Winter Survival Checklist: Heart Health Month Tips

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Maintaining heart health can not only save but also improve the quality of your life. February is Heart Health month so here are some tips from the American Heart Association and local experts to help build awareness about maintaining a healthy lifestyle with cardiovascular benefits.

American Heart Association: What’s Your BMI?

According to the American Heart Association maintaining a healthy weight can reduce risk for heart disease and provides many quality of life benefits such as:

Improved energy

Fewer joint and muscle pains

Greater ability to join in desired activities

Better regulation of bodily fluids and blood pressure

Reduced burden on your heart and circulatory system

Better sleep patterns

More effective metabolism of sugars and carbohydrates

Your Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good indicator of whether you are at a healthy or unhealthy weight. Their website www.heart.org offers a BMI calculator you can use to find your BMI. To calculate your BMI click here.

AHA’s Lifestyle Guidelines: Don’t sweat the occasional indulgences. An overall heart-healthy diet is more important …

Nearly two-thirds of US adults have high or elevated blood pressure and one third have elevated levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol. Reducing those ranks and preventing heart disease and stroke is the purpose of new recommendations from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. Their new cardiovascular guidelines emphasize the importance of sticking to an overall heart-healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts to lower blood pressure and cholesterol rather than agonizing over the occasional indulgence. A great place to start is to cut out processed foods that are high in sodium and to cook at home. That’s because up to 75 percent of the sodium in the average American’s diet comes from processed or restaurant foods. The biggest takeaway is that if you make healthy decisions the great majority of the time you can build cardiovascular health that’s strong enough to handle the rest. See the full report here.

Heart Health tips from Health Coach Amy Diamond

Whether you feel great, have been told by your doctor that there are warning signs or you already have coronary heart disease (CHD), it is time to take control of your heart health. CHD is caused by silent inflammation.  Classic inflammation (like when you sprain your ankle) hurts, but silent inflammation can kill.

Since February is American Heart Health Month, it is a great time to learn about how to prevent the inflammation that causes heart disease and many other health issues.  Are you doing everything you can to take control of your heart health?  Here are my recommendations:

Eat an anti-inflammatory diet (which means no trans fats, a low glycemic load, high fiber, high fish, and high folate.)  How do you do this? It’s easy!

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables (especially greens)

Eat less and leaner animal foods

Eat good fats (extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds)

Eat only whole grains and avoid refined white sugar

Take a fish oil supplement

Cook with lots of turmeric and ginger

Drink green tea

Have some red wine and dark chocolate as a treat

Make lifestyle changes that could save your life.

Don’t smoke

Lower your BMI (body mass index)

Manage stress (breathe, meditate, employ self-care, get enough sleep)

Exercise (doesn’t need to be strenuous and shouldn’t be if you are just starting out)

Don’t wait until it’s too late to take care of your heart!

Amy Diamond is a Health Coach and is board certified as a Holistic Health Practitioner by the AADP (American Assn. of Drugless Practitioners).  Her company, Diamond Health Coaching LLC, helps clients meet their health goals through an individualized, integrative approach to nutrition and wellness.  Visit her website at http://amy-diamond.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/ to learn more about health coaching and her training, or to request a free consultation.

American Heart Association on Exercise 

Being physically active is also important to prevent heart disease and stroke. According to the AHA’s new Lifestyle Guidelines just 40 minutes of aerobic exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity done three to four times a week is enough to stay healthy. Brisk walking, swimming, bicycling or a dance class is excellent choices. The guidelines emphasize that any exercise is good for you. A bit more today than you did yesterday is a good way to train to the recommended time. See more here.

Pump it up: Lifting your way to heart health 

Pete Hug, NASM-CPT, a personal trainer at The Gym in Armonk weighs in on how to maintain cardio health through exercise.

When people think of heart-healthy exercise they generally think of aerobic, or cardio activities like running and biking.  But strength training (lifting weights, push-ups, lunges, etc.) can improve the health of your cardiovascular system too. A study done by Appalachian State University found that when you lift weights at a moderate intensity, blood flow to the limbs increases and lower post-exercise blood pressure is longer-lasting, as compared to traditional aerobic exercise. If you’re not doing so already, be sure to add weight training to your weekly routine!

Women and Heart Disease: Living Toward Optimal Health Seminar at Armonk Indoor

In recognition of February as American Heart Month, the Armonk Indoor Sports Center will host Dr. Sandy Lithgow who will discuss heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in American women, and the associated risk factors. She will talk about lifestyle interventions that women can take to prevent heart disease and live a healthier and more balanced life. Specific focus will be placed on nutrition, exercise, stress management, and ways to improve sleep. Dr. Lithgow is an internist at Glenville Medical Associates in Greenwich. She is sure to educate women of all ages with this informative and interactive lecture. Tues, 2/11: 7pm. (Armonk Indoor Sports Center, 205 Business Park Dr., Armonk, 914.273.8522)