Heart Health – Canyon View Medical

Pathway to a Healthier Heart

Posted on February 27, 2022November 30, 2022 by Avery Dustin

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States (causing one in four deaths each year) and is much more likely to affect our health than any infectious disease. Although both heart disease and infections are mostly preventable, there’s a lot we can do every day to live a heart-healthy life. In the past couple of years, with our focus on COVID, have we neglected some other basic lifestyle and wellness principles?

Exercise: Exercise can be intimidating, and you can always think up a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t exercise—it’s hard, you don’t have time, you’ll get sweaty, people will laugh at you if you do it wrong, it’s boring, the gym is expensive, you don’t have the right shoes or clothing…the list goes on and on. Exercise is and should be challenging, which is why it benefits you. But work on making it fun and find the activity that’s right for you. Anything is better than nothing. Start small and work towards 30 minutes of physical activity at least five days a week with two days of strength training. If you can’t do 30 minutes in one block, do five minutes here and there throughout the day. Be fun and creative with your exercise. Organize a pickleball tournament with your co-workers, dance with your family, walk with a friend. You’ll get the most out of physical activities that you enjoy, and you’ll keep coming back for more.

Eat better: As with exercise, start small. Work on improving your diet a little at a time. Planning is key. Plan a healthy menu and write a shopping list to take to the store. It’s easier to stick to your nutrition goals when you have healthy choices on hand and only buy what you need. Write it down. Keeping a food journal helps you focus on what you’re doing—good and bad. Be forgiving. You can’t change what you’ve eaten, but you can make better choices moving forward. Incorporate vegetables, fruits, and whole grains into your diet. Eat fish, poultry, beans, nuts, vegetable oils, and fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Try to cut down on foods high in saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and other sweeteners. Make better fast food choices—salads, smaller “meal deals.”

Strive for a healthy weight: Your best bodyweight range is one that promotes optimal physical and mental health. You should feel strong, energized, and confident at a healthy body weight. Being overweight taxes your heart and increases your risk of having heart disease, a stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Choose healthy foods and exercise regularly to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Weight fluctuates with body size, so there’s no “ideal” body weight for all people. Everyone has a different body frame, body fat distribution, and height, all of which determine your healthiest weight range.

Quit smoking: Smoking harms your heart and blood vessels in many ways. Quitting is hard but possible and worth it. There is no single quit smoking plan that will work for everyone. Be honest about your needs. Set a quit date and ask your people for support. Stay busy. Avoid triggers. Stay positive. Consider starting a new hobby to keep your hands busy and connect you to others like sewing, knitting, woodworking, art, or music.

Reduce stress: Stress can contribute to heart risks. Practice meditation. Be physically active. Do relaxation therapy. Talk with someone you trust who might help you cope with stress. While smartphones, computers, and tablets are an unavoidable part of everyday life for many people, using them too often may increase stress levels. Cut down on caffeine. Consuming caffeine may increase your anxiety and stress if you’re sensitive to caffeine. Taking time for yourself is essential to living a less stressful, healthy life. Self-care doesn’t have to be elaborate or complicated. It simply means tending to your well-being and happiness. A sound social support system is essential for overall mental health. If you’re feeling alone and don’t have friends or family to lean on, social support groups may help. Consider joining a club or sports team or volunteering for a cause important to you.

Improve sleep: Not getting enough sleep or regularly getting poor quality sleep increases the risk of heart disease and other medical conditions. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Keep a routine—have a regular bedtime and don’t eat late at night. Stay active during the day. Optimize your sleeping place by minimizing external noise, light, and artificial lights from devices like alarm clocks or cell phones. Test different temperatures for your bedroom to find out which is most comfortable for you. Around 70°F (20°C) is best for most people. Your bed, mattress, and pillow can significantly affect sleep quality, so try to obtain high-quality bedding, including a mattress. Make sure your bedroom is a quiet, relaxing, clean, and enjoyable place. In general, the bedroom should only be used for sleep and intimacy. Relaxation techniques before bed, including hot baths and meditation, may help you fall asleep.

Know where you stand: Meet your goals by tracking how much you exercise, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers. Seeing where you are and tracking progress is motivating.

Connect with others: These goals are more fun and achievable if families and friends work together. We tend to eat and play like our friends and family, so your healthy choices may inspire those around you. People who are connected with others in a plan are more successful.

John Manwaring, PA-C

Canyon View Medical Group

References and Resources

Fun Ways to Exercise: 23 Unconventional Workout Ideas

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/index.html

https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/family-nutrition-guide/motivation-to-eat-healthy/

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-should-i-weigh#understanding-body-weight

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/17-tips-to-sleep-better

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/news-events/news/30-ways-to-get-active-exercise-fun

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/HM-2022-TakingCare-of-OurHeartsTogether-508.pdf

https://www.verywellfit.com/creative-at-home-workouts-you-can-do-today-86023

The Heart of The Matter

Posted on February 16, 2021January 13, 2023 by Avery Dustin

Ah, February! The month set aside to celebrate true love, let groundhogs predict the weather, and acknowledge that our failed New Year’s Resolutions were overly ambitious. What more could we ask of 28 days? Actually, here are a few ideas –

Did you know February is also American Heart Month? I’m not just talking about the Lonely-Hearts Club, either. I’m talking about that fantastic muscle in your chest that looks nothing like the shape we show our children. This is the month to learn how to keep your ticker ticking as long as possible.

Before you completely throw away your New Year’s goals, take a glance at them and see if there is one aimed at a healthier lifestyle. There usually is. Don’t wholly discard that one. While you may need to make some changes, it is never too late to start improving your health.

Wait! Before starting any exercise program, you should have a wellness exam by your primary care provider. While you are there, take the time to have a conversation with him/her about any family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol. You may have a genetic tendency for these conditions just because of where your ancestry. That’s something none of us can control.

Risks that increase your heart disease chance include being overweight, having high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and being inactive. With diet and exercise, many of these risk factors can be managed. Yes, sometimes we have to discuss medication, but not always. Knowing your risks early on can help you take control of the situation.

Now, a quick word about exercise. Exercise does not only mean running. If you love to run, great! For you, exercise can be running. For those of you who do not love running or can’t run, there are other options. Never underestimate the value of walking. It is easy on the joints, and you can implement intervals with this. After all, speed walking is an Olympic Sport. There are other great options. Feel free to YouTube some Yoga. Pull out all those old DVDs, then mix and mash the workouts. Just get moving once your provider gives you the go-ahead.

If February isn’t your month because you don’t get into all this Valentine’s stuff, then don’t get sucked into the candy. However, when you look at the heart designs, start to think about your heart health. Your heart is there for you on average 100,000 beats a day. Are there 1 or 2 things a day you can do in return for it?

For a list of Canyon View Family Medicine Primary Care providers, visit https://canyonviewfamilymedicine.com/providers/

Keeping “Heart Healthy”

Posted on February 27, 2020January 17, 2023 by Avery Dustin

February is appropriately named Heart Health Month. I often associate this month with Valentine’s and thoughts of love toward my wife and family. What better way to show your love for those closest to you than to do things to stay healthy?

Did you know that the number one cause of death in the United States is heart disease? What is your personal risk for heart attack? You can find out how likely you are to have a heart attack in the next 10 years by going to http://www.cvriskcalculator.com/ with these three numbers: 1) your total cholesterol, 2) your good HDL cholesterol, and 3) your blood pressure. With this information, you can easily do the calculation yourself. If you don’t know these numbers and have had these tests done, you are able to access your results via your patient portal. If you don’t remember how to access your patient portal, call our office. We can help to get you access or give you results from a previous test. If you haven’t had these tests recently, visit your doctor right away to get tested.

The recommended goal is to have a risk factor under 7.5%. If you have a percentage above that, it is recommended that you intervene with medication and/or changes in lifestyle and diet.

Here are ways to reduce your risk of a heart attack:

Controlling blood pressure: The goal is to be under 140/90. Controlling blood pressure is a great way to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Control your cholesterol: Finding out what your cholesterol numbers are is the first step. The next thing is to act on those numbers.
Don’t smoke: Smoking dramatically increases your risk for heart attack and stroke. Smoking is also a leading cause of cancer.
Diabetes: Controlling weight and increasing exercise are the best ways to prevent diabetes. Diabetes doubles your risk for heart attack, and experts recommend that everyone that has diabetes be on a statin.
Exercise regularly: The goal is to have at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. Not only do you reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke, but you also improve your physical and mental well-being.

Other general ways to improve your health include:

Adequate sleep: The recommended amount is 7-9 hours per night.
Don’t smoke: If you want to stop smoking, the state of Utah provides a free cessation program with counseling. You can reach them at 1-800-Quit-Now.
Manage stress: Stress is linked to heart disease because it raises your blood pressure. Stress can even be a “trigger” to heart attacks. Positive ways to manage stress can be exercising, journaling, meditating, drawing, and listening to music. Find something you enjoy that brings you peace and stick with that!
Have a healthy diet: What we put in our bodies has a major effect on our heart health. Try to eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, limit alcohol, and drink plenty of water. Keeping processed foods to a minimum will make your heart happier in the long run.
Maintain a healthy weight: Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease because of other heart-related factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Implementing a healthy diet with a moderate exercise schedule can greatly reduce your risk of becoming overweight or obese. Try to have a body mass index between 20 to 25. If you are curious as to what your BMI is, click on the link for a BMI calculator: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

During February show your love for your family and yourself by keeping “heart-healthy.”

Heart Healthy Nutrition – A good idea for all ages!

Posted on March 31, 2016January 13, 2023 by Avery Dustin

Heart disease is worsened because of generalized inflammation in the body. However, the inflammatory response is essential. Without it, the body can’t heal or protect itself properly but when inflammation is out of control, it can cause pain and increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Nutrition is an important, yet overlooked, aspect of life. Daily food selections can either facilitate widespread and damaging inflammation or decrease disease processes that are driven by this immune response.

In general, foods that are high in processed sugar and saturated fat promote inflammation, obesity, and disease. Here are some foods that are more ANTI-INFLAMMATORY and have the opposite effect on the body. These foods should be included in our everyday diet.

FISH: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, are high in fatty acids that decrease inflammation. They should be baked or broiled instead of breaded and fried.
DARK GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES: Spinach, kale, broccoli, and collard greens contain vitamin E. Studies have shown that vitamin E plays a key role in protecting the body from pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines.
NUTS: Nuts are rich in fiber, calcium, vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids which are all important in helping the body to fight off and repair the damage that is caused by inflammation. They are nutritious but still high in calories. This needs to be taken into account when trying to lose or regulate weight.
BERRIES: Berries contain phytochemicals (naturally occurring substance in plants) that help fight inflammation. They are also low in fat and calories but taste delicious!
WHOLE GRAINS: Whole grains contain more fiber and will help maintain blood sugar, help you to feel full longer and decrease levels of C-reactive protein (a marker of generalized inflammation) in the body.
TART CHERRIES: Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have found that tart cherry juice can reduce inflammation and help athletes improve their performance.
HERBS & SPICES: The common Asian and Indian spices of GINGER and TUMERIC have various anti-inflammatory properties. GARLIC and ONIONS have also been shown to contain anti-inflammatory chemicals to help protect the body and strengthen the immune system.
OLIVE OIL: Olive oil contains mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) which have been shown to decrease cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease. This a common component of the heart-healthy diet found in the Mediterranean region.

While nutrition cannot “cure” everything, proper nutrition can aid the body in healing and protecting itself. Incorporating healthy, anti-inflammatory foods into your everyday diet while eliminating highly processed foods is a good idea for anyone at any age!