Posted: November 11, 2007

Treating your heart with care is vital to your long-term health.

With recent headlines mentioning children taking antacids for heartburn and diabetes linked to heart disease, not to mention an increase in the frequency of heart attacks and strokes, it is more important than ever to understand how to maintain a heart healthy. Coronary heart disease is America’s number one killer with stroke a close runner up at number three. Reducing the risk factors and implementing a heart healthy strategy to life, is vital to a longer, healthier life for you and your family.

As a practicing cardiologist, I’ve seen an increase in heart disease attributable to poor eating and lack of Exercise or sedentary behavior. I receive the question on a continual basis, “W here should I begin?” And, as a goal, I want people to realize that it’s not extremely difficult, it’s tangible and realistic. A proactive strategy begins with this question and should quickly progress into action. Everyone benefits from a lifestyle consisting of regular physical activity and healthy food options. Below are five strategies for improving heart health and realistically obtaining your goals.

Eat low fat diet and participate in a regular Exercise regimen – Routine Exercise is an important way to maintain your cardiovascular health. Combining Exercise with a low fat diet including fruits and vegetables improves day-to-day health, improves life expectancy and lowers the chance for diabetes and cardiovascular issues.

Drinking more than one soft drink daily – whether it’s regular or diet – may be associated with an increase in the risk factors for heart disease (Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association).

Children ages 10-13, who are obese, are reported to have a 70 percent likelihood of obesity persisting into adult years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

Eliminate smoking – Smoking shortens your life and research shows that it negatively affects your family through second hand smoking. Cigarettes contain harmful chemicals with two directly related to heart disease – nicotine and carbon monoxide. It makes the heart beat faster and raises blood pressure. By eliminating smoking, you are eliminating one of the main contributors of heart disease.

Adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking (American Cancer Society).

Twenty minutes after quitting, your heart rate drops towards a normal level; 12 hours after quitting, carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal; 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting, your heart attack risk begins to drop (Quit Now NC).

Take prescribed cardiac medication and appropriate supplements – When prescribed heart medication, it’s important to take the correct dosage every day. Follow doctor’s orders and do not skip or change the dosage. To be proactive, take supplements to support heart health. Research shows that Green Tea can help to lengthen life and reduce heart disease, omega 3 can reduce the risk of a heart attack and Resveratrol, commonly found in red grapes, has also been found to support heart health.

Over 83 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men to die from them within a few weeks (American Heart Institute).

Every 34 seconds someone in the United States dies of coronary heart disease (The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions).

Adopt a stress management strategy – Stress is a part of everyone’s life. Adopting a strategy to funnel the stress into quality activity is the key to moving forward. Whether it’s working with your doctor to address the issues that are stressful to you or seeking out an expert for counseling, managing your stress in a positive way is vital to heart health.

Stress is responsible for over 70 percent of workplace accidents, 50 percent of absenteeism, and over $300 billion in associated costs (The American Institute of Stress).

Twenty-six percent of workers said they were “often or very often burned out or stressed by their work” (The American Institute of Stress).

Ensure that you are getting healthy, high-quality sleep – Sleep is essential to survival. More than 33 percent of our lives are spent sleeping and most people don’t notice its affect until they can’t sleep. Poor sleep increases stress and makes it tough to concentrate. Whether it’s creating a regular sleeping schedule, buying a new mattress or pillow or not eating two or three hours before bedtime, it’s important to work with a physician and your loved ones at home to create a better environment for sleep.

Over 80 percent of American adults believe that not getting enough sleep leads to poor performance at work, risk for injury and poor health, and difficulty getting along with others (American Sleep Foundation).

People who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease (Reuters).

Each of these strategies sounds simple; however, committing to them and following through is the key. From quitting smoking as well as other addictive behavior including alcohol and drug abuse, to taking prescribed medicine, achieving high-quality sleep and limiting daily stress, each must be addressed and worked into your overall health plan.

I believe in an integrative approach to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. That means traditional medical care, Exercise and basic Nutrition. As individuals become more educated, they begin to make the right decisions. A longer, healthier life is dependent on the strategies above. They are tips to live by, not only as an individual, but for families and extended families. These contribute to a community and nation’s overall health.

ABOUT DR. SURKIN Lee A. Surkin M.D. completed a fellowship in cardiology at Yale University and holds a medical degree from Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pa. He also has a master's degree in Nutrition from Columbia University School of Medicine and is board certified in cardiology and nuclear cardiology. Dr. Surkin has additional training in the evaluation and management of sleep disorders from the Atlanta School of Medicine and Technology.


Reference: Treat Your Heart With Care: 5 Strategies for Improving Heart Health, CardiacWellness.com



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