Did you know that one person dies every 36 seconds from heart disease in the US? That’s about 660,000 people per year.
That feels like a scary statistic. But, did you know that an estimated 80% of heart disease is preventable!?! Just because heart disease was your friend or family member’s fate doesn’t mean it has to be yours.
The key to a healthy lifestyle is preventative care. Preventative care includes any medical care and lifestyle adjustments meant to prevent illness and disease.
Read this blog to learn how to incorporate preventative care into your life and keep your heart healthy!
Small Healthy Habits
You don’t have to make major changes to see a major difference in your care. Begin your heart-healthy journey with little steps.
Dental Hygiene
You might not think so, but your dental hygiene is linked to heart health. There are bacteria in the mouth that can move into the bloodstream and increase inflammation in the blood vessels. Regularly floss, brush, and see your dentist if you want to keep your mouth and heart clean.
Sleep More
Consider this permission to hit the snooze! People over the age of 45 who sleep fewer than 6-8 hours per night are almost 2x as likely to have a heart attack. So record the late-night talk shows to watch tomorrow and head to bed!
Work Your Way Towards Water
In a large study in the US, researchers found consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages positively associated with cardiovascular disease. If soda is your vice, take small steps towards increased water intake. Regular soda to diet, diet soda to sparkling water, sparkling water to water with added flavor, and so on.
Big Healthy Habits
After you’ve made small changes towards healthy living, consider these larger healthy lifestyle habits. Each change should be broken down into achievable goals so as not to overwhelm and discourage you.
Let Food Be Thy Medicine
The Greek physician Hippocrates counseled that food can heal. Use food as a tool for wellness. You know what to do to eat more healthfully; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, etc.
But, this is in NO way encouragement to run out and start a diet. Choose one and only one step to focus on (maybe a green salad as a side instead of chips) and work on that habit until it becomes second nature. After that, pick another goal and incorporate it into your increasingly healthy lifestyle.
Your Doctor is Your Friend
Your doctor can help you work on other preventative care steps such as quitting smoking, finding the best medicines for heart failure, or other problems you may have. With your doctor by your side, you can begin to make changes towards healthy living.
Make Preventative Care a Priority
Preventative care habits are small stepping stones towards a healthy heart and a healthy life. As you break habits down into realistic goals, you will see healthy habits solidify and your life change for the better.
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