Listen To Your Heart by Callie Priest

Here are some things to know before we get started:

DISEASES AND CONDITIONS THAT PUT YOUR HEART AT RISK – According to the CDC these include arrhythmia, heart failure and peripheral artery disease (PAD).  High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use and secondhand smoke.  (For a full list of diseases, conditions, risk factors and other health information, visit the American Heart Association).

THE GOOD NEWS is we have the ability to not only prevent these Diseases and Conditions but also to reverse them.  Who knew that our body was so incredible?  A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight heart disease.  It is as simple as that.  Good daily food choices and a less sedentary lifestyle are the 2 best places to start. 

As Americans we have the abundant choices of whatever food we want.  There is no need to go without something you crave, because reality is it is probably right across the street from where you are in a fast food restaurant.  That has caused us to make poor choices to the things we put in our body.  It doesn’t mean we are doomed or that we should blame Heart Disease on our favorite fast food chains, but we do need to stop and take notice of what we are putting in our bodies and what it might be doing to our heart.  Listed below are some recommendations on how to lower your risk of Heart Disease related conditions.      

As you make daily food choices, base your eating pattern on these recommendations:

   * Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare them without added saturated and trans fat.

    * Select fat-free, 1% fat, and low-fat dairy products.

    * Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fat in your diet.

    * Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.

    * Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.

    * Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. All persons who have hypertension, all middle-aged and older adults, and all African-Americans should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

    * If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. That means no more than one drink per day if you’re a woman and two drinks per day if you’re a man.

    * Keep an eye on your portion sizes.

Physical activity in your daily life is an important step to preventing heart disease as well.  On average the CDC recommends that adults should be getting 2.5 hours of moderate intensity aerobic activity (i.e. brisk walking) and  muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest,  shoulders, and arms).  Back in the old days when most people worked on the farm, this physical activity was easy to accomplish.  But in our times, our lives are more sedentary with the amount of time we spend at our desk and on our computers.  All it takes though are some simple readjustments and in no time you are meeting and exceeding the recommended amount of physical activity in a week. 

DRAKE FITNESS is here to help you with the pursuit of a Healthy Heart.  Our DRAKE FITNESS trainers and staff are ready to help you get started or to help adjust your plan to reach that goal.  By joining DRAKE FITNESS you have access to our on-site Nutritionist who can help you evaluate your food choices and set a realistic plan for your lifestyle to help you combat conditions that cause Heart Disease.  Also your DRAKE FITNESS trainer will set a personalized regimen to get you active and healthy.  We have the tools to help you avoid being a Heart Disease statistic.  All it takes is the first step into the door and a passionate commitment to your Heart.  Take the first step, we will be there to help you the rest of the way. 

    Since 1963, February has been declared American Heart Health Month.  Heart Disease is the number one cause of death in America.  According to the CDC, every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event.  But more devastating is that one American every minute will die from one.  This is staggering and as Americans we know the causes and lifestyle addictions that we have that cause Heart Disease and yet for some reason are still not motivated to do anything to prevent it.  So as I type these words, I am being convicted to live the best life I can and that means taking care of myself.  Truth is…..It isn’t that hard.  It just takes some simple readjustments to our everyday schedule.  We do that anyways to make sure we are at home to watch our favorite TV shows (did anyone watch LOST the other night).  Why can’t we do it for our heart?