Matters of the Heart
Posted by Laura Nelson on February 7, 2010
By Dr. Ruth Martens, M.D., D. Ht
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you might be thinking of things that get your heart beating a little faster. We doctors get into the mood too, but in a different way.
Most of us have been hearing about ways to improve our health for over a decade. How many of us have done something about it? Is heart disease less frequent? Are there fewer heart attacks? According to the CDC (www.cdc.gov), Heart Disease was still the number one cause of death in 2008. Have you made a change or is it still on your To Do List? If you are one who makes a New Year’s list but never quite gets to the part where you cross it off, now is the time to get serious.
Simple ways to Heart Health:
• Avoid Tobacco
• Be More Active
• Choose Healthy Food
Smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the US. The good news is health benefits start almost immediately when you quit smoking and within a few years your risk of stroke and heart disease are similar to non-smokers. Hypnosis and laser treatments are available to help overcome withdrawal symptoms in addition to conventional stop smoking aids. It is always helpful to quit with a friend for emotional support and to keep you honest.
One third of the adult population in the US is obese. Are you overweight? Do you know how to tell? It is more than being able to fit in your favorite jeans. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a good indicator of your ideal weight range based on your height and weight. You can find a tool to calculate it for you on the American Heart Association’s website at www.americanheart.org. A BMI less than 25 is ideal. Want to lose weight? Set a goal. Make it realistic. Losing one pound a week means you are burning 3500 calories more than you take in. Does it sound too low? You would lose 50 pounds in a year.
Do you know how many calories you need? Go to www.myfat stranslator.com. By typing in your age, gender, height, weight and activity level you will find out your daily calorie needs. This same website gives your food substitutions to lower intake of saturated and trans fats, the bad fats.
Increase your activity level. If you are unable to lose weight at your current exercise level, do something different. Try something new or take a class with a friend. If you hate exercise, you have to be creative to get moving. If your job is sedentary, you have to add motion in your errands or playtime. Walk your dog. Walk your neighbor’s dog. Just get moving.
Healthy recipes are in abundance in the local library, bookstore, online, on TV, everywhere you look. Knowing what to do is not the problem. Motivation to change is the problem. Start simple. Drink mostly water. Get rid of beverages containing sugar. Eat 4-5 cups of fruit and vegetables a day. Eat fish 1-2 times per week. Drink more water. One to two liters per day is great.
Next time your heart is beating a mile a minute, it should be because the love of your life just walked into the room. Live long and well.
Dr. Martens is a family physician specializing in natural medicine and homeopathy in Wheaton. For more information or to make an appointment, call (630) 668-5595.
Tags:Health & Fitness
