7 Steps to a Healthy Heart
 By Julia Fiorentino, M.D.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women, yet up to 82 percent of these deaths could have been prevented! Here are 7 simple ways to control your risk factors and protect yourself from heart disease.

Don't smoke. Smoking increases your risk for heart disease by more than nine times. In fact, women who smoke average their first heart attack nineteen years earlier than female nonsmokers. If you do smoke, there are a variety of products and programs that can help you quit. Just one year after quitting, your risk of heart disease is reduced by one-half.

Know your blood pressure. High blood pressure damages the artery walls and makes the heart work harder. Unfortunately, symptoms are rare, so you should have your blood pressure checked at least once a year, starting at age 20. Risks are lowest when your blood pressure is under 130/85.

Get tested for diabetes. Diabetes is considered an equivalent to coronary artery disease. Low risk women should have a fasting blood sugar (glucose) test at least every five years, starting at the age of 20, until age 50. At this time, many experts recommend testing every one to two years. If other risk factors are present, testing for diabetes should be done yearly.

Monitor your cholesterol. Another silent disease, too much cholesterol can build up on artery walls and cause narrowing or clots. You should follow the same guidelines when checking your lipid panel as testing for diabetes. Your goals should be a total cholesterol under 200, HDL (healthy) cholesterol over 50, LDL (lousy) cholesterol under 160, 130, 100, or even 70, depending on your risk factors, and triglycerides should be under 150.

Maintain a healthy weight. Your heart disease risk is increased by a BMI (body mass index) outside the normal range of 18.5 to 24.9, a waist circumference larger than 35 inches, or a waist as big or bigger than your hips. Get moving – at least 20 minutes of exercise most days of the week is recommended.

Eat a heart-healthy diet. Fish, fruits, and vegetables are all good choices, as well as foods that are high in fiber. Make sure that less than 10 percent of your total daily calories are from saturated fat and less than 30 percent from fat. Keep your dietary cholesterol under 300 milligrams and sodium under 2400 milligrams.

Control your drinking. Limit alcoholic beverages to one or less each day.

Dr. Julia Fiorentino is a board-certified internist who takes special interest in women's health, preventive medicine, adolescent medicine, and medical education. For more information, please call 330-433-1555.