In addition to a heart healthy diet (you can find diet information here), there are certain lifestyle choices that you will need to modify to live a longer, healthier life.
Fitness
The American Heart Association Guidelines (2011a) suggest that you dedicate 150 minutes every week to moderate exercise. This equals approximately 30 minutes a day. To those who lead mostly sedentary lifestyles, the change to incorporate fitness may be intimidating. Walking is an excellent first step to achieving your fitness goals. The American Heart Association offers a webpage resource (www.startwalkingnow.org) to help you track your progress, find support in your community members who have joined the effort, and even find walking paths near you.
McMurray (2010, p. 235), cited a study by O'Connor et al. on the benefits of exercise in heart failure, stating that "tailored, structured, aerobic exercise was safe and improved functional capacity and quality of life in patients with heart failure... [and] may reduce the risk of death and hospitalization for heart failure."
It has been said that it takes 21 days to create a habit. Set a short-term goal for yourself and dedicate 30 minutes every day for 21 days. By committing to this goal, you'll find a scheduled time that works for you and possibly recruit loved ones to enjoy a healthier lifestyle!
Routine Immunizations
Kaplan (as cited by Chong & Street, 2008, p. 1136) completed a study on more than 620,000 hospital admissions for community-aquired pneumonia. The study found that those with an underlying illness, such as congestive heart failure, had a mortality rate of 11.6% (Chong & Street, 2008, p. 1136). Ask your doctor if receiving vaccinations such as the flu and pneumonia injections are appropriate for you to reduce the risk of hospital admission for acquired flu and pnuemonia.
Smoking
While it often bears no repeating, smoking is one of the most preventable contributor to disease. According to the American Heart Association (2011b), smoking causes:
- Increased risk of coronary artery disease
- Decreases tolerance of physical activity
- Increases risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and death
- Increases risk of aortic aneurisms
- Increases risk of peripheral artery disease
- Decreases good cholesterol
Talk to your doctor about how to quit smoking. He or she may be able to assist you with nicotine replacement products or prescriptions to help reduce your urges to smoke.
The video below is a motivational and educational video to help you quit smoking