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heart health
Y
ou may say that you hope
never to have a heart attack.
But you can do a lot
more than hope. You can take
action.
Healthy habits help prevent
heart disease and heart attack.
Start with these important steps:
Avoid tobacco.
Smoking is a
huge risk factor for heart disease.
All forms of tobacco smoke can
hurt your heart, including:
Cigarettes.
Cigars.
Pipes.
Secondhand smoke.
If you smoke, talk to your
Provider for help in quitting.
Be more active.
Exercise helps
keep the heart and blood vessels
healthy. It also helps control other
problems that can affect heart
health, like high blood pressure
and high cholesterol.
To do your heart the most
good, try to exercise for 30
minutes on five or more days of
the week.
Even a little exercise is good for
you. If you aren’t active now, try
five minutes of exercise to start.
Gradually add more until you are
doing 10 minutes, then 15 and so on.
If you find it hard to fit in a
TAKE HEART
Know the risks, signs
of heart attack
longer workout, even 10-minute
chunks of activity can add up in
favor of your heart.
Talk to your Provider before
getting started if you haven’t
exercised in a while or have other
health issues.
Choose good nutrition.
Poor
eating habits can lead to problems
that harm the heart. You might
gain too much weight or develop
high blood pressure or diabetes.
Go for heart-smart foods, such as:
Fruits and veggies.
Whole-grain and high-fiber foods.
Fish and lean protein.
Low-fat or nonfat dairy products.
Know the signs.
You can save
a life by
knowing
heart attack
signs and
getting help
right away.
Call 911 for:
Chest discomfort that lasts more
than a few minutes or comes and
goes. This may feel like pressure,
fullness, squeezing or pain in the
middle of the chest.
Discomfort in other parts of the
upper body, such as one or both arms
or the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath. This may
happen before or along with chest
discomfort.
Other signs can include cold
sweat, nausea or light-headedness.
Remember, it is never too early—
or too late—to get on track to a
healthy heart.
Source: American Heart Association
Learn more about heart health at
winning
health
member services:
888-301-1228
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