Americans are more likely to die of heart disease than any other cause, but a few simple lifestyle changes could mean the difference between life and death.
February is American Heart Month, when the nation works to raise awareness about preventing the No. 1 killer of people in the United States and around the world.
“In most cases, heart disease is preventable when people adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure, getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week and getting regular checkups,” according to the American Heart Association.
Feb. 17 marks nine years since I nearly died of a heart attack. I was 48 years old and my heart stopped for six minutes. Medical professionals saved my life, and since then I’ve worked to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease.
Some factors are hereditary. A brother died of a heart attack at age 59. Even if the gene pool dealt you a bad hand there are several things you can do to improve your chances of living a long and fulfilling life.
Most important is do not smoke. You can do all the other recommended good things for your heart, but if you smoke cigarettes you might as not bother. Even if you’ve smoked for a long time, you can still benefit from quitting.
I smoked a pack a day for nearly 40 years. I quit for a while after the heart attack in 2014 but foolishly started again. I finally quit for good, hopefully. I have not smoked since September 2019. I never thought I would have the willpower to not smoke but I was wrong.
Weight is the next challenge. Overweight people may feel the strain of extra pounds on their knees and other joints. Imagine carrying around a big sack of potatoes with you everywhere you go. There’s no reason to lug that extra weight around. It can make you tire easily and prevent you for exercising and making other healthy choices.
Excess weight makes your heart work harder. Losing weight can be as difficult as quitting smoking. A lack of immediate results can discourage those who struggle to lose weight. That’s OK. I’m still overweight. I always gain pounds in the winter, especially around the holidays.
Heart health is a marathon, not a sprint. What matters is continually making progress toward a better diet and exercise routine. Start with baby steps.
Walking regularly is a great way to get fit. Exercise does not need to be strenuous to be beneficial. People walk around their neighborhoods or on forest preserve trails on nice days or at fitness centers and indoor malls during inclement weather. I challenged myself to sit a little less and move a little more each day.
Adopting a more nutritious diet can be easy, painless and delicious. A key concept is more fresh fruits and vegetables and less processed food that tends to have a lot of salt. You don’t have to eliminate red meat entirely, but you don’t want to eat cheeseburgers and French fries every day, either.
It’s all about balance. I’ve found the more you do little things to improve your heart health, the easier it becomes to live a better life. When you’re feeling good about yourself after exercising, you tend to be less inclined to want to lie on the couch and watch TV while eating pork rinds or potato chips.
Finally, I’ve found medical professionals can help you achieve your goals. I see a bunch of doctors every six months. They prescribe several medications, like a statin that helps lower my cholesterol level. I rarely forget to take my meds.
My doctors tell me I’m doing well. Three years ago I was swimming a mile three times a week but the pandemic disrupted that routine. Now I work out with weights to strengthen my upper body and do sit ups and other calisthenics that I learned in gym class as a kid.
I exercise for about an hour every day. I wouldn’t say I look forward to it. But once I get started I feel good, and I always feel great when I finish a workout.
Unhealthy lifestyles harm society as well as individuals. More than 700,000 Americans die each year from heart disease. Smoking, obesity and other factors that increase the risk of heart disease drive up health care costs for everyone.
The American Heart Association has been promoting February as American Heart Month since 1964. The group aims to increase awareness about preventing heart disease, which killed 18.6 million people worldwide in 2019.
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This year’s campaign encourages people to make healthier choices as the world emerges from the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While in lockdown, more people have engaged in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such as eating poorly, drinking more alcohol and limiting physical activity, that can contribute to heart disease,” according to the Heart Association.
Also this year, Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills has teamed up with the heart association to promote training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a Jan. 6 NFL game.
Chances of surviving a heart attack or cardiac arrest continue to improve. More and more public and private places have defibrillators, devices that can restart a heart that has stopped beating.
The key takeaway is to avoid tempting fate. A few lifestyle adjustments can greatly reduce your risk of dying from heart disease. Plus, gradual progress toward goals can help reduce stress and help make you feel better about yourself.
Ted Slowik is a columnist for the Daily Southtown.