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Lakewood, NJ ---- American Heart Month
is a great time to take a closer look at your heart health. Knowing
your risk factors and making simple lifestyle changes can greatly
improve your risk of developing heart disease.
“Heart disease is preventable. Taking steps to incorporate
a heart-healthy lifestyle can greatly improve your overall heart
health and dramatically reduce your risk of heart disease,” explains
Samir Jain, MD, FACC, a cardiologist on staff at Kimball Medical
Center. “Several risk factors can contribute to whether
or not you develop heart disease.”
Risk factors for heart disease include: gender, family history,
age, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, physical
inactivity and diabetes.
The most significant and modifiable risk factor is high blood
pressure. “The only way to know if you’re at risk is
to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis,” says
Dr Jain. Normal blood pressure readings are generally around 120/80. High
blood pressure is usually controllable with lifestyle changes and
sometimes with medication.
In addition to high blood pressure, other modifiable risk factors
for heart disease include high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, physical
inactivity and diabetes. In order to reduce these risk factors
for heart disease, Dr. Jain recommends the following heart healthy
tips:
· Know your cholesterol level. Have
your cholesterol checked annually. If your cholesterol is 200 or
above, consider adopting a low-fat diet and increasing your activity
level. Pay particular attention to your LDL or your “bad
cholesterol” level and talk to your doctor about how to reduce
your numbers.
· Quit Smoking. According to the
American Heart Association, smokers may be up to four times more
likely to develop heart disease compared to nonsmokers.
· Watch your weight. Being overweight
significantly increases your risk of developing heart disease.
In fact, the heavier you are, the higher your risk. Losing five
to ten percent of your body weight can help reduce your risk for
heart disease.
· Eat heart-healthy foods. Your
diet has a major impact on your risk for developing heart disease.
Reduce greasy, fried and fatty foods, and limit red meat in your
diet. Increase fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats such as
poultry and seafood, and add foods that are high in fiber.
· Increase physical activity. Exercise
helps make your heart stronger, more efficient and improves circulation.
It also helps control other risk factors including obesity, diabetes,
high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
· Keep blood sugar under control. If
you have diabetes, chronic high blood sugar can narrow your arteries
and increase your risk for heart disease. People with diabetes
also tend to have lower levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and increased
levels of triglycerides (blood fats), adding to your risk for heart
disease.
“Heart disease and stroke pose a major health threat for
millions of Americans,” says Dr. Jain. “However, there
are many ways to reduce our risk factors and prevent heart disease.
It is never too early and never too late to start taking care of
your heart. Becoming aware of your risk factors and making
healthy lifestyle changes can make a huge impact on your heart
health in the future,” he adds.
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Samir Jain or to another cardiologist
on staff at Kimball Medical Center, please call the Barnabas Health Care Link at 1-888-724-7123.
Date: February 16, 2009
CONTACT: Carrie Cristello
Director, Public Relations
732-923-6552
ccristello@barnabashealth.org
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