Let's Talk Heart Health!

February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease and learn about the importance of heart health. It is also Black History Month which recognizes both the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout history. Unfortunately, heart disease disproportionately affects African Americans.?While heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans, Black adults are at greater risk than white adults and all other minorities in the U.S. [1 ]. It’s important to acknowledge that social determinants of health, such as lack of access to healthcare and healthy foods, play a role in this difference [2] . This is an issue close to our hearts, as NEVHC is driven by the mission to provide healthcare to underserved communities.

Along with healthcare access and food security, education about heart health is crucial. While there are risk factors for heart disease that can’t be changed, there is a lot you can do to protect your heart and stay healthy. People can improve their chances of preventing heart disease when they understand the risks and take simple steps to address them [3] . So, let's go through 10 heart-healthy tips that can help lower your risk for heart disease!

10 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health:

1.Eat Healthy Food: Making small changes in your eating habits can make a big difference to your heart health! General tips: Cut down on sodium, choose healthier fats, avoid added sugars, and eat more fiber.

2. Control Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is the #1 risk factor for heart disease. Eating a balanced diet low in sodium and moving more can help manage your blood pressure. To catch high blood pressure before it causes health problems, get your blood pressure checked at least once a year—more often if you’re at risk [4 ].

3. Control Cholesterol: High cholesterol increases the risk of developing heart disease. Your body needs cholesterol to function, but too much cholesterol can build up in your arteries and harm your heart. [5 ] To lower your cholesterol, eat more food with healthy fats and cut back on saturated fat.

4. Manage Blood Sugar: High blood sugar is another main risk factor for heart disease. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels is crucial for heart health, especially for people with diabetes or those at risk of developing diabetes [6 ]. You can manage your blood sugar by eating a healthy diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Cutting sugary drinks like soda out of your diet also goes a long way!

5. Get Active: Getting enough physical activity keeps your heart strong and helps to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke [7 ]. Adults should spend 2 hours and 30 minutes each week doing physical activity, but keep in mind you can work your way up to that goal! Start by trying to be active for 10 minutes at a time. Take the stairs, take a short walk - anything that gets your heart beating faster counts!

6. Manage Stress: Chronic stress causes your body to release adrenaline, which speeds up your heart rate and raises your blood pressure. Learning ways to prevent and manage stress can lower your risk for heart problems [8 ]. Try healthy coping strategies like breathing exercises, meditation, and taking a walk! ??

7. Connect with Others and Find Social Support: Many studies show that having positive, close relationships and feeling connected to others helps our blood pressure, weight, and overall health [9] . It also makes it easier to stick to heart-healthy habits! [10] You can find social support by:

• Asking family and friends to text encouragement to help meet your health goals.
• Joining an exercise or health education class to connect with people and stay motivated.

8. Go to the Doctor: Having trusted healthcare professionals by your side can be a big help in your heart health journey. Your doctor can help you understand your personal risk for heart disease. They can also check your blood pressure and cholesterol and will keep track of those numbers, working with you to make sure they are in a healthy range.

9. Stop Smoking: Any amount of smoking, even if it’s occasional, damages your heart and blood vessels [11 ]. Some tips for quitting include:

• Picking a quit date and outlining a plan for quitting
• Talking to your healthcare provider about programs and products that can help you quit.
• Calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW for support

10. Get Enough Quality Sleep: Lack of sleep or getting poor-quality sleep increases the risk of having high blood pressure and heart disease [12 ]. Try to aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Also, go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

NEVHC Services

Knowing the importance of education and awareness, NEVHC offers classes to help guide you through your heart health journey. Our Patient and Community Wellness team leads free evidence-based health workshops!

We offer Blood Pressure Control classes to our patients that are designed to prevent and manage high blood pressure. These five-session one-hour bilingual classes teach patients about blood pressure, its impact on the body, and effective strategies for keeping blood pressure in check. The comprehensive curriculum covers stress management techniques, the role of medication, the importance of regular physical activity, and the benefits of following a healthy diet.

NEVHC also regularly holds free nutrition classes that are open to the whole community. You’ll learn simple strategies from health professionals, including how to make healthier food choices and how to stay active. Classes are available in both English and Spanish, online and in-person. There are even online classes designed just for kids, so they can learn to establish healthy habits early on.

For more information about these classes, call 818-270-9508 or email: [email protected]

Written by Rachel Schranck, Jr. Copywriter

Sources

[1] Penn Medicine. (2022, March 2). Why Heart Disease Is an Even Greater Threat to Black Adults. https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/heart-and-vascular-blog/2022/march/why-heart-disease-is-an-even-greater-threat-to-black-adults

[2] American Heart Association. (2024, Jan 10). Black People, Heart Disease and Stroke. Heart. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease/african-americans-and-heart-disease-stroke

[3] Ibid, 2024

[4] CDC Foundation, Million Hearts. (n.d.) Manage key risk factors to help prevent heart disease. https://hearthealthysteps.org/manage-your-risk-factors/

[5] Ibid, n.d.

[6] National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. (2024, January). Take Action for Your Heart: Get Started! Fact Sheet. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/take-action-your-heart-get-started-fact-sheet

[7] Ibid, 2024

[8] CDC Foundation, Million Hearts. (n.d.) Lower stress to keep your heart strong. https://hearthealthysteps.org/lower-stress/

[9] National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. (2021, October). Self-Care Tips for Heart Health Fact Sheet. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/resources/self-care-tips-heart-health-fact-sheet

[10] National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2024.

[11] Ibid, 2024?

[12] Ibid, 2024

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