Valentine's Day centers around matters of the heart. And one of the most important matters is good heart health.
So show your heart some loving this Valentine's Day; it's also American Heart Month. Here are five simple things you can do to improve your heart health, courtesy of Jill Baney, a nurse practitioner with Lutheran Medical Group:
•Don't smoke or use tobacco, and that includes inhaling second-hand smoke.
Smoking can cause narrowing of the arteries, as well as build-up of plaque in coronary arteries that can cause a heart attack. Women who smoke and take birth-control pills are at increased risk of stroke or heart attack.
If you've tried to quit and not stuck with it, don't give up: If you have been able to quit for a period of time on previous attempts, you are more likely to succeed when you try again.
•Get exercise.
Any activity is good, whether it be walking, running, gardening or walking the dog.
Walking is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to exercise. Try to walk for at least 30 minutes a day. If you can't do 30 minutes at once, walk for 10 minutes three times a day. And if you can't do 10 minutes, start with five minutes.
Walking at a faster pace also is better for you than walking slowly. Try to push yourself so you are walking at a fast pace but still can carry on a conversation without being short of breath.
•Eat a heart-healthy diet.
Reduce your intake of saturated and trans fats, which means cutting back on red meat, fatty dairy products, deep-fried foods and packaged snacks. Read the ingredient labels on foods and avoid those containing partially hydrogenated oils.
Watch your portions at mealtime. If you need to cutback in a lot of areas of your diet, pick one area and work on it before taking on another.
Limit your alcoholic beverages to no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. One drink equals 4 ounces of wine, 8 ounces of beer or one shot or mixed drink.
•Learn your body-mass index.
It's a measure of your health based on weight and height. You can find body-mass index (BMI) calculators on the Web. Unless you are extremely muscular, a BMI of 25 or more means you are overweight; a score of 30 or more means you are obese.
Another measure: Waist diameter should be less than 40 inches for a man and less than 35 inches for a woman.
If you need to lose a lot of weight, set small goals initially, such as losing 10 percent of your current total. Lowering your weight will reduce blood pressure and the risk of diabetes.
•Get health screenings.
Know what your numbers are for blood pressure. Ideal is less than 120/80. You can get blood pressure checked for free at machines in many pharmacies, or at local fire stations. If you find your blood pressure creeping up, see your doctor.
Get blood cholesterol checked at least every five years beginning at age 20. It establishes a baseline number and warns you if your numbers change.
Get a diabetes screening at least every few years beginning at age 30 to 35.
