February is a great time to think about your heart. Not only is it the month in which we celebrate love and romance, it’s also American Heart Month. But sadly, many of us give the hearts in our Valentine’s Day cards more thought than we do the hearts in our bodies. Start making your most valuable organ your top priority with these five tips to keep your heart healthy for a lifetime.

1. Keep Your
Heart Healthy:
5 Heart Health Tips for Seniors
Note: This list is for information only and not a substitute
for a consultation with a qualified professional.
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2. February is a great time to think about your heart. Not
only is it the month in which we celebrate love and
romance, it’s also AMERICAN HEART MONTH. But
sadly, many of us give the hearts in our Valentine’s Day
cards more thought than we do the hearts in our bodies.
ARE YOU GIVING YOUR HEART THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES?
Maintaining a healthy heart at any age is important, but as you continue into your
Golden Years, heart health is even more important.
HEART DISEASE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
MORE DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES BUT ACCORDING TO THE WORLD
THAN ANYTHING ELSE, ABOUT HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 4 OUT OF 5 OF
600,000
THESE DEATHS ARE PREVENTABLE.
AMERICANS EACH YEAR.
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3. Start making your most valuable organ your top priority with
these five tips to keep your heart healthy for a lifetime.
1. Eat Better MEAT IS BAD FOR YOU. MEAT IS GOOD FOR YOU.
DRINK RED WINE. RED WINE WILL KILL YOU!
Each week, it seems like the media and internet sites report
contradicting advice on what to eat to keep your heart healthy.
STOP WATCHING THE HEADLINES AND START FOLLOWING SIMPLE GUIDELINES
The AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION suggests
eating a variety of nutritious foods such as
VEGETABLES, FRUITS, UNREFINED WHOLE GRAINS,
AND FISH, and cutting back on NUTRIENT-POOR
FOODS HIGH IN FAT, CHOLESTEROL AND SALT.
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4. 2. Exercise More A 30-MINUTE WALK A DAY, most days of the week will
keep your heart in prime pumping shape. If this number
seems daunting, start small: TWO 15-MINUTE BRISK
WALKS A DAY will bring you up to the correct total.
REMEMBER THAT WALKING THE DOG,
GARDENING, AND CLEANING THE
HOUSE ALL WORK OUT YOUR HEART.
Find ways to stay active that are fun and engaging,
and it will be easier to make them habits.
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5. 3. Don’t Smoke Smoking or using tobacco is one of the biggest risk
factors in developing heart disease. According to the
CDC, SMOKING INCREASES YOUR RISK OF
STROKE AND HEART DISEASE BY UP TO 4 TIMES.
Additionally, smoking can take, on
average, 10 YEARS OFF YOUR LIFE.
However, if you quit by AGE 64, you
can get 4 YEARS BACK, and by AGE
54, you can get 6 YEARS BACK.
WHEN YOU QUIT SMOKING, YOUR RISK OF HEART
DISEASE DROPS DRAMATICALLY WITHIN JUST A YEAR.
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6. 4. Stay at a Healthy Weight
Extra pounds around your middle can lead to HIGH BLOOD
PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL, and DIABETES -- all
conditions that increase your chances of heart disease.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR WEIGHT
IS PUTTING YOU AT RISK?
According to the Mayo Clinic, MEN are considered overweight if their waist measures MORE THAN
40 INCHES. WOMEN are considered overweight if their waist measured MORE THAN 35 INCHES.
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7. 5. Get Regular Health Screenings
If you have HIGH CHOLESTEROL or HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, your heart
may be accumulating damage as you read this. If you don’t know whether you
have these conditions, the damage can occur without you having any idea.
WORK WITH YOUR DOCTOR TO GET A HANDLE ON YOUR
HEART HEALTH AND TO LOWER POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS.
According to the AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, all regular heart
health screening tests for those with HIGH CHOLESTEROL or HIGH
BLOOD PRESSURE should begin as early as AGE 20, except BLOOD
GLUCOSE MEASUREMENTS, which should begin at AGE 45.
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