Life's Simple 7 American Heart Association

Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease: Life’s Simple 7

Life's Simple 7 American Heart Association

A couple of weeks ago I walked into an urgent care clinic for a flu test! My husband was diagnosed with Influenza A and a few days later, so was my son. I was set to travel to the east coast the following day and wasn’t feeling awful, but definitely not 100%. When I  sat dow to get my vitals take, I was floored.  My blood pressure was sky high! Yes, I was stressed over the fact that I may have the flu, I still had to pack for my trip etc, but after they took it a third time and it barely budged, I started thinking about my family history of heart disease. My older brother has high blood pressure, so does my dad and my mom! It got me thinking. Am I doing everything I can to remain heart-healthy? Can I control heart-related complications?

Since February is “heart month” the American Heart Association looks to increase awareness surrounding heart health. According to this article: Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women despite their ethnicity. I wasn’t ready for the staggering statistics. Did you know? One person dies every 37 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease. And about 647,000 Americans die from heart disease each year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.

In a mission to combat the heart disease crisis we are currently facing the  American Heart Association created the “Life’s Simple 7” plan to help you prevent heart disease. Life’s simple 7 focuses on managing blood pressure, controlling cholesterol, reducing blood sugar, exercising regularly, healthy eating, weight management and not smoking to help decrease your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease includes: coronary heart disease (narrowing of the arteries), heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure.

According to Theodore Feldman, M.D., medical director of prevention and community health at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute at Baptist Health South Florida says: “by focusing on all of these areas, you actually decrease your risk of developing heart disease by a whopping 90 percent!”

Life’s Simple 7 have been researched in a variety of studies and not only has the research proven the vast reduction in heart related complications, but following LS7 also decreases your risk of cancer — as well as diabetes, obesity and chronic lung disease — by 50 percent to 80 percent.

SO today, I am here to share a condensed version of Life’s Simple 7 brought to you by Baptist Health South Florida and the AHA:

Manage Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke. When pressure is elevated your heart, arteries and kidneys have to work overtime to keep up. Managing your blood pressure will keep you healthier long.

Control Cholesterol

When cholesterol builds up, it can block your arteries which in turn blocks blood flow. You can control your cholesterol by decreasing your intake of saturated fat and eliminating trans fat,  all while increasing your intake of fiber and omega-3 “healthy fats”.

Reduce Blood Sugar

Most of the food we consume turns into simple sugar to be used for energy. Over time though, high levels of blood sugar from sweets and processed foods can tax the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. Control blood sugar by choosing complex, fiber filled carbohydrates like oatmeal and fibrous vegetables. Decrease your intake of processed white-flour sweets.

Get Active

Plain and simple, physical activity is exercise for your heart. The more you exercise, the more you increase the length of your life. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week.

Eat Better
A healthy diet is one of your best weapons for fighting cardiovascular disease. When you eat a heart-healthy diet, you improve your chances for feeling good and staying healthy – for life! Learn how to eat better. This lot’s of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and tons of water!

Lose Weight

Losing weight is so much more about staying healthy as opposed to your outward physical appearance. Losing weight will help decrease the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels and skeleton. Living active can also help lower your blood pressure and increase your confidence!

Stop Smoking
Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a much higher risk of developing lung or other cancers. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health.

There you have it! Life’s simple 7! Let’s all tackle heart health one healthy choice at a time.

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