Create notes for the following passage If you are looking to improve your heart health, each day is about making a choice that moves you in the right direction. You’d rather stay in with a big bowl of ice cream. But may be today, you could turn off the television and take a walk with a friend. Overtime, changes in the heart and blood vessels can lead to a host of devastating problems, including heart attack, heart failure and stroke. On top of that, lifestyle factors, such as poor diet and a lack of physical activity, lead to one in five deaths in the US, according to a study published in 2011 in the Journal of Public Health. The good news is as the weeks and months pass, these healthy choices do pay off and make meaningful shifts in your health profile. Turning these choices into habits is well worth the time and effort. Choice by choice you could see big improvements.
Diets abound, but the classic Mediterranean diet always comes up as a winner for heart health. It’s simple to follow because it’s made up of whole, healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, olive oil and fish. In 2013, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine said switching to a Mediterranean diet can prevent 30 percent of heart attacks, strokes and heart disease deaths.
It is believed that two–and-half hours of moderate intense exercise each week promotes good heart health. To get started, visit your doctor to find out what is safe for you. Then incorporate activities you enjoy into your daily routine, whether it’s a walk in the woods, a leisurely bike ride or swimming laps at the community pool.
This may not come up at the doctor’s office, but the time we spend with friends and family does reward us with better heart health. Isolation is linked to depression and that’s linked to higher rates of heart disease. Pick up the phone and call someone. Schedule lunch with an old friend, plan a special day with younger relatives or sign up for an activity.
If you constantly feel the effects of stress in your body, it may be time to take the steps to reverse that. Scientists haven’t found definitive proof, but they believe stress could trigger inflammation, a precursor to heart disease. So go ahead and seek some joy: Laughter releases “good” HDL cholesterol. Exercise is also a proven stressbuster, and studies show mindful meditation reduces blood pressure.
Luckily, there’s a safe and affordable test that gives you the hard data on what is happening in your body: vascular screening. People who had vascular screening reported more positive changes than who weren’t screened. For example, 61 percent of screened respondents said they ate healthier food since the screening, versus the 49 percent who were not screened. Small step do make a huge difference.