Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States – and it can happen at any age. According to the Center for Disease Control, about half of all Americans (47%) have at least 1 of 3 key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high choloestoral, and smoking. Some risk factors for heart disease cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history. But you can take steps to lower your risk by changing the factors you can control.
February is Heart Month – the perfect time to understand your risk for heart disease and what steps you can take to keep your heart healthy.
- Be mindful of snow removal – Shoveling snow puts a lot of stress on your body. If you must shovel a lot of snow, protect your heart by starting slowly and use a smaller shovel so you aren’t living as much snow. Listen to your body and stop if you’re feeling any pain or discomfort – especially in your chest, neck and shoulders. Cold weather constricts your airways and blood vessels, which means less blood flows to your hear. If you have heart disease, cold air could trigger a heart attack.
- Stay active! The snow, cold air and gray skies during a Wisconsin winter may tempt you to stay inside and become a couch potato. While it may be comforting at first, it isn’t helping your heart or your life expectancy. A recent study showed that if everyone between age 40-85 were active for just 10 more minutes per day, it could save more than 110,000 lives a year. Find ways to stay active no matter the season. Sign up for a local gym membership that has an indoor pool, track,, and other amenities to keep your heart healthy. If it’s not too icy outside, go for a brisk walk with a neighbor, friend, or your spouse. You can also search YouTube for simple, at-home cardio workouts.
- Eat Healthy – It’s natural to crave comfort food during cold, winter months and while it may make us feel good – it isn’t always good for our health or our heart. Making small changes and setting attainable goals to eat healthier can improve your diet. Substituting whole grain pasta for white pasta is a good first step. Removing a serving of carbs like pasta or rice and substituting it with a grilled or roasted vegetable is still filling and adds on meat and potatoes and going vegetarian one meal a week.
- Quit coming and limit alcohol – Smoking increases the risk for heart disease and heart attacks as it damages the heart and blood vessels. Talk to your doctor about ways to stop smoking. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure levels and the risk for heart disease. Binge drinking can also lead to an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a type of arrhythmia that causes an irregular, often fast heartbeat that can increase chance of blood clots and stroke.
- Get Vaccinated, Get Boosted – Get vaccinated and / or boosted to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. There is still time to get influenza (flu) and pneumonia vaccines. Both of which can keep you healthy and out of the hospital. If you have heart disease, getting COVID-19, the flu or pneumonia can put you at greater risk for a heart attack.
Don’t delay care
Delaying important heart care can lead to more serious health concerns down the road. Please remember, a heart attack is an emergency and the hospital is the safest place to receive care. Dial 911 if you or a loved one are experiencing any signs of a heart attack such as chest pain or discomfort; lightheadedness; nausea or vomiting; jaw, neck or back pain; discomfort or pain in the arm or shoulder; or shortness of breath.
To learn more about heart attack prevention and other ways to keep your heart healthy, visit heart.org/ascension.
To schedule an appointment with an Ascension Wisconsin cardiologist, call 414-298-7230
Cardiologist with Ascension Medical Group Wisconsin