Show Your Heart Some Love: 3 Ways to Improve Cardiovascular Health

February is filled with hearts. So it’s a perfect time to make sure you show your own heart some love. 

Both women and men need to focus on their heart health, especially as they age. Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer in the United States.

Our medical experts at Gorman Medical, PC, would like you to adopt some heart-healthy habits this Valentine’s Day. Charles Ripp, MD, Fran Gorman, DNP, and the rest of our team offer heart health care at our Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek, Colorado, offices. 

How can you show your heart some love for Valentine’s Day and beyond? After quitting smoking, here are the next top three ways.

1. Skip the candy and wine

Although chocolates, candies, and wine seem to go hand-in-hand with Valentine’s Day, your heart benefits when you stop or drastically reduce your consumption of alcohol and sugar.

According to the World Heart Federation (WHF), no amount of alcohol is safe for your heart. Alcohol raises your blood pressure by a small amount, but it could be just enough to trigger a stroke or another adverse event. Alcohol also raises the risk of a number of cancers.

Too much sugar in your diet can tax your pancreas and cause insulin resistance, leading to diabetes. Worse, a recent study in JAMA found that diets high in sugar raise your risk for a fatal cardiovascular event.

Does all this make your heart feel heavy? Don’t worry: There’s a world of flavors and real foods out there that can help you find delicious alternatives.

Experiment with heart-healthy diets through cookbooks and meal plans. Restaurants may be a good place to take a taste of cultures that tend to have heart-healthy eating plans, such as:

• Mediterranean
• Mexican
• Japanese
• Indian
• Ethiopian
• Moroccan
• Nordic

You can adapt the dishes you find to be even more heart-healthy when you cook them at home. You could also try the DASH diet, which was designed with heart health in mind.

2. Get up off of your knee

It may be romantic to propose on Valentine’s Day, but your heart likes a little more action than simply kneeling. A great gift for your heart is to find a variety of exercises and activities that keep it pumping.

Think about the activities you loved as a kid and incorporate them into your daily regimen. Try:

• Dancing
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Running
• Joining a sports team
• Hiking
• Strolling with friends

Get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as fast walking, per week, says the American Heart Association (AHA). Or, go for 75 minutes of more vigorous exercise, such as running or dancing. Ideally, do a combination of both.

Resistance exercise builds strong muscles, and that includes your heart muscle. Lift weights, use resistance bands, or just use your own body weight at least two days per week. If you haven’t exercised in a while, make sure you tell us your plans so we can OK your new regimen and be sure it’s right for you.

And get up off that knee or butt. Sitting for long periods of time is bad for your heart. Stand up, stretch, and stroll every 30-60 minutes.

3. Gift your heart some tests

An annual physical includes a number of tests that lets us determine how healthy your heart is. They also alert us to risk factors you may have that could put you at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We evaluate your:

• Body mass index (BMI) 
• Waist circumference
• Blood pressure 
• Cholesterol and lipid profile
• Fasting blood glucose level

If you have any cardiovascular symptoms, such as chest pain or shortness of breath, we may recommend other tests, such as an electrocardiogram (EKG) or a stress test. Once we have a clear picture of your heart health, we then recommend any lifestyle changes or medications you may need.

Show your heart some love by scheduling a physical today. Call our nearest office or use the online booking form.