It’s a good idea to get expert guidance during American Heart Month. Here is some expert advice to keep your heart healthy.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., but according to experts, it may be preventable. Steven Levin, MD, a cardiovascular surgeon at Prevea Health, explains that making small lifestyle changes can have a big impact.
“You don’t have to go out and run five miles, just walk, just get on a stationary bike or something,” says Levin. “As long as you are moving and set your goals relatively mild to start with and slowly build up, any movement is beneficial for people.”
Expert Recommendations
While some risk factors like family history are out of your control, there are plenty of factors you can manage. In fact, some experts say that lifestyle habits have a bigger impact on your heart than genetics.
“A lot of heart disease is preventable,” says Jennifer Haythe, MD and cardiologist at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia. “If people take care of their hearts in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, they may never need to see a cardiologist for most of their lives.”
In other words, don’t wait until you start having heart problems late in life – start taking care of your health now. The following are three recommendations by experts that you can follow to improve your heart health and keep it healthy.
1. Make Exercise Part of Your Life
Instead of leaving your workouts for the weekend, make them a regular part of your weekly routine. According to the American Heart Association, most adults should be getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
2. Get Annual Physicals
While you may not want to visit your doctor until you’re sick, you shouldn’t wait; get annual physical examinations. By doing these, your doctor can monitor your health conditions and if have any factors or symptoms of heart disease.
3. Consider the DASH Diet
There are two diets that are popularly recommended by health experts: the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH diet. “Making dietary changes like avoiding unhealthy saturated fat will help create a heart-healthy life,” says Annapoorna Kini, MD, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at The Mount Sinai Hospital.
The Outlook
These are only some of the things you need to keep in mind as you work to improve your heart health. You should also minimize and manage your stress, avoid smoking, limit alcohol intake, and get the right amount of sleep.
In addition, you can give your heart health an extra boost by taking supplements like L-arginine Plus. Its ingredients are effective at promoting nitric oxide, a molecule that dilates blood vessels and improves circulation.
If you’re ready to give your heart the support it needs, then follow these expert recommendations and take L-arginine Plus.