February is American Heart Month, and our team at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City thinks there’s no better time than now to learn all you can about heart health! And we have some tips for how you can get your heart in top shape! 3 Ways to Take Care of Your Heart According to the American College of Cardiology, one out of every three deaths in the United States is caused by heart disease. Let’s take a look at ways you can help to keep your heart healthy so that you don’t become part of that statistic! First, if you currently smoke, stop! Smoking can cause damage to the lining of your arteries, placing you at an increased risk of both heart attack and stroke. Fortunately, if you quit smoking, you can reverse the damage that you were doing to your heart. Your blood pressure and heart rate go down just 20 minutes after quitting smoking. After two to three weeks, the blood flow to your heart improves. After a year, you decrease your heart attack risk to half of what it would have been if you were still smoking. Are you ready to quit yet? Second, you need to get regular physical activity. As you work out, you are making your heart muscle stronger. According to the American Heart Association, just 40 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week can help lower the risk for heart attack and stroke. Plus, not only is exercise a great way to improve your heart health, but it also helps lower your stress level, which can also impact your heart. Exercise doesn’t always need to be in the form of walking or running. Getting into a workout routine is all about finding activities that you enjoy! Did you know that you can burn approximately 200 calories for 30 minutes of dancing? Fountain City UMC’s 15th annual Father-Daughter Dance is being held on Feb. 10, offering the perfect time to get active and make memories! Third, eat a heart-healthy diet. What exactly does this type of diet include? It’s pretty simple, actually. Fill your plate with plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins (like chicken or fish), whole grains, and healthy fats, like those found in nuts or olive oil. But a healthy diet is also about what you don’t eat. Limit your intake of sodium, sugar and saturated fats, which can all increase your risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, risk factors for heart disease. Take a look at the nutrition label to learn the essential information before putting items in your cart at the grocery store! And when you’re eating out, try to limit your consumption of fried foods or those covered in sauces, since fat and sodium are often lurking inside. When was the last time you had a wellness checkup? Visit AFC Urgent Care Fountain City today to learn how healthy your heart is—and what you can do to make it even better.
