Top heart health resolutions for 2020

Posted

Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside

 

It happens to the best of us — we start off the year hoping to make big changes, only to quit our New Year’s resolutions by February. Fortunately, making heart-healthy changes doesn’t have to be unmanageable. Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, but at least 80% of cardiac events are preventable.

With your New Year's resolutions still on your mind, now is the perfect time to take control and start off the new decade with a healthy heart.

 

Know your heart health and monitor it

 

The first place to start is to know where you stand with your heart health. An easy step is to schedule regular appointments with your physician to check numbers such as your weight, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and more. Knowing where you stand can help you set healthy goals.

Personal technology has also advanced significantly in recent years to help you monitor your heart health from home. Apps and devices such as the EKG-grade Kardia band by AliveCor allow you to keep track of your progress and can alert you when your heart may be in an irregular rhythm. Recently, the Apple Heart Study, in partnership with Stanford, showed that the Apple Watch may also be able to detect atrial fibrillation, or “AFib”, a common heart arrhythmia.

However, it’s still incredibly important to have your doctor remain a part of the process, especially if you are seeing irregularities. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to preventing serious heart complications that can stem from AFib, including stroke. Patients should always keep their physicians in the loop, and an app should never replace your doctor, as sometimes the automatic interpretations on home heart monitors can be incorrect and may require physician oversight.

 

Commit to eating healthier

 

Eating a healthy diet is crucial to nourishing your heart. But, with all the fad diets today promoting major diet overhauls, it can be hard to know where to begin and even harder to succeed. When it comes to a heart-healthy diet, the important thing is to maintain balance. A Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins and whole grains has been shown to promote weight loss and reduce the risk of heart disease. Salmon, chicken, asparagus, spinach, brown rice and almonds are all great examples of heart-healthy foods. At the same time, you want to limit high-fat foods, such as red meat, cheese and baked goods. Also limit high-sodium foods, such as canned or processed foods.

 

Find ways to relieve stress

 

Stress is linked to a whole host of health problems, including heart disease. Stress can tighten blood vessels and damage arteries, raising blood pressure and increasing risk for conditions like AFib, stroke and heart failure. The good news is that you can take steps to reduce your stress that will improve both your mental and physical wellbeing. Committing to regular exercise is a heart-healthy habit, and research shows that people who exercise report fewer days of bad mental health. Even if it’s just a simple walk, moving your body can work wonders for your heart and your stress levels. Finding time each day for stress-reducing hobbies like gardening, reading a book, meeting with a friend, playing with pets or listening to music can have significant positive impacts on your heart as well. Yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercises are great stress-reducing activities, too. The key is to find what makes you feel good and make it a practice.

 

Take control of your heart health

 

This year, resolve to make a few small changes that can add up to big improvements for your heart. Work with your doctor to create a plan you can stick to, and let’s make 2020 the start of our best decade yet.

 

Dr. Anthony Magnano is a Ponte Vedra resident and cardiologist at Ascension St. Vincent’s Riverside. For more information on Dr. Magnano and his specialty treating Atrial fibrillation, visit Healthcare.ascension.org.