Heart Healthy Practices You Can Start Today

When it comes to your heart health, there are two important points to share: (1) Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming a life every 33 seconds; (2) About 80% of heart disease is preventable.

Since February is American Heart Month, our team of skilled primary care providers at CareOne Internal Medicine and Primary Care in Houston and Katy, Texas, wants to focus on heart disease prevention here. 

And we want to do so in a way that doesn’t feel overwhelming — overhaul your diet, exercise, lose weight, quit smoking, etc. While these are the best steps toward preventing cardiovascular disease, we take a different tack in this blog and outline some actions you can start today to boost your heart health.

1. Know your numbers

It’s best to know what you’re up against, so we recommend a basic evaluation of your cardiovascular health. During this visit, we collect invaluable data, including blood pressure numbers, weight, heart rate, family history, and more. We also arrange for lab work to determine your cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels, among other things.

Establishing this baseline is important and will help direct your heart disease prevention efforts.

2. Exercise hacks

Exercise is an important part of heart disease prevention, but we’re not suggesting you become a gym rat or long-distance runner overnight. If you’re not used to an active lifestyle, there are some great ways to add exercise to your daily regimen, such as:

• Parking farther from the entrance
• Using stairs instead of escalators and elevators
• Taking a 10-minute walk after you eat
• Doing some squats while you wait for your coffee to brew

Find little ways you can start to incorporate exercise into your life and build from there.

3. Swap out one snack or meal

Yes, we want you to transition to a healthier diet, but that can be tough to do all at once. How about starting small and swapping out one snack or meal? 

Instead of chips, have nuts or carrots. Instead of a cookie or brownie, eat an apple or fruit cup. As for meals, skip the fried food and dive into a lean piece of broiled chicken or fish. Ditch the french fries for some greens.

Over time, you can build on these efforts and transition your entire diet to a healthier one that includes:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Lean proteins

A good rule of thumb is to avoid processed foods that are chock full of sugar and fat.

4. Eliminate sugary drinks

Perhaps you can try eliminating some sugary drinks today. Sodas, lattes, iced teas, cocktails — they’re all full of sugar.

5. Get good sleep

Did you know that more than half of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep? If you’re among them, make today the day you focus on better sleep, which can greatly improve your cardiovascular health. Some steps toward this goal include:

• Not bringing screens to bed
• Going to bed at the same time each night
• Practicing deep breathing or meditation to destress before bed
• Taking a warm bath or shower before bed

As you can see, preventing heart disease starts with little steps you can build on. 

For a more personalized heart health plan, contact CareOne Internal Medicine and Primary Care today to schedule an appointment. We also offer telehealth appointments.