8 Tips you wish you knew about your heart health

Dr. Elsa-Grace Giardina, a specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University, invites you to follow these simple tips for maintaining a healthy heart, from the importance of exercise and sleep to healthy portion sizes.

Once considered a “man's disease”, we now know that cardiovascular disease (problems with the heart and blood vessels) affects people of all ages and races and is, in fact, the leading cause of death for both men and women. for women. About 630,000 people die of heart disease in the United States each year, one in four deaths, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

And each year, cardiovascular disease is responsible for 35 percent of deaths among American women over the age of 20, according to the American College of Cardiology. The good news? It's easy to make a difference in your heart health, according to cardiologist Dr. Elsa-Grace Giardina, director of the Center for Women's Health in the Cardiology Division of the Irving Medical Center in NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University. And maintaining a healthy heart doesn't have to be a daunting topic. "Good health can be really simple and straightforward," says Dr. Giardina, a professor of medicine at Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Diet and physical activity are important parts of maintaining a healthy heart, but they are easier to master than most people think, he adds. "There are many myths associated with diet and confusion around the relationship between food, physical activity, and the heart." Here, Dr. Giardina shares eight tips you wish you knew about your heart health and the easy steps you can take to stay healthy.

1. Nutrition plays a fundamental role in the health of your heart: a tip for a healthy diet is to take a plate and divide it into three sections. In each section, make sure there is a different color, but not white - white would be a potato, bread, rice or pasta. Instead, replace white foods with colorful bell peppers, beets, green vegetables, salads, or a piece of chicken or fish. Even whole wheat carbohydrates should be limited. Keep the focus on the color.

2. Servings are important: many do not understand what the proper portion size is. I learned that the proper serving of cheese is the size of a couple of dice, which was revealing. A half-cup serving of vegetables is a good serving at a meal - imagine the size of a baseball for half a cup of cooked carrots. The American Heart Association recommends eating eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day (for an average adult, that is, about 4½ cups of fruits and vegetables), making it difficult to overstate. A serving of protein is about the size of a deck of cards, which is a good serving for a meal. Try to limit your carbohydrate intake, for example, a serving of pasta is about the size of a hockey puck. The Mediterranean diet, focused on fresh vegetables, servings of fish and chicken, and olive oil, it is an excellent diet for the heart. I also recommend the DASH diet - Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which was developed to minimize hypertension. It is similar to the Mediterranean diet in that protein comes from fish and chicken, and requires a minimal amount of starch and carbohydrates, but plenty of vegetables.

3. Exercising is important and easier than you think: Many people are aware that they need to be physically active, but they often overstretch in the gym and risk injury. All you have to do is walk about 30 minutes a day. The American Heart Association guideline is 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, distributed throughout the week: Basically, it's about getting to and from the subway station on your way to work instead of taking the bus or going by bus, or it could even be getting off at a stop before your address.

4. Heart disease is the leading cause of death: In a study at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, we evaluated how people perceive their size, which may be related, to some extent, to the way they eat and the choices they make. We also asked the questions: "What is the leading cause of death among women?" and "What are the signs and symptoms of a heart attack?" Many underestimated their body size and did not know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Many also thought that the main cause of death was cancer. And since obesity is a growing national problem, you can look at your friends and neighbors, who may also be overweight and not see their own weight as abnormal. By underestimating body size,

It may interest you

Diabetes: Everything you need to know about its treatment and care.

5. The importance of sleep: there is evidence that inadequate sleep, that is, not only a few hours of sleep but also poor sleep, is associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in general. In 2016, the American Heart Association released a statement about the importance of sleep for heart and brain health.

6. Good heart health doesn't have to break the bank: Studies show that taking a vitamin supplement is probably not as helpful as getting nutrients from food. For example, taking a beta-carotene pill is not as good as eating a carrot. People often go to the health food store to buy pills, thinking that supplements are beneficial, but it's easier than that. Carrots from the grocery store are better and less expensive. I often say to my patients, "Save your money: buy a good pair of shoes."

7. Instead of eating "while you're doing something else": practice mindful eating by slowing down and eliminating distractions. Instead of "eating" while traveling or watching TV, take the time to "eat dinner." When you dine, eat without your TV or laptop on and without talking on your smartphone. Slowing down gives you a chance to enjoy food and know when you've eaten enough. Eliminate cues for less healthy eating, like wafers on the table, cookie jar, or bowl of candy.

8. Find simple ways to make good meals: Working students and youth may feel that they are disadvantaged in preparing healthy meals while living in a dormitory or having small kitchens and / or limited time and funds. It's understandable why they may be looking for prepared foods or why those with tight budgets or limited access to fresh foods and vegetables choose fast food instead of healthy food. I recommend preparing food in advance and finding easy ways to make good meals. You can make soup with a pot of water, chicken or beef, and a variety of vegetables, which provide meals for several days. Take advantage of the microwave or toaster: you can prepare delicious fish in the microwave. For example, take a piece of salmon, put 4 to 5 ounces of water on the plate,

For more information about the services offered by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, visit the site nyp.org/globalservices or schedule a personalized appointment on the phone + 1-212-746-9100.