Prevention is Key to Heart Health
Did you know that over 500,000 Americans die each year from heart disease? That makes it the single leading cause of death, claiming more lives annually than all cancers combined. Your best bet for prevention is to assess, manage and control your risk of heart disease and stroke. This summer, make your heart’s health your number one priority.
Know Your Numbers!
Being proactive is the best strategy for preventing heart disease. Regular screenings for heart disease can determine your risk and help guide you through a medical program to reduce it. Screening for heart disease involves identifying the following risk factors:
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes, glucose intolerance, or “metabolic syndrome”
- High blood pressure
- Family history of heart disease, stroke, or cardiovascular disease
Keeping a Heart-Healthy Diet this Summer
In addition to regular screenings, maintaining a healthy diet can also help you reduce the three major risk factors for heart attack -- high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure and excess body weight. Summer is the best time of the year to explore the heart-healthy benefits of a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The American Heart Association suggests these healthy eating tips to decrease your risk of heart disease:
- Try a fruit salad. Take advantage of fresh, locally produced fruit during the summer months. Strive for five servings of fresh fruit each day.
- Eat more vegetables. Summer is the perfect time for eating crisp salads or trying vegetable kabobs on the grill.
- Eat lean meat, fish, or chicken. At your next barbeque, use lean ground turkey for your burger. Or substitute your usual steak with a piece of grilled chicken or a filet of fish.
- Keep saturated fats to a minimum. Use lower-fat versions of your favorite salad dressings, or try a citrus-based vinaigrette to cut out the fat but not the flavor.
- Include beans and nuts for protein. Top your summer salads with heart-healthy walnuts or almonds instead of croutons. Chick peas and kidney beans can also spice up a salad while adding more protein and fiber to your diet.
- Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Substitute mayonnaise with the low-fat version or yogurt when preparing your potato salad and coleslaw recipes.
The Vascular Medicine Program and Lipid Disorders Program offer a multidisciplinary approach to help patients assess, manage and reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. Penn offers the region’s largest and most well-known program for the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease. Our expert cardiologists can provide comprehensive individual programs designed to fit a patient’s lifestyle.
For more information on heart disease prevention programs or to schedule an appointment with a Penn Heart and Vascular physician, call 1-800-789-PENN or visit our website at www.pennmedicine.org/heart.
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