Show Your Heart Some Love!

Give your heart some love this Valentine’s Day by adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle! As we celebrate American Heart Month, let’s focus on ways to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. After all, your heart is at the heart of everything you do!

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, but it can often be prevented. You can help to protect your heart and stay healthy by following these tips:

Get Enough Quality Sleep

• Aim for 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night.
• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
• Don’t exercise within 2 – 3 hours of your bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine.

Eat Better

• Read nutrition labels to pick foods lowest in saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
• Eat fish once or twice a week, and eat two or more meatless meals each week.
• Consider whole fruits, dried fruits, unsalted rice cakes, fat-free and low-fat yogurt or raw vegetables as a snack.

Stop Smoking

• Talk with your healthcare provider about programs and products to help you quit.
• Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW and visit smokefree.gov for additional support.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

• Choose healthy snacks instead of sugary or high-calorie snacks.
• Stay hydrated, with water as your primary beverage.
• Try for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity (like running) exercise per week.
• Try keeping a log of what you eat each day.

Be More Active (Anything that gets your heart beating faster counts!)

• Sit less! Take the stairs. Park farther away. Take a walk around the block.
• Adults should spend at least 150 minutes each week doing physical activity.
• Try muscle-strengthening activities like lifting weights; working with resistance bands; doing sit-ups and push-ups; or some form of yoga.
• If you don’t have a lot of spare time in your day, try being active for 10 minutes at a time.

Control Cholesterol

• Eat a heart-healthy diet that is low in saturated fats, as these can raise LDL cholesterol levels.
• Limit alcohol consumption. More than two drinks a day for men or one drink per day for women can raise a person’s total cholesterol level.

Manage Stress

• Consider meditation, yoga or relaxation techniques that focus on breathing.

Control Blood Pressure

• Use a blood pressure monitor to measure your blood pressure at home and keep a record of your numbers.
• Blood pressure that’s consistently higher than 130/80 could cause health problems.

Manage Blood Sugar Levels

• Monitor your carbohydrate intake, and eat a diet rich in whole foods. This includes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Heritage Valley's Heart & Vascular Centers

Heritage Valley’s Heart & Vascular Centers include a team of expert physicians who work with your primary care physician to help identify, manage and treat heart and vascular issues. 

The board-certified Cardiologists, Electrophysiologists, Cardiothoracic Surgeons and Vascular Surgeons of the Heart & Vascular Centers offer a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis, management and treatment of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease. Nurses and technicians are highly trained to perform cardiac and vascular testing and procedures, and individualized care is provided to meet the needs of each patient.

The physicians of Heritage Valley’s Heart & Vascular Centers are committed to being leaders in Cardiac Care. According to Dr. Kenneth House, “We value our patients' trust and confidence in us and will continue to provide high levels of care for our community. Thank you on behalf of our entire team."

Heritage Valley Heart & Vascular Centers are located in Beaver and Leetsdale. Our physicians also have offices in Calcutta, OH; Ellwood City; and Kennedy Township. To make an appointment with any of our Heart & Vascular Center Cardiologists and Electrophysiologists, please call 724-773-4502. To schedule an appointment with our Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeons, please call 724-773-8289. Click here for more information on heart and vascular health.