National Wear Red Day was Friday 2/5. Thousands of Americans wore red to draw attention to this startling fact, that over 430,000 women are silenced each year by cardiovascular disease and most of these deaths are preventable. I met up with some fellow queens to draw attention to this cause. Here are some helpful hints that will keep you living HEART HEALTHY!
1. STOP SMOKING: If you smoke, quit. If someone in your household smokes, encourage them to quit.
2. CHOOSE GOOD NUTRITION: A healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease. The food you eat, and the amount can affect other controllable risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and being overweight. Choose nutrient rich foods which have vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients that are lower in calories. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grain and high fiber foods, fish, lean protein and fat-free or low-fat dairy products is the key. And to maintain a healthy weight, coordinate your diet with your physical activity level so you're using up as many calories as you take in.
3. REDUCE BLOOD CHOLESTEROL: Fat lodged in your arteries is a disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later it could trigger a heart attack or stroke. You have got to reduce your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol and get moving. If diet and physical activity alone don’t get those numbers down, then medication may be the key. Take it just like the doctor orders. This is where those numbers need to be:
Total Cholesterol should be less than 200 mg/dL
LDL (bad) Cholesterol should be less than 160 mg/dL if you're at low risk for heart disease, less than 130 mg/dL if you're at intermediate risk for heart disease, and less than 100mg/dL if you're at high risk for heart disease
HDL (good) Cholesterol should be 50 mg/dL or higher for women
Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dL
4. LOWER HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: It’s the single largest risk factor for stroke. Stroke is the No. 3 killer and one of the leading causes of disability in the United States. Stroke recovery is difficult at best and you could be disabled for life. Shake that salt habit, take your medications as recommended by your doctor and get moving. Those numbers need to get down and stay down. Your goal is less than 120/80 mmHg.
5. BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE EVERYDAY: Research has shown that getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days of the week can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep your weight at a healthy level. But something IS better than nothing. If you’re doing nothing now, start out slow. Even 10 minutes at a time may offer some health benefits. Studies show that people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness are much less likely to die early than those with a low fitness level.
6. AIM FOR A HEALTHY WEIGHT: Obesity is an epidemic in America, not only for adults but also for children. Fad diets and supplements are not the answer. Good nutrition, controlling calorie intake and physical activity are the only way to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, a precursor of type 2 diabetes. Your Body Mass Index (BMI) can help tell you if your weight is healthy.
7. MANAGE DIABETES: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of diabetes related death. People with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease due to a variety of risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and lack of physical activity.
8. REDUCE STRESS: Some scientists have noted a relationship between coronary heart disease risk and stress in a person's life that may affect the risk factors for heart disease and stroke. For example, people under stress may overeat, start smoking or smoke more than they otherwise would. Research has even shown that stress reaction in young adults predicts middle-age blood pressure risk.
9. LIMIT ALCOHOL: Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and lead to heart failure or stroke. It can contribute to high triglycerides, produce irregular heartbeats and affect cancer and other diseases. It contributes to obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents.
Visit
www.goredforwomen.org for more.
