Heart-Healthy Habits For
Seniors
By : Amber Bagwell CP Home Care
Hearts are everywhere ! February is National Heart Month , so , naturally , many of us are thinking about matters of the heart in one way or the other !
Unfortunately , many seniors believe that heart disease risks are inevitable in old age . In actuality , there are plenty of ways to keep your heart in great shape !
Heart disease is a major threat to senior health — in fact , 84 percent of people age 65 years and older die from heart disease . Though heart disease risks increase with age , it doesn ’ t have to be an inevitable part of getting older . The right lifestyle habits and a heart-healthy diet can help protect you .
What exactly is heart disease ? It ’ s the term given to a group of different health conditions that affect the heart . In the United States , the most common form of heart disease is called coronary artery disease ( CAD ). CAD is often responsible for serious cardiovascular events like a heart attack , heart failure , chest pain , and irregular heartbeat , also called arrhythmia .
Know the Symptoms of Heart Disease
The warning signs of heart disease often don ’ t appear until you ’ re having a heart attack . Symptoms of an emergency or impending heart attack may include :
* Feeling faint * Weakness or a sensation of light-headedness * Having a hard time catching your breath * Feeling nauseous or vomiting * Feeling very full or having indigestion * Pain in the chest or an uncomfortable pressure in the chest * Unusual pains in the back , shoulders , or neck * Sweating * An irregular heartbeat
How to Reduce Your Heart Disease Risks
Many health conditions can contribute to heart disease and increase your risk of having a heart attack . Heart disease treatment and heart attack prevention requires that you treat all other contributing health problems and keep them under control . To treat heart disease , you should :
* Lower high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels * Keep diabetes under control * Take medication to treat angina ( chest pain ) 7 Steps to Heart Disease Prevention
You can keep your heart healthy no matter how old you are , but it does take effort — possibly even changes in your everyday habits , such as eating a heart-healthy diet and increasing your activity level .
Here ’ s how to get started :
* Get enough exercise . This means at least 30 minutes of exercise almost every day of the week .
* Quit smoking . If you do smoke , it ’ s time to quit .
* Eat a heart-healthy diet . Load up on fresh fruits and vegetables while limiting saturated fats , salt , and foods containing cholesterol , like fatty meats .
* Watch your numbers . Get regular check-ups to monitor health conditions that affect the heart , including high blood pressure , high cholesterol , and diabetes , and make sure they ’ re under control with medication .
* Reduce your alcohol intake . Excess alcohol consumption can worsen health conditions that contribute to heart disease , like blood pressure , arrhythmias , and high cholesterol levels .
* Minimize stress in your life . Stress can compound 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 .
* 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 .
It ’ s never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle and getting your heart disease risks in check .
26 MOMENTUM / February 2017