How to keep your heart healthy

Heart disease is caused by narrowing of the arteries in the heart (atherosclerosis). This narrowing is the leading cause of heart attacks, which in turn are the No. 1 cause of heart failure. To reduce your risk of atherosclerosis:

Do not smoke

If you smoke, quit. Smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease. Avoid second-hand smoke too.

Lower your cholesterol

If you have high cholesterol, follow your doctor's advice for lowering it. Eating a hearthealthy diet, exercising, and quitting smoking will help keep your cholesterol low.

Control your blood pressure

If you have high blood pressure, your risk of developing heart disease increases. Studies have shown that lowering blood pressure to normal levels in people who have high blood pressure could reduce the cases of heart failure by half. Exercising, limiting salt and alcohol intake, and controlling stress will help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Often called the "silent killer," high blood pressure can cause another common arterial disorder, arteriosclerosis, which is sometimes referred to as hardening of the arteries.

Get regular exercise

Exercise will help control your weight, blood pressure, and stress levels, all of which will help keep your heart healthy. Try to do activities that raise your heart rate. Exercise for at least 30 minutes on most, preferably all, days of the week.

Control diabetes

Taking your medicines as directed and working with your doctor to manage your diet will help control diabetes.

Limit alcohol intake

If you drink alcohol, drink moderately. That means no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women

Source: Web MD

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	About Wave Wave is published six times a year by the Winnipeg Health Region in cooperation with the Winnipeg Free Press. It is available at newsstands, hospitals and clinics throughout Winnipeg, as well as McNally Robinson Books. Read the Summer 2010 issue of Wave