These are the facts: Every 40 seconds an American has a heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Every four minutes someone dies of a stroke. These are scary statistics but they are real and we need to talk about them.
The words “heart attack” and “stroke” come up in conversation, you see how to prevent them on your labels of your favorite cereal and there are plenty of commercials that warn you about the risks of a stroke or heart attack. I am passionate about heart health and I am going to share four simple, yet important ways you can prevent heart disease and stroke.
First, let’s talk about diet. It is well known that when you make healthy food choices and maintain your weight you are less likely to have heart issues. Swap from processed foods to more fruits and veggies. Eat lean poultry, fish and nuts. Eat less processed food and cook more at home with healthy oils such as olive oil.
Second, let’s move on to other lifestyle factors that you can change today to make your heart stronger. Quit smoking! Now! Make a plan, set a quit date and test the extent of your will power, because you can do it. If you smoke 20 cigarettes a day, you are six times more likely to have a stroke compared with a non-smoker.
Another important factor in the prevention of heart disease is limiting alcohol. Alcohol contributes to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
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Third, lets talk about hypertension or high blood pressure. Now, there are a lot of risk factors so we will get the ones out of the way that cannot be controlled — genetics and family history. Genes affect most aspects of our lives and this includes how the cells in the heart communicate and the strength of the blood vessels.
But we can control lifestyle factors (such as diet, smoking, alcohol use), so it’s ever so important to make lifestyle changes if you have a family history of heart disease. A high sodium diet increases blood pressure so avoid deli meat, frozen pizza and canned products as much as you can. Thus, your genes may control many aspects of your life but you control the choices you make.
Lastly, let us talk about knowing our numbers. I mentioned this in my article on diabetes, but I will repeat it again for good measure. Know your numbers — if you don’t know where you stand with your numbers you will never know it is a problem. High cholesterol is a direct contributor to heart attacks and strokes. There are two components to your cholesterol — LDL (bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cholesterol). LDL is increased by saturated fats, which are found in red meat and full-fat dairy products. You should try to stay below 100 for your LDL. Your HDL actually protects your heart — you should aim to increase this number to 60 or above. Exercise is known to increase your HDL.
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There is so much more to heart attacks and strokes than what is covered above. The wealth of information that is available online and in writing is staggering and can be at times overwhelming. However, my hope is to simply bring awareness to the topic. If you are drinking your coffee and reading the paper, ask yourself — “What is one thing I can change or incorporate into my life that could prevent a heart attack or stroke?” You and your loved ones will be glad you did.
Krutika Simon is a pharmacist based in Bloomington with a focus on health and wellness and specialty medications. You can contact her at KrutikaSimon@gmail.com.