Health///Heart health
Keep heart healthy F
ebruary is American Heart Month since 1964, when it was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. At that time, more than half the deaths in the United States were caused by cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.3 million deaths each ear, according to the American Heart Association. The best way to prevent heart disease is with a healthy lifestyle. Here are some suggestions to keeping your heart healthy. Be smoke-free Smoking affects the vessels that supply blood to your heart and other parts of your body. It reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and damages blood vessel walls. Smoking also increases the stiffness of the blood vessels, making it harder for them to expand and contract as needed. These changes to the arteries can cause a heart attack, stroke or angina. Smokers not only have more heart attacks, strokes and angina than non-smokers, but also at a much younger age. Smoking increases the risk of heart attack by two times, stroke by three times, angina by 20 times and peripheral arterial disease by five times, according to The Heart Foundation. Smokers are four times more 22
likely to die of heart disease and three times more likely to die from sudden cardiac death. Just because you don’t smoke, doesn’t mean you’re necessarily low-risk. Second-hand smoke can cause heart disease in non-smokers. Manage your blood pressure and blood cholesterol High blood pressure over a long period of time is called hypertension. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack or stroke and may also affect your kidneys. A blood pressure reading under 120/80/mmHG is considered optimal. Readings over 120/80mmHG and up to 139/89mmHG are in the normal to high normal range. It is very important to get your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is carried around the body in the blood. Over time, a buildup causes hardening of the arteries, which can cause chest pain and/or a heart attack. You can improve cholesterol with medications, but also by choosing healthier fats and eliminate trans fats. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts, almonds and ground flaxseeds.