With the arrival of American Heart Month now in February, it’s that time of the year to remind ourselves to take good care of our hearts.
To that end, cardiologists from the UCLA Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Health Program, point out lifestyle factors that can help lower heart disease risk in both men and women.
“In addition to following a healthy diet and staying active, there are other things that we can do every day to help protect our hearts such as staying socially connected and getting enough sleep,” said Dr. Karol Watson, director of the heart program.
Watson, who is also a professor of medicine, division of cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, says that as a country we’re making good strides in that fewer Americans are dying from heart disease, but it still remains the nation’s number one killer.
Here Are Some Lifestyle Tips:
1. Stay active. All activities that get your heart rate up count (mowing the lawn, walking around the block, strenuous housework). Thirty minutes per day of physical activity is the goal.
Dr. Tamara Horwich, co-director of the UCLA Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Health Program, notes that every little bit counts:
“Daily activity doesn’t all have to be done in one block. Adding 10 minutes here and five minutes there equals 15 minutes. It all adds up during the day,” said Horwich, who is also an associate professor of medicine in the cardiology division at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
