Health & Wellness Heart Health

Heart Health

heartHeart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, for both men and women. Risk factors for heart disease include:

  • Family history
  • Sex
  • Age
  • Smoking tobacco
  • Lifestyle habits like diet
  • Being overweight

These factors all influence your chance of developing heart disease. The good news is that there are ways you can help prevent heart disease. 

Here are some tips:

  • Don’t smoke or use tobacco products. If you smoke, get help to quit.
  • Be active. Aim for 30 minutes on most days. 
  • Eat a heart healthy diet, full of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. 
  • Avoid saturated and trans fats. Common sources of saturated or trans fats include red meat, dairy, fried foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarine, and crackers. 
  • Maintain a healthy weight. To check if you are in a healthy weight range, click here.
  • Get regular health screenings, including blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.

Congestive Heart Failure

gaby healthHaving congestive heart failure (CHF), also called heart failure, means that your heart doesn’t pump enough blood to the rest of your body. This can cause fluid to build up and make your legs or lungs swollen. 

Important things to do if you have CHF:

  • See your doctor regularly.
  • Create a management plan to make sure you stay healthy and out of the hospital.
  • Take all your medications as prescribed, even when you are feeling ok. If you’re feeling good, that means your medicine is working.
  • Eat a heart healthy diet, low in sodium.

Download the materials below for more information

Caring for your Heart booklet
English
Spanish

Heart Failure Action Plan
English/Spanish

Congestive Heart Failure: What to do Each Day

English
Spanish

Daily Weight Log
English
Spanish

Coumadin Diet Information
English/Spanish

Hypertension

quit smoking2What is hypertension?

Hypertension, also called high blood pressure, is a chronic health condition where the pressure in the arteries (blood vessels) is higher than it should be. This can cause heart attack, heart failure, stroke, or other problems. 

Causes

Many things can cause high blood pressure. These things include aging, stress, using illicit drugs, or being overweight.

Who should get tested?

Hypertension often has no warning signs or symptoms. That is why it is very important to have regular check-ups with your doctor. Every adult should have their blood pressure checked every year or more often.

Have you been told you have high blood pressure?

If you have high blood pressure, here are things you can do to help lower your blood pressure:

• Eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables. Avoid processed meats, salty foods, or adding extra table salt to your food. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink.

• Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Don’t stop taking your medicine just because you are feeling better.

• See your doctor regularly for check-ups and screenings. For a list of recommended screenings, tests, and immunizations, check out our Preventive Health Guidelines. 

To learn more, download the materials below:

Blood Pressure and Your Health booklet
English
Spanish

Blood Pressure Tracking Card
English
Spanish