February is National Heart Month and there will be many articles on how to improve your heart health and reduce your risk of heart disease. Note that if you have diabetes or are pre-diabetic, your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol is even higher. Some researchers indicate that it is better to get your blood pressure and cholesterol under control then work on your glucose levels. Check with your physician for the best protocol.
Research shows that you can control one or more of these risk factors if you elicit help from a friend, family member or professional. Everyone can benefit from these simple choices, so find a partner and see if you can make some healthy choices:
- Get regular check-ups to monitor your health
- Measure your blood pressure and test lipids (cholesterol)
- If you are overweight, take control and start to lose pounds gradually
- Take all prescribed medicine as directed
- Get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise
- Quick smoking
- Modify your diet to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish
- Read food labels to minimize food high in saturated fats & cholesterol
- Limit your salt intake to 2300mg/day. Most of this comes from processed foods
- Drink in moderation – men: 2 drinks/day and women: 1 drink/day
- meditate
- prioritize and delegate tasks to reduce stress
- limit distractions or focus on less stressful events
- grill, steam or roast your food
- reduce portion sizes – try a smaller plate
- exercise in short bursts – 3×10 minute intervals = 30 minutes of recommended exercise and is just as effective