Follow five simple tips for a healthier heart

As we near the end of February, it’s important to remember that the threats from heart disease don’t go away after “American Heart Month” is over.

In fact, heart disease is a leading cause of death for men and women. Often, it is a silent disease that you may not understand until damage has been done.

But you can take steps to keep your heart healthy as possible with some simple changes that include eating better and getting more exercise.

Here are five simple tips for a healthier heart:

A Get moving: We know there are lots of reasons that people give for not working out: kids, jobs, meetings, other obligations. But a half-hour walk around your neighborhood or a quick stroll at lunch can provide tremendous benefits. It reduces stress, gives you more energy, and it’s good for your heart.

By exercising for as little as 30 minutes each day, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week. Exercise can be any physical activity that makes you move your body and burn calories, such as climbing stairs or playing sports.

Aerobic exercises, which include walking, jogging, swimming or biking, strengthen your heart.

Strength and stretching exercises are best for overall stamina and flexibility.

A Eat well: Load your diet with fruits and vegetables, whole-grain foods that contain fiber, and fish. We’re not saying you have to miss out on your favorite treats, but please eat them sparingly. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables help you control your weight and your blood pressure.

The AHA recommends cutting back on foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.

Aim to eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.

A Maintain a healthy weight: Weight gain in adulthood usually comes in the form of fat rather than muscle. And excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease. That includes high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

A How do you know your healthy weight? Talk to your doctor. You also can figure out your body mass index (BMI) using your height and weight.

BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fat for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides an online calculator at www.cdc.gov.

To calculate your BMI value yourself, multiply your weight in pounds by 703, divide by your height in inches, then divide again by your height in inches.

Waist circumference is also a useful tool to measure abdominal fat. In general, men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is more than 40 inches. And women, in general, are overweight if their waist measurement is more than 35 inches, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

If you’re overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk for heart disease by successfully losing weight and keeping it off.

When you come up with a fitness and nutrition plan to lose weight, it’s crucial to understand your recommended calorie intake. Then evaluate the amount of food calories you’re consuming verses the energy calories you’re burning with different levels of physical activity.

It’s a matter of balancing healthy eating (caloric energy) with the (molecular) energy that leaves your body through a healthy level of exercise.

A Stop smoking: This is one of the most significant risk factors for heart disease. It also causes other health problems that you don’t want.

People who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day have more than twice the risk of a heart attack than non-smokers. And here’s why: The nicotine in cigarettes decreases oxygen to the heart, increases blood pressure and heart rate, increases blood clotting and damages cells that line the coronary arteries and other blood vessels.

A Quitting is hard: During the quitting process, sometimes people slip and have a cigarette. It’s important not to feel like you failed at quitting, and understand that you just give it another chance.

Washington offers Quit Line, a free hotline for phone counseling and support, quit plans, tips and tools. Call 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669), Spanish: 877-NO-FUME, TTY: 877-777-6534 or visit www.quitline.com.

A Get a checkup. Checking in with your health care provider on a regular basis gives you an independent assessment of your health. Your provider can check your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other indicators and help you take steps to become healthier.

With your health care provider, you can make good decisions about diet and exercise. If you follow these steps, you may help keep your heart healthy longer.

Dr. Uma Krishnan is a cardiologist and chief of outpatient outreach for cardiovascular services at MultiCare Health System, which includes MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup.