The ABCs of senior heart health can help seniors protect the most important muscle in their bodies.
Almost 50 percent of all people in the United States have one of the three top risk factors of heart disease: high blood pressure, smoking, and high LDL cholesterol. Too many people make poor lifestyle choices each day that negatively affect their heart. Poor diet, excessive alcohol intake, and physical inactivity are just a few things that can do permanent damage. It’s easy to forget to put into practice the fundamental ways to care for our hearts, but it’s one of the most important things we can do.
Go back to the basics and protect senior heart health with the following tips:
- Avoid smoking: If you smoke; quit. If someone living in your home smokes, they should be urged to quit. It’s tough, but it’s more difficult to recover from a heart attack or stroke or to live with chronic heart disease.
- Be more active: Make sure you’re active each and every day. Research has shown that getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity on 5 or more days per week can help reduce blood pressure, lower cholesterol and maintain weight at a healthy level.
- Choose good nutrition: A healthy diet is one of the best weapons to prevent heart disease. The food we eat (and the amount) can affect other controllable risk factors such as cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure and obesity. Plan and prepare heart-healthy meals that are low in fat and cholesterol and rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
In addition, everyone should know the symptoms of an impending stroke or heart attack. Some heart attacks tend to be sudden and intense, but most of them start slowly with mild pain or discomfort combined with one or more of these symptoms:
- Chest discomfort
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body
- Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
- Other symptoms such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
Advanced Home Health Care’s experts in senior home care in Burlington and the surrounding areas are here to help older adults protect senior hearth health by making heart-healthy choices. Our fully trained and experienced care professionals are here to help with meal planning, shopping, and exercise among many other services.
We know finding the right care solution is a crucial decision. To learn more about why Advanced Home Health Care is the right choice for your family member, or to set up a free care consultation, call us today at 800.791.7785.
