4 Steps To Improve Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading killer in the US each year. Avoid heart attack and heart failure by taking these steps.

1. Expect the unexpected

Can you have a heart attack without knowing it? It’s possible when you’re a woman, because warning signs can be very different than they often are for men. Both men and women experience pain in the upper body, shortness of breath, cold sweats, dizziness, and chest discomfort or pressure. But women often feel nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain during a heart attack.

2. Stay positive

Nobody’s perfect. If your exercise schedule slacks off or you eat a few unhealthy meals in a row, don’t give in to defeat. Instead, do damage control by re-asserting your health-positive lifestyle.

3. Rest easy

A sleep disorder called sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association report Understanding and Managing High Blood Pressure. Talk with your doctor about diagnosing and treating sleep apnea and try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night for better heart health.

4. Be proactive

Even if heart disease runs in your family or you have had cardiac problems in the past, you can protect your health. Get support with designing and sticking to a healthy lifestyle from specialists at the Katz Institute for Women’s Health and the Northwell Health Center for Weight Management.

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