Better Heart Health - Healthier Life

20 November 2015

How do you get a healthier heart, right now?
 
 The answer sounds too good to be true: "By simply leading a healthier life," according to Nieca Goldberg, MD, Medical Director of New York University's Women's Heart Program and author of Dr. Nieca Goldberg's Complete Guide to Women's Health.

That's because even small, steady changes in your life mean a stronger, more efficient heart. "More than half of heart disease is preventable, and studies have shown that 90% of heart attacks in women can be prevented," she adds. Further to the latest study in Archives of Internal Medicine shows that woman who eat loads of veggie, fruit, whole grains, fish, and legumes; drink moderate amounts of alcohol; exercise; maintain a healthy weight; and don't smoke have a whopping 92% decreased risk of having heart attack compared with women with less healthy diets and habits.

An added bonus? "So many things we do to help our heart, like quitting smoking, eating more fiber, and moving more, also helps other parts of our body, including our bones, colon, lungs, and skin," Goldbery says.

1. Know your heart health number

Establish a baseline to help plan every preventive step for the rest of the year. "You need to know if you are at risk before you can take action to lower your risk," says Lori Mosca, Md, PhD, director of preventive cardiology at New York Presbyterian Hospital and author of Heart to Heart: A Personal Plan for Creating a Heart-Healthy Family.  

Know your HDL or "good" cholesterol, LDL or "bad" cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index (BMI) numbers.

2. Target your Triglycerides

Shoot for a level of 150 or lower, says Peter H. Jones, Md, an associate professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

" Doctors usually talk about good and bad cholesterol and most folks will have that down, but triglycerides are a better marker for high risk of diabetes and heart diseases," says Jones.

Triglycerides are much more responsive to lifestyle changes than other types of blood fats. "Your triglycerides can drop 30% to 50% just by reducing saturated fats and reducing your weight," Jones says.

3. Eat Nuts and Plant Sterols

Your heart will love you if you eat six walnuts before lunch and dinner, according to Michael Roizen, MD, the chief wellness officer for Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the clinic's Wellness Institute. 

"Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to decrease inflammation in the arteries surrounding your heart, so they keep your heart functioning longer and better," promises Roizen, co-author of the best-selling You: Staying Young: The Owner's Manual for Extending Your Warranty. "Walnuts will also make you feel fuller faster so you are less likely to overeat at meals."

You may want to give pistachios a try as well. A recent study shows that a serving or two of pistachios each day may help reduces levels of LDL cholesterol, as long as your are mindful of calories. One cup of pictachio nuts has about 700 calories!

Other nuts such as peanuts, macadamia and almonds are a rich source of plant sterols, which block cholesterol absorption in the intestines. Studies have shown that eating food enriched with plant sterols lowers LDL cholesterol. Eating 2-3 grams a day lowers LD cholesterol by 6 - 15%, without affecting HDL or triglycerides. Sterols are found in all plant foods, but the highest concentrations are found in unrefined oils, such as vegetable, nut, and olive oil. Some foods have been fortified with plant sterols, including milk, yogurts, juices and spreads.  

4. De-stress Your Heart

Unplug yourself from the news cycle and email. It's good for you and your ticker. And that begins with your PDA. "Start turning it off for 15 minutes at a time and work up to an hour a day to reduce stress,"Goldbery says. "Stress raises blood pressure, heart rate, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol," she says. "These days, people are less and less capable of leaving stress at the office beacause everyone is connected 24/7."
Consider swapping your Blackberry for your iPod. "Put some relaxing music on your iPod, close your office door for 10 minutes, listen and breathe."

 5. Get Heart Healthy Social Support

You know exercise improves heart health by keeping weight down and raising levels of HDL cholesterol, but doing it with a friend adds benefits.

"Find an exercise buddy is really important because social lowers your risk of heart diseases and helps you stay motivated," Mosca says. Build up to 60 minutes of exercise a day, but even 20 minutes is better than nothing.

In fact, being married and having a strong social network may help protect against heart disease, according to a study of nearly 15000 men and women. It turns out that people who have a spouse, go to church, join social clubs, and have a lot of friends and relatives have significantly lower blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors than loners. 

6. Be a Volunteer

People who volunteer tend to live longer that people who don't. It's that simple, Mosca says. "We think this is because volunteering reduces isolation and increases social connectivity," Find a charity that means something to you and donate your time now.

7. Quit Smoking

Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, but kicking this nasty habit can be much easier said than done," she says. And the heart health dividends keep growing. "After one year heart disease risk is cut in half - and after 10 years of not smoking, your heart disease risk is the same as for someone who has never smoked."

8. Drink a Little Alcohol a Day

" For women, up to one glass of alcohol a day and, for men, up to two glasses can help reduce risk of heart disease," says Goldberg. "Alcohol may help the heart by increasing levels of HDL cholesterol," she explains. But keep in mind: More is not merrier. "Alcohol also has calories, and too much can cause high blood pressure, worsen heart failure, and cause heart rhythm abnormalities."

9. Weight Training

Strength training reduces your percentage of body fats, keep your weight down, and increase your muscl mass and endurance for aerobic exercise," says Goldberg. "Do some weight training and free weights twice a week, making sure to focus on both your upper and lower body," she says. "As your aerobic capacity improves through strength training, your good HDL cholesterol levels will increase. 

10. Watching your Waist Size

Take a tape measure and measure your middle," Goldberg says. "If your waist is more than 35 inches in women or more than 40 inches in men, this tells you that you are at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes." "The best way to make a dent in your spare tire is being more active and get rid of simple sugar and white-floured foods in your diet," Goldberg says, adding that these foods tend to take up residence right around the middle.

11. Watching your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and reducing salt intake can help lower blood pressure. Cook with herbs in place of salt, and make sure you read food labels to see just how much salt is in prepared foods. " Aims for less than 2.3 grams (about a teaspoon) of salt per day," Goldberg says. And keep up the good work when you are dining out, she adds. "Ask for the sauce and salad dressings on the side because restaurant food tends to be heavily salted. 

12. Have a good night Sleep

People who sleep fewer than seven hours a night have higher blood pressure and higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, making the arteries more vulnerable to plaque buildup, says Goldberg. In fact, the latest
research shows that people who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely as others to die of heart disease. Try to avoid caffeine after noon, and develop a stress-free wind-down ritual before bed.  

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 Information on this page is provided for interest only on a "best efforts" basis and does not 
constitute personal advice. Always discuss medical matters with your doctor.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/heart/features/