Celebrate your heart!

February is American Heart Month, so it’s a great time to remember how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle.  Heart disease is a major killer — each year approximately one million people in the US have a heart attack and nearly half are fatal.  If you survive, a heart attack can shave 15 years off your life.  Heart disease is sneaky as well.  The majority of men and women who die suddenly of heart disease have no previous symptoms.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) heart disease is strongly influenced by lifestyle.  In 2003, two large studies confirmed that modifiable risk factors such as cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and excessive alcohol account for 90% of heart attack risk.

Follow the American Heart Association’s Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations to significantly lower your risk of having a heart attack:

• Balance caloric intake and physical activity to achieve or maintain a healthy body weight.
• Consume a diet rich in vegetables and fruits
• Choose whole-grain, high-fiber foods
• Limit your intake of saturated fat to <7%, trans fat to <1%, and cholesterol to <300mg per day by:  Choosing lean meats and vegetable alternatives; Selecting fat free, 1% fat and low-fat dairy products; minimizing intake of partially hydrogenated fats
• Minimize your intake of beverages and foods with added sugars
• Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt
• If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation.

Bob Wright, MAT
Director of Lifestyle Education

Add comment February 13th, 2008