To avoid heart disease, the American Heart Association suggests the following steps:
- Have your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure can foster the buildup of fatty deposits in the blood vessels, called atherosclerosis. To control high blood pressure, follow your doctor's advice. Get your blood pressure checked for FREE at the Weber-Morgan Health Department on Friday, February 20th from 9-11 am. You'll also receive a FREE red dress pin!
- If you smoke, quit. Nicotine constricts blood flow to the heart, decreases oxygen supply to the heart, and seems to play a significant role in the development of coronary artery disease. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to sign up for smoking cessation counseling. Once completed, you can submit for 2 hours of vacation. Be sure to mention you'll need a certificate of completion upon enrollment.
- Ask your doctor to check you for diabetes, which is associated with atherosclerosis. Follow his or her advice if you have diabetes.
- Maintain a normal body weight.
- Eat a diet low in saturated fats and cholesterol. (saturated fats occur in meats, diary products, hydrogenated vegetable oils and some tropical oils, like coconut and palm kernel oils.) High-saturated fat, high-cholesterol diets contribute to the fatty sludge that accumulates inside artery walls.
- Get some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week for 20 minutes at a time. Sitting around hour after hour, day after day, week in and week out with no regular physical activity may cause circulation problems later in life. You can earn vacation hours for gym memberships and for participation in a recreation league.
- Reduce the harmful effects of stress by practicing relaxation techniques and improving your outlook on daily events. Stress has been linked to elevated blood pressure, among other health problems.
- Get regular medical checkups. Receive up to 2 hours of vacation for getting your annual physical and being screened for various cancers.
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