Category: Heart Disease Facts

Happy Heart Month: Tips for a Heart Healthy Lifestyle

February 1st, 2012

February is Heart Month, so commit (or recommit) to a heart healthy lifestyle today!  We have included a few tips below to help you on your journey. 

• Engage in regular moderate aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes five days a week or more vigorous workouts at least 20 minutes three times a week.  Find a workout buddy, get up and get moving! 
• Maintain a normal body weight and adopt a diet low in salt, saturated and transfats and high in unsaturated fats (fish, avocado, etc.) like the Mediterranean Diet.

• Take fish oil supplements. 
• Limit alcoholic intake to no more than 1/2 to 1 drink per day for women and 1-2 drinks per day for men. 
• Avoid smoking and recreational drug use. 
• Know your blood pressure.  72 million Americans over age 20 have high blood pressure.  Blood pressue over 140/90 mmHg and over 130/80 mmHg in diabetics increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, and kidney damage.  
• Know your cholesterol.  High levels (over 100 mg/dl) of LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or “bad cholesterol”, are dangerous, and low levels (under 40 mg/dl in men and under 55 mg/dl in women) of HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or “good cholesterol”, increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Nearly 40 million Americans have high cholesterol levels.  
• Know your family medical history.  Family history is an important risk factor in heart disease.  If you don’t know, ASK! 
• Schedule regular medical check-ups with a trusted physician who can help you identify your risk factors for heart disease.  He or she can also recommend diagnostic exams and other protective steps such as a daily aspirin or other medications to control cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.  

Click here for a brief video of Dr. P.K. Shah discussing the importance of a general cardiologist in guiding patients through
heart disease treatment. 

• Stress, depression, and negative emotions have also been linked to an increased risk of heart disease.  Find those activies which bring you joy and peace, and make them a part of your daily routine. 
• Avoid hormone replacement unless you have severe menopausal symptoms. 
• Know the symptoms of a heart attack, and learn CPR.  You never know when you might be called upon to help save a life.

Support the The Heart Foundation
as we work to eradicate heart disease by educating the public about this silent killer, promoting early detection and supporting the research of world-renowned cardiologist Dr. P.K. Shah in the quest to find a cure.

New York Jets Mark Sanchez Adds His Voice to the Fight Against Women’s Heart Disease

December 23rd, 2011

Heart disease is the #1 killer of both men AND women in the US.  New York Jets player Mark Sanchez helps spread the word that women’s heart attack symptoms can differ from men in a new video from CBS Cares.  Click here to view the video.  Then visit The Heart Foundation’s webpage on Women and Heart Disease at http://www.theheartfoundation.org/information-on-women-and-heart-disease/ to learn more.  Spread the word and save lives!

Top 10 Myths About Cardiovascular Disease

August 25th, 2011

Check out this great article by the American Heart Association on the Top 10 Myths About Cardiovascular Disease.  When you are finished reading, please link to this blog post or repost on your social media and spread the word.  Heart disease is the #1 cause of death for both men and women in the United States.  By sharing this information, you may save a life!

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Top-10-Myths-about-Cardiovascular-Disease_UCM_430164_Article.jsp

Happy Heart Health Awareness Month!

February 1st, 2011

February is Heart Health Awareness Month, and we here at The Heart Foundation encourage you to take advantage of this special time to make or renew your commitment to a heart-healthy lifestyle.  Make an appointment with your physician today to review your heart disease risk factors.  Check out the Reducing Your Risk page of our website for ideas for improving heart health, and be sure to pass on this information to others.  Information is very powerful, and you never know whose life you might save.

Inspire others with your ideas and actions.  Share with us what you are doing for Heart Month, and we will post some of the responses here in the blog.

One more thought . . . think you are immune to heart disease?  Here are a few starting reminders of the gravity of this public health issue:

*Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States, claiming approximately 1 million lives annually.

*More die of heart disease than of AIDS and all cancers combined.

*Every 33 seconds someone in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease which is roughly the equivalent of a September 11^th-like tragedy repeating itself every 24 hours, 365 days a year.

Don’t waste another minute!  Celebrate your heart today!

Information on Women and Heart Disease

August 8th, 2010

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women although many women continue to think of heart disease as a man’s disease.  It is time to get the word out!  Following are links to some resources specifically about women and heart disease. More…

Heart Attack Risk Calculators & More!

August 6th, 2010

Please note that these surveys do not guarantee accurate results nor are they a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Check out the following surveys to test your heart attack risk and knowledge of what to do in case of heart attack. More…