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Health & Fitness

Commit Yourself to Heart Health

Many seniors believe that heart disease risks are inevitable; however, there are plenty of ways to keep your heart in great shape.

In the United States, one in three deaths in persons 65 and older are due to heart disease. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack in 2010, and about 470,000 had a recurrent attack. Nearly every 25 seconds an American will have a coronary event and about one person every minute will die from the episode. 

In recognition of February’s American Heart Disease Month, I thought it was time to shed light on heart disease, its symptoms and what you can do to make your heart healthy and happy. 

Do you wonder if you are suffering from heart disease? Here are some early warning signs:

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  • Constant fatigue and loss of activity. 
  • Failure in the functioning of various organs such as liver, kidney, as well as the intestines and more. 
  • Blocked arteries, which can lead to physical disabilities in the arms and legs, creating a lack of independence and in worse cases being bedridden. 
  • Stroke or heart attack, which can incapacitate a person or even cause death.

Unfortunately, the warning signs of heart disease often don’t appear until you're having a heart attack. Symptoms of an impending heart attack include feeling faint, having trouble catching your breath, feeling nauseous or vomiting, feelings of indigestion, pain in the chest or an uncomfortable pressure in the chest, sweating and irregular heartbeats.

Many seniors believe that heart disease risks are inevitable; however, there are plenty of ways to keep your heart in great shape. Here are some steps to consider keeping your heart happy and healthy:

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  • Eat a heart-healthy diet. Load up on fresh fruits and vegetables and limit saturated fats, salt, and foods containing cholesterol, like fatty meats.
  • Portion control is key. Keep an eye on how many servings you eat, try to keep it to one. 
  • Drink alcohol in moderation. No more than one drink per day if you're a woman and two drinks per day if you're a man. 
  • Get enough exercise. This means at least 30 minutes of exercise almost every day of the week.
  • Watch your weight. Too many pounds can add up to increased heart disease risk. To help prevent heart disease, maintain a healthy body weight for your size.
  • Quit smoking. If you do smoke, it's time to quit.
  • Get regular check-ups. Monitor health conditions that affect the heart, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, and make sure they’re under control with medication.
  • Live a stressless life. Easier said than done, but stress compounds many heart disease risks that seniors already face, steering you toward an unhealthy lifestyle. Find healthy outlets to relieve stress and lower your heart disease risk.

 

Building the perfect healthful lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. Commit yourself to heart health and take a positive step in the right direction by surrounding yourself with people who share your same wellness beliefs and environments that facilitate nutrition and exercise. Most importantly, take accountability for your health – it is ultimately up to you to make the right decisions to live a long, vital life.

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