Kim
Painter, USA TODAY Published 12:09 p.m. ET April 12, 2019 | Updated 12:47
p.m. ET April 12, 2019
Mammie Crowley-Maberry, 54, of Jackson,
Mississippi, gave up ham hocks and took up stair climbing. Tonya Ware, 50, also
of Jackson, changed her fast-food orders from fries to salads; she also started
using a step-counting app.
For Crowley-Maberry, the motivation for
heart-healthy change was finding out she had high blood pressure. Ware had an
even bigger wake-up call: the cardiac arrest that nearly ended her life in
2006.
While the adjustments these women made might
seem small, they are the sorts of changes that heart health experts say could
save millions of Americans from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular
crises.
Deaths from such causes have stopped dropping
in recent years.
“The good news is we know what works,” says
Hilary Wall, a senior scientist at the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
“There are factors that are beyond the
control of the individual,” including unequal access to good health care,
walk-able neighborhoods and fresh produce, says Ivor Benjamin, president
of the American Heart Association. But, he says, individuals can do a lot to
lower their risks.
These are the seven habits that the
association says can make the biggest difference:
• Manage blood
pressure. High readings are a major risk factor for heart attack and
stroke. Many people can lower their numbers with exercise and diet alone. Many
others will need to add medication.
• Control cholesterol. When too
much of these waxy substances build up in your blood, they contribute to
plaque build-up in arteries, putting you at higher risk. Diet changes – such as
cutting saturated fat – can help. Many people also need medication.
• Reduce blood
sugar. High blood glucose can damage your heart. Diet and
exercise often can work to get numbers under control in the pre-diabetes stage.
• Get
active. Ideally, you should get moving for at least 150 minutes a
week – the equivalent of five 30-minute brisk walks. But every little bit
counts.
• Eat better. That means more
whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less salt. The average American
consumes 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day, far above the recommended 2,300
milligram limit.
• Lose weight. More than 70% of
U.S. adults are overweight or obese. Excess pounds increase the risk for
heart disease.
• Stop smoking. While rates have
declined, 14% of U.S. adults still smoke. Quitting is the single best thing
smokers could do for their health, experts say.
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