, activity level, or age, which can affect your weight in different ways. However, a BMI over 25 generally falls within the overweight range. A BMI over 30 indicates obesity.
Losing even a small amount of weight can help improve your heart health. Studies show that shedding as little as 5% of your weight can lower your blood pressure and benefit your overall health!
2) Get enough physical activity
Regular exercise benefits your heart in countless ways. For one, it helps you maintain a healthy weight, reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes, and improves your mental health. It also gets your heart pumping, which strengthens it. A strong heart doesn’t have to work as hard to push blood throughout the body. This can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease.
Exercise also boosts the amount of blood circulating through your blood vessels. This causes them to widen and become more flexible, which helps lower blood pressure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults get 150 minutes of aerobic exercise weekly. This comes out to about 21 minutes a day and can include a brisk walk, a bike ride, jogging, swimming, dancing, or even yard work!
In addition to 150 minutes of aerobic exercise, the CDC recommends adults fit in 2 days of muscle-strengthening exercise. This could be bodyweight exercises, lifting weights, or carrying heavy loads – even picking up heavy bags of groceries counts.
With exercise, it’s crucial that you start slowly. Injuries and overtraining occur when we’re overambitious with our fitness goals. If you struggle to stay active, aim for a 20-minute walk daily. Once that’s done, try upping the time or intensity of the activity gradually to make your fitness goals more attainable.
3) Focus on healthy eating
In 2019, only 1 in 10 Americans met the recommended fruit and vegetable intake standards. Eating healthy foods can lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, protecting you against coronary artery disease and other chronic conditions. So what does healthy eating look like?
A healthy diet is low in added sugars, sodium, and trans fat. This means cutting back on dairy products, fried food, fatty red meat, and salty snacks.
Heart-healthy foods include:
- Fruits
- Vegetables (especially leafy greens)
- Lean proteins (like fish and poultry)
- Whole grains
- Nuts and legumes
- Low-fat dairy products
Keep in mind that not all fat and cholesterol are bad. Healthy fats can be found in olive oil, avocados, dark chocolate, and fish. Avoid artificial trans fat–often found in processed baked goods, fried food, and margarine.
4) Manage blood pressure and cholesterol
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other conditions that can affect your heart often run in families. That means if you have a parent or grandparent with heart problems, you may be at a higher risk for them and should discuss this family history with your healthcare provider.
Your healthcare provider may suggest lifestyle changes like those found in this article. They may also recommend regular testing to monitor your blood pressure. If you have a family history of high cholesterol, they may suggest blood testing to check lipid and triglyceride levels in your blood. These are two forms of fat that often indicate high cholesterol.
Educate yourself and your healthcare provider on your family health history. You can’t change your genetics, but you can discuss how to keep your heart healthy! Being open and honest about your health can help you two work together to prevent scary health complications down the road.
5) Quit smoking
Smoking is devastating for your health. Nearly 1 in 4 deaths from cardiovascular disease are caused by smoking.
The chemicals in cigarettes can damage your blood vessels by making them stiff. Smoking also causes plaque to build up in the arteries, narrowing the passageways that blood flows through. This makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. Over time, this significantly increases your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Smoking cigarettes isn’t the only way smoking damages your health. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases your risk of heart disease, too. Try to stay away from cigarette smoke whenever possible - and if you smoke, avoid exposing others to it. Better yet, talk with your healthcare provider about smoking cessation options. Quitting smoking doesn’t just protect your health; it protects those around you.
6) Moderate your alcohol and soda intake
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Despite some studies showing a link between moderate alcohol consumption and reduced risk of heart disease, regular alcohol consumption has been shown to lead to heart damage and heart failure. Cutting back on drinking can improve several health conditions while reducing your risk of developing heart problems.
In addition to limiting your alcohol intake, cut down on sugary drinks like soda. People who drink one to two cans of soda per day have a 26% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and diabetes is closely linked to high blood pressure - one of the biggest risk factors for heart issues.
7) Manage your stress
Stress makes your heart beat faster and your blood vessels narrow, which increases your blood pressure. This is a normal reaction when you're stressed, but if you're stressed a lot, it can hurt your blood vessels and your heart health over time.
When people are stressed, they also tend to engage in behaviors that are bad for their health, like overeating, smoking, or drinking too much alcohol. These activities can be harmful to your blood pressure and your overall heart health.
Luckily, there are lots of effective ways to reduce stress: breathing exercises, regular physical activity, talk therapy and support groups can all help manage your stress levels.
8) Get enough sleep
Getting a healthy amount of sleep is critical for your heart health. It helps relieve stress, and your blood pressure goes down when you’re able to rest. Adults who habitually do not get enough sleep are at higher risk for high blood pressure. Not getting enough sleep also increases your risk for heart attack, obesity, and depression.
Not sure how many hours of sleep you need? Adults should aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Children need even more. The best way to ensure you get enough sleep is to create a sleep schedule and stick to it. That means turning in and waking up at the same time every day. It also helps to wind down towards the end of your day. Turn off electronic devices and do something calming to let your body know it’s time to rest.
If you are struggling with getting enough sleep, talk to a sleep specialist online for medical advice on improving your sleep. You may be struggling with a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. If this is the case, your provider will discuss treatment options to help you get the sleep you need every night.
9) Stay up-to-date on your health care
If you have already been diagnosed with high blood pressure or heart disease, communicate with your doctor about how your treatment is going. Re-evaluate whether or not you are taking your medication regularly and as ordered.
You may also discuss whether or not you should measure your blood pressure at home. At-home blood pressure monitors are affordable and easy to use. Regular tracking of your BP can help you stay informed about how you are managing your condition.
Furthermore, ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent illness and infection. The flu, COVID-19, and bacterial infections are all linked to elevated blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, illness can worsen it. Work with your provider to ensure you are current on your vaccinations and testing.
How Sesame can help
It’s essential to monitor your heart health. Whether or not you have a family history of heart problems, preventing cardiovascular conditions can help you live a fuller, longer life. If you have any questions or need some help getting started, you can book an affordable, same-day video primary care visit or video cardiology consult on Sesame to talk to a licensed healthcare provider from the comfort of your own home.
