The Smartest Valentines Know the Heart Smart Facts

Feb. 11, 2013 - PRLog -- Your heart is responsible for your overall wellness.  Protect your heart and the heart of your loved ones.  Greater risks of cardiac events start at age 45 for men and 55 for women.

Here are some tips to help you maximize heart health!  

Enjoy a well-balanced diet with lots of healthy choices every day such as:  lean meats (especially poultry & fish), whole grains, five servings of vegetables, fruits and skim milk products.  Limit fat, sugar and white flour.  Learn to season foods with spices and limit salt.  Include lots of water in your diet and limit caffeine drinks.  Avoid energy drinks.  Enjoy frequent small meals and snacks and limit large meals.
Exercise at least 30 minutes at the time for five days a week and aim for a healthy weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist line.
Enjoy a mentally relaxing hobby and limit stress.
Sleep is an important part of your revitalization.
Enjoy social activities with family, friends and pets.
Know your hereditary risks – does heart disease run in your family?
Get frequent physicals and stay current with diagnostic lab tests and procedures.
Your hard-working heart and its vessels are the source of oxygen and nutrition to your heart muscle.
If cholesterol and fat block these vessels the result is a heart attack.

Remember:   diabetics and women may not have any pain.  Symptoms of a heart attack vary greatly but may include:

Pain in chest, arms, jaw, neck or below the breast bone.
Indigestion or heaviness in chest and upper stomach.
Sweating, nausea or vomiting.
Irregular heartbeats, racing heart or even a very slow heartbeat.
Shortness of breath.
Anxiety, restlessness.
Weakness, fatigue, dizziness.
Go to the Emergency Department immediately if you experience chest pain or respiratory difficulty.  The risk of sudden death is greatest in the first two hours.  EMS can start helping you immediately.  Do not drive yourself to the hospital.  Additionally, another driver can’t help you enroute.  In fact, if you become worse enroute, there are great risks for yourself and other motorists.  Bring your medications or a current list of all medications, including vitamins and supplements.

Lucy Daniels, R.N., CEN, MICN