5 Tips to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Free Live Q&A Session for the Public about Keeping Your Heart Healthy on Wednesday, February 24 at 1:15 p.m. by TrueCare(™) for American Heart Month.

San Marcos, CA - February 22, 2021  -- February is American Heart Month. TrueCare's Dr. Oscar Cook is offering a free Live Q&A session for the public to answer questions about keeping your heart healthy on Wednesday, February 24 at 1:15 p.m.

About 11 percent of American adults - more than 1 of every 9 - have been diagnosed with heart disease.  More than 800,000 people die of cardiovascular diseases every year in the United States, which account for 1 in 3 deaths according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI).  Hispanics and African Americans continue to have high rates of many risk factors.  People with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 

Cardiovascular disease is the term for all types of diseases that includes not only the heart, but also the vascular system. It can affect the heart or blood vessels, including coronary heart disease (clogged arteries), which can cause heart attacks, stroke, heart failure and peripheral artery disease.  High-blood pressure can also cause issues in the short and long term. 

What can you do to protect yourself from cardiovascular disease?
There is a lot you can do to protect your heart.  Self care for your heart is really self care for your whole self.   Self care helps keep your blood pressure in the healthy range and reduces your risk of heart disease. 

Make yourself a priority.  When we take care of our hearts as part of our self-care, we set an example for those around us to do the same.

Here are 5 Tips For Keeping A Healthy Heart, recommended by Dr. Cook and the NHLBI:

1. Exercise - To keep a healthy heart you need to use it.  Get at least 120 minutes of mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise a week.  Taking a walk, playing in the yard with your family, joining a live interactive workout or trying yoga or meditation to reduce stress.  
2. Nutrition - You have to nourish to flourish.  Eating a heart-healthy diet is a form of self care.  Reduce sodium and include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in your diet.  Choosing more whole foods and low fat and low carb foods and avoiding non-processed or junk food.  It's good for the heart and one of the ways proven to lower heart disease risk.
3. Social Support - joining forces with friends and family may keep you more motivated. Join a heart health education class in your community. Track your heart health stats together.  Social support also makes quitting smoking easier.
4. Invest in Your Health -  Your health is your wealth.  Investing in your heart health can prevent diseases.  Every day is a fresh start. It's never too late or too early to invest in your heart health.
5. Preventive Care Check ups - The best medicine is preventive medicine. Remember to keep current on your doctor's appointments and medications as part of your self-care routine. Ask your doctor about your blood pressure, cholesterol and A1C.

Coming in for a regular check up can help identify possible causes that can lead to poor health in the future and also help to avoid further complications.

TrueCare™, a nonprofit health care provider in North San Diego and South Riverside Counties, strives to make quality health services available to everyone, regardless of income or insurance status.  They keep their fees low, and offer a sliding scale for low-income families and those without insurance.

Get more information at https://truecare.org.  For an appointment, call or text (760) 736-6767 to schedule an appointment today at any TrueCare Health Center. Their bilingual staff speak English and Spanish, and also offers translation services for more than a dozen languages.