Take Care of Your Heart

Vicki:

Hello, and welcome to an HMC HealthWorks podcast. Traditionally February is the month for love and all things heart related. February reminds us to take care of our heart in celebration of American Heart Month. And today we’re joined by Maribel [Alvarez-Vargas 00:00:17] , And she’s a nurse with HMC HealthWorks. Today we will be discussing heart disease and that it can also be prevented by managing health conditions and making healthy choices. Welcome, Maribel.

Maribel:

Good morning, [Vickie 00:00:29]. Thank you for having me.

Vicki:

So Maribel, according to the American Heart Association, one in three deaths is caused by heart disease.

Maribel:

Yes, coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease and is the leading cause of death and disability in the US for both men and women.

Vicki:

That’s so sad. In addition to the personal and physical toll on individuals and their families, heart disease and stroke are also among the most widespread and costly health problems facing the nation today.

Maribel:

That’s correct. Families who experience heart disease or stroke have to deal with not only medical bills, but also lost wages and the real potential of a decreased standard of living. The impact is enormous. Approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes occur every year in the United States. More than 800,000 people in the United States die from cardiovascular disease each year. That’s one in every three deaths, and about 160,000 of them occur in people under the age of 65. Heart disease kills roughly the same number of people in the United States each year as cancer, lower respiratory disease, including pneumonia, and accidents combined. Heart disease and stroke cost the nation an estimated 316.6 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity.

Vicki:

Wow. Those numbers are certainly staggering.

Maribel:

Yes, but what many folks are not aware of is that your best defense against coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular problems, including stroke, is within your control.

Vicki:

Wow. I think many folks don’t know that. So you can tell me a little bit about what causes heart disease and what we can do to reduce our risk for heart disease.

Maribel:

Sure. Heart disease occurs when plaque develops in the arteries and blood vessels that lead to the heart. This blocks important nutrients and oxygen from reaching your heart. The plaque is a waxy substance made of cholesterol, fatty molecules, and minerals.

Vicki:

Are there things that can factor into heart disease, Maribel?

Maribel:

Yes. Though genetic factors can increase your risk of developing heart disease, unhealthy lifestyle choices play the biggest role. Some unhealthy lifestyle choices that can contribute to heart disease include living a sedentary lifestyle and not getting enough physical exercise, eating an unhealthy diet that’s high in proteins, trans fats, sugary foods, and sodium, smoking, excessive drinking, staying in a high stress environment without proper stress management techniques, and not managing your diabetes.

Vicki:

Yeah. So there’s definitely things that people need to pay attention to. So what are the risk factors that are not in our control?

Maribel:

Some types of heart disease, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, are genetic. These alongside other congenital heart defects can occur before a person is born.

Vicki:

But even if we have a higher risk factor due to genetics, we can still take steps to reduce our risk of dying from heart disease. Is that correct?

Maribel:

Absolutely. One of the first things I advise is to make sure you get exercise. Regular exercise is an important way to lower your risk of heart disease. Exercising for 30 minutes or more on most days can help you lose weight, improve your cholesterol, and lower your blood pressure by as many as five to seven points. A sedentary lifestyle where your job and your leisure activities involve little or no physical activity doubles your risk of dying from heart disease. This is like the increased risk you’d have if you had smoked, had high cholesterol, or had had high blood pressure.

Vicki:

Actually it’s easier than many folks think to improve your health with exercise. I was concerned in my own life that if I didn’t have an hour to exercise, I wouldn’t reap any of the benefits. And then I read a study from Kaiser Permanente that said you don’t have to jog for an hour a day. That in fact, some studies show that you have greater health benefits from light, moderate exercise, simply because you’re more willing to stick with it.

Maribel:

That is correct, Vickie. Your heart health improves with just 30 minutes of exercise on most days. And it’s been proven that two 15 minute segments of exercise or three 10 minute segments still count as a 30 minutes. And they’re just as effective. Just make sure the activity is vigorous enough to raise your heart rate and keep it sustained for that period of time. You can try the talk, sing test. If you can talk while you exercise, you’re working too hard. If you can sing while you’re exercising, you need to work harder.

Vicki:

That’s definitely a good way to figure it out. Maribel, talk to us a bit about what happens physically when we exercise.

Maribel:

Sure. Just as exercise strengthens other muscles in your body, it helps your heart muscle become more efficient and better able to pump blood throughout your body. This means that the heart pushes out more blood with each beat, allowing it to beat slower and keep your blood pressure under control.

Maribel:

When you exercise regularly, your body’s tissues, including the heart, does a better job of pulling oxygen from your blood. This allows your heart to work better under stress and keeps you from getting winded during high intensity activities. Physical activity also allows better blood flow into the small blood vessels around your heart. Clogs in these arteries can lead to heart attack.

Maribel:

There is also evidence that exercise helps your body make more branches and connections between the blood vessels so there are other routes for your blood to travel if the usual path is blocked by narrow arteries or fatty deposits. Exercise also increases your level of HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol that lowers heart disease risk by flushing the artery-clogging LDL or bad cholesterol out of your system.

Vicki:

Yeah. Also, with lowering your risk for heart disease, I read an article and the CDC reported that exercise also keeps your weight down and it’ll improve your mood. It lowers your risk for some types of cancer. It improves your balance. It reduces risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone mass, gives you more energy, and helps you sleep better.

Maribel:

Yes, those are all wonderful benefits. I also advise people that they can check with their doctor to help them design an exercise routine that is right for them. Be sure to check with your doctor if you haven’t exercised in a long time, or if you have a history of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, dizziness, or exercise-related pain. It is important to ensure that you are clear to exercise, to avoid causing any additional damage.

Vicki:

Yeah, that makes sense. Everybody should definitely check in. The other thing I wanted to ask you about is I had read that cardiovascular exercise improves blood circulation, which also helps reduce the risk of developing clots or blockages in the arteries. And like the muscles of the body, since the heart is a muscle, regular exercise keeps it toned and strong. And as the heart becomes stronger, the heart rate lowers because fewer beat are required to pump the same amount of blood. And when I was reading that, I thought that that made sense. And then it brought me back to thinking about obesity. Because obesity and being overweight seem like risk factors that you pointed out, and that exercise also would certainly help deal with that.

Maribel:

Yes, that’s true. And they complement each other. People who exercise tend to have healthier diets. Being active often compels people to make other positive lifestyle changes such as eating less fat and more fiber.

Vicki:

Exercise can aid in weight control, and with a healthy diet, that also results in weight control. Correct?

Maribel:

Yes. And in addition to causing heart disease, being overweight or obese has been linked to many numerous diseases, including diabetes. So maintaining a healthy weight is really important.

Vicki:

Yeah. Maribel, I remember the American Council on Exercise released a study that exercise can help reduce or prevent high blood pressure in some people. And the research also shows that exercise can raise the HDL levels. As you told us earlier, the so-called good cholesterol. And it’s also been linked to a lower risk of heart disease. And that exercise will also help reduce the risk of developing diabetes, which is also one of the other big factors for heart disease.

Maribel:

Sure. And all these positive benefits improve our health, happiness, and lifestyle. The biggest lifestyle change someone could make to improve their heart health is to quit smoking if they are a smoker. Exercise can play a role with that goal. Several studies have confirmed that exercising makes people more successful when they are working on quitting smoking.

Vicki:

Yeah. Maribel, that all makes so much sense. It reminds me of my own life, that exercising or eating healthy seems to have a domino effect. When I do one, or it seems like it precipitates the other. And then I start to change in other areas. The other thing I wanted to ask you about was heart disease risk factor, and also its connection to depression and stress.

Maribel:

Well, exercise has been proven to help manage stress, which definitely takes a toll on the whole body, but especially the heart. People who exercise tend to be less depressed and possess a more positive outlook.

Vicki:

Wow. This is all such great information you’ve shared with us. Do you have any final thoughts or advice you’d like to share with us today?

Maribel:

Well, I just wanted to reiterate the importance of a balanced diet and regular activity and exercise. And just to remind everyone that by following these simple steps on a regular basis, you can significantly reduce your risk factors for heart disease and other conditions as well. So again, just a reminder that there are many things that are in our control, small changes that we are able to make that will help us with decreasing our risk factors and having a healthier life.

Vicki:

Just like you said, just a few simple things, little steps can end up letting people have really big results. So I really wanted to thank you, Maribel, for joining us. And I wanted to thank our listeners for tuning in. And also go to HMChealthworks.com and you can check out our February blog, which discusses the use of smartphones to help improve heart health. And also be sure to check out the American Heart Association for delicious, healthy recipes and other dietary information. And finally, be sure to stay tuned for any upcoming HMC HealthWorks podcasts.