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 Six Simple Steps to a Healthy Heart
By incorporating these simple steps into your life, you can reduce your
risk for both heart disease and stroke. |
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Know your numbers |
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Maintain your ideal body weight |
| Monitor your cholesterol and blood pressure with a goal of keeping your
blood pressure below 130/85, your total cholesterol below 200 and your
body mass index between 18.5 and 25.
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Overweight women are much more likely to develop heart-related
problems, even if they have no other risk factors. Regular exercise and
healthy eating habits can help reduce your weight.
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Keep active |
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Lead a tobacco-free lifestyle |
| Keeping your body moving
lowers the risk of heart disease. Regular activity can help to lower
blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy
weight.
As little as 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days is recommended. Take a walk or find an exercise program that works best for
you.
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Cigarettes are the leading cause of preventable deaths in this country.
Women smokers are two to six times more likely to suffer a heart attack as
non-smoking women, and the risk increases with the number of cigarettes
smoked. Smoking also boosts the risk of stroke. Eliminate your exposure to
second-hand smoke. For help quitting, talk to your doctor.
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Select nutritious foods |
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Manage stress |
| Add a serving of fish each week and a fruit or vegetable to each meal,
ideally eating five servings of fruits and/or vegetables each day. Choose
lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Select foods that are steamed,
broiled, baked, grilled or roasted instead of fried.
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Stress is a part of everyone’s life, yet there are ways to reduce it.
Regular physical activity can help counteract headaches, sleeplessness and
depression brought on by chronic, unmanaged stress. Consult your doctor to
find out more.
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