The Pulse Cardiovascular Health Program<\/strong><\/a> is designed to help identify patients at risk for cardiovascular disease as well as manage that risk. We also use a coronary calcium score to assess for coronary artery disease.<\/p>\n4 proven ways to care for your heart health<\/h2>\n1. Physical activity<\/h3>\n
The AHA recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week. This can range from a 10-minute walk to marathon running.<\/p>\n
There is evidence that strength training helps increase muscle mass, leading to improved calorie burn and weight management. Exercise will also keep your brain young, or at least slow down the normal decline in age-related thinking skills.<\/p>\n
Consider checking your waist circumference to height ratio<\/strong>: Divide your waist measurement by your height, either in centimeters or inches. This ratio helps calculate your body fat distribution and can be a significant early indicator for risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.<\/p>\nA ratio of 0.5 or less is considered healthy for men and women. For example, a 33-inch waist on a 5-foot-5-inch (or 65-inch) person has a waist-to-height ratio of 0.5.<\/p>\n
John Ratey, MD, of Harvard Medical School and author of \u201cSpark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain,\u201d has documented how exercise protects against vascular dementia. Imaging studies suggest that key brain areas responsible for thinking and memory are larger in people who exercise than in people who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
2. Food choices<\/h3>\n
The newest data shows that the top three diets are the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet and vegetarian diet. These diets include at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, and avoidance of processed red meat. <\/strong>The data shows improved heart health and brain health.<\/p>\nData from the Nurses\u2019 Health Study (1984\u20132014) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study showed that daily intake of five servings of fruit and vegetables<\/strong> (versus two servings) was associated with:<\/p>\n\n- 13 percent lower total mortality<\/li>\n
- 12 percent lower cardiovascular disease mortality<\/li>\n
- 10 percent lower cancer mortality<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Drink more water<\/strong>. Studies recommend drinking at least half fluid ounce per kilogram body weight. So, a person weighing 150 pounds (68 kilograms) should drink at least 34 ounces of water.<\/p>\n3. Sleep<\/h3>\n
This is an area we haven\u2019t traditionally looked at in connection with heart disease, but a recent article in the Journal of Cardiology compared four-hour sleep length to nine-hour sleep length. It showed that shorter sleep led to an increase in abdominal fat and increased calorie consumption. While this was a small study, it has ramifications for cardiovascular outcomes.<\/p>\n
Sleep is restorative and necessary for healthy living. Some tips for sleep success:<\/p>\n
\n- Avoid high-intensity exercise the hour before bed<\/li>\n
- Eat your final meal of the day at least three hours before bedtime<\/li>\n
- Stay away from screens for at least two hours before bedtime<\/li>\n
- Avoid alcohol before bed \u2014 it has been linked to irregular sleep patterns and can impact melatonin production, affecting circadian rhythm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
4. Stress and relaxation<\/h3>\n
Much of the data shows that we do better if we work and socialize together. Psychological health impacts cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n
Happiness leads to healthier behaviors, such as eating healthy, exercising regularly and sleeping better, according to the American Heart Association. This, in turn, improves blood pressure and reduces excess body fat, resulting in lower risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.<\/p>\n