Healthwise - Winter 2012 - (Page 5)

e Your Lov HEART Take that relationship self-help book advice to heart, literally ou tell yourself you’re just going to your local bookstore to look at the newest heart-health advice books when you ﬁnd yourself wandering into the self-help section. The titles call out to you—Love Yourself, Love Him!, Speak Your Heart and the Rest Will Follow. Hey, it’s OK. The funny thing is, that relationship advice you’re reading is more applicable to your heart than you realize. One might say that heart attacks, which someone suffers about every 25 seconds in the U.S., are just as common as broken hearts. Reduce your risk by treating your heart right. Relationship experts say: Make time for each other. Heart-health translation: Work out your heart every day. Strengthening your heart muscle means it can pump stronger, improving blood ﬂow and your heart’s ability to handle stress. And it should be done daily, according to Mansha Kahloon, M.D., St. Claire Regional Interventional Cardiologist. “I’d recommend 60 to 90 minutes of exercise a day if you’re overweight, 20 to 30 minutes a day if you’re not,” Kahloon says. “Walking, cycling, elliptical training—these are all good. Add in some weights two to three times a week.” symptoms that come on suddenly. These can be signs of a heart attack, and ignoring them can be a fatal mistake. Get to your local emergency room immediately. Relationship experts say: Don’t fall into a rut. Heart-health translation: Eating healthfully doesn’t have to mean sticking to a repetitive menu. It’s easy to fall into a dinner rut, choosing the same safe options time and time again so you’re not tempted to just order a pizza. But eating right doesn’t have to mean boiled chicken breasts and steamed broccoli. Take a cooking class to learn new ways to spice things up, or visit your local library and check out a healthy-meals cookbook. Make it a goal to try one new recipe a week. Experiment with exotic spices in lieu of calorie-laden sauces. And involve the whole family. Kids will be more likely to eat a new food if they help make it. Relationship experts say: Check in with each other every now and then. Heart-health translation: Connect with your heart by knowing your numbers. Check your blood pressure regularly. “Some people don’t take the trouble to check their blood pressure and cholesterol,” Kahloon says. “But these are very important.” Relationship experts say: Listen to Knowing whether you’re at risk can help preyour partner. vent a future heart attack. Heart-health translation: A normal blood pressure Pay special attention to level is 120/80, or lower, for TAKE CARE OF YOUR TICKER what your heart is trying an adult 20 or older. A total Advanced cardiac care is available to tell you. blood cholesterol level of close to home. St. Claire Regional offers “Chest discomfort is a point less than 200 mg/dL is what experienced, board-certiﬁed cardiologists of concern,” Kahloon says. you want to aim for, as it who provide coronary care you can trust. So is excessive fatigue, shortputs you at lower risk for To learn more, call 606-783-0947. ness of breath or ﬂu-like heart disease. 1 © dreamstime.com St. Claire Regional Medical Center • www.st-claire.org 5 http://www.st-claire.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthwise - Winter 2012

Healthwise - Winter 2012