Spread the Heart Truth

February is National Heart Month, so it seems like a good time to ask, What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "heart attack?"

People of a certain age may think of Redd Foxx's portrayal of Fred Sanford on "Sanford and Son."  In the 1970s, Foxx could be seen regularly on TV clutching his chest as he faked a heart attack and shouted to his deceased wife, "This is the big one!  Hang on, Elizabeth , I'm coming to join you!"

This may have made for funny television, but that type of scene plays right into society's misperception that only elderly men suffer from heart disease or stroke.

Here's a statistic for you:  While heart disease and stroke kill one in every 3.7 men, one in 2.4 women lose their lives to heart disease and stroke.  They are the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of women.  By way of comparison, breast cancer kills one in 29 women. Since this is love your heart month, take a look at your life and make a promise to love and protect your heart today.

Only you can love your heart. There are some risk factors for heart disease you can control:

• High blood pressure. This condition can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Smoking. If you smoke, your risk of developing coronary heart disease is two to four times that of nonsmokers.
• High cholesterol. The higher your total blood cholesterol, the greater your risk of coronary heart disease.
• Physical inactivity. Lack of physical activity increases your risk of coronary heart disease.
• Obesity or overweight. If you have excess body fat — especially at the waist — you're more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
• Diabetes. Having diabetes increases your risk of heart disease and stroke, especially if your blood sugar is not controlled.

There are other risk factors to be aware of — talk to your doctor about how your age, race and heredity may affect your risk for heart disease.

So here are the guidelines for a Healthy Heart:  

For a Heart-Healthy Diet:

What you need to do for a Heart-Healthy Diet:

Limit the amount of red meat you eat each week

Eat fish and skinless poultry, avoid saturated fats, eat more steamed, baked, broiled or stewed dishes

Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables

Know your target weight

Know your target cholesterol level

To Keep Your Heart Strong With Exercise:

Begin an exercise program that's at least 20 minutes long, three or more times a week. Work with your doctor to tailor the program to your needs. 

To Reduce Your Blood Pressure:

Maintain a Healthy weight

Exercise Regularly

Cut back on salt

Check your blood pressure regularly

Take blood pressure if necessary

Know your target blood pressure

To Cut Back on Stress:

Learn Stress Management Techniques and avoid stressful situations

To Reduce the Heart Disease risks of smoking:

Quit smoking by joining a stop-smoking class, support group, and/or get help from your doctor to quit