National Heart Month

Did you know that nearly one in three adults in the United States have high blood cholesterol?

Or that having high cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke?

The good news? Heart disease is preventable when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions.

As American Heart Month, we have a few ideas of heart health resolutions that may inspire you for the rest of 2020. If you haven’t already, schedule a visit to your local health centers and hospitals since they hold free screenings and heart health awareness events.

• Choose fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains.
• Avoid processed foods and most canned foods (they are usually very high in sodium).
• Read food labels. If you can’t pronounce it, you probably don’t want it in your body.
• Cut Out Unhealthy Vices: Quit smoking or avoid second-hand smoke. Drink alcohol in moderation—one drink per day for women, two for men.

Changes that happen with age may increase a person’s risk of heart disease. Specifically, high blood cholesterol can be hard to detect, as it often shows no signs or symptoms.

A significant cause of heart disease is the buildup of fatty deposits in the walls of arteries over many years. The most common change when aging is the increased stiffness of the large arteries; this causes high blood pressure or hypertension.

If you already have high blood pressure, or hypertension, be sure to manage it by getting regular exercise, limit alcohol intake, no smoking and maintaining stress levels.

Recommended screenings for blood pressure are at least once a year.

For more information on heart disease and prevention, visit the American Heart Association or for more information about our culinary excellence visit, Guest Services Senior Living.