Take Control of Your Heart Health

February 13, 2015

Maybe you like eating beef five nights a week. Or perhaps all those extra hours you log at work have kept you away from your workout for years.

As a result, you’re carrying around a little more weight than you used to. And you worry whether you will follow in the footsteps of family members who have experienced a heart attack or a stroke.

If some – or all – of these scenarios sound familiar, you may be at higher risk for heart disease, a condition that claims the lives of roughly 600,000 people in the United States very year. The good news is, you can take steps to protect your cardiovascular health.

“People need to remember that moderate lifestyle changes – like following healthier diet and exercise plans and taking medications as recommended – can greatly reduce your risk of future heart disease,” says Travis Lehman, DO, internal medicine physician with the HRMC Physicians Clinic. “I see a huge quality of life difference between patients who adopt healthier habits and those who do not.”

Making these changes doesn’t have to be a chore. Establishing better habits may be as simple as reducing salt consumption, eating more fruits and veggies, and taking walks with family or friends a few days every week.  

Have fun with it! Your heart will thank you.