Your heart health has a major impact on your longevity, independence, and overall quality of life. Heart disease is a leading cause of early death and loss of physical wellness in adults in the United States.
Don't wait for a heart attack or stroke to get your heart health on your radar. Now is the time to take a closer look at your habits. Could small, daily changes to your nutrition and lifestyle help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart attack, or stroke?
In this month's blog, the family medicine team at Living Water Clinic—led by primary care physician and medical director Dr. Jerry Neria—shares key habits for maintaining a healthy heart. We serve the communities of Porterville, Lindsay, Visalia, and Woodlake, California.
In honor of American Heart Month, we're sharing these six habits you can adopt to improve your heart health and maintain it for years to come.
Your heart is a muscle, and like any other muscle, regular exercise helps strengthen it. Staying physically active helps your heart pump oxygenated blood throughout your body.
Aim to exercise at least four or five days a week. Doctors recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Activities like walking, jogging, or swimming, performed regularly, keep your heart strong.
Some foods can make it harder for your heart to do its job. Your heart works to pump blood through your veins and arteries, but when your diet negatively impacts these blood vessels, your heart faces increased stress.
Foods high in unhealthy saturated fats, such as beef, bacon, coconut oil, palm oil, and full-fat dairy, can damage your veins and arteries, raising your risk of heart disease. Limit these foods and also try to cut back on sugar and sodium (salt).
A heart-healthy diet isn't just about avoiding unhealthy foods—it's about actively choosing foods that support your heart health, such as:
Rebalancing your diet with these foods can help keep your heart healthy for a lifetime.
Excessive alcohol consumption increases your risk of heart disease. You don’t have to give up alcohol entirely, but moderation is key. For heart health, women should have no more than one drink per day, and men should limit themselves to no more than two drinks daily.
Smoking cigarettes is undeniably harmful to your heart, and so is exposure to secondhand smoke. If you're a smoker, consider quitting this year for the sake of your health. Becoming smoke-free reduces your risk of heart disease and helps protect those around you.
Your primary care doctor at Living Water Clinic plays an important role in helping you track your heart health during your annual wellness visits. These checkups allow you to understand what changes you may need to make in your daily habits. If you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, or are overweight or obese, your risk of heart disease increases, and your heart health requires more attention.
Get your cholesterol checked every 4-6 years, monitor your blood pressure regularly after age 18, and have your blood glucose tested regularly after age 45. Men face higher heart disease risks after age 45, and women’s risks increase after age 55. Additionally, a family history of heart disease means you need to be extra vigilant with your heart health.
To learn more about your heart disease risk and what changes you can make to stay healthy, contact our family practice today. Call your nearest Living Water Clinic location:
Porterville: 559-784-5483
Lindsay: 559-562-1361
Visalia: 559-635-1746
Woodlake: 559-564-1100
Providers: Dr. Arthur Molina, Dr. Mario Ochoa, Alma and Jose Corvera
