Your heart: It sure works hard for you. It’s a blood-pumping machine that needs daily TLC to help you live a long, healthy life. Show your heart some love by learning how to keep it in tip-top shape.
The American Heart Association lists the following signs of a heart attack on its website here:
According to the American Heart Association: “Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.”
While some heart attacks are instantly recognizable, others start slowly with mild chest discomfort. Minutes matter with heart attacks, so it’s important to call 9-1-1 immediately if you are experiencing the above symptoms.
What is coronary heart disease (CHD)? Coronary heart disease, sometimes called coronary artery disease, is a term for the buildup of plaque on the coronary arteries. This plaque restricts the flow of blood to the heart, can cause blockages, and can lead to a heart attack.
There are some CHD risk factors you can’t change, like gender, age and family history. Most people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 years or older, says the American Heart Association. Men are more likely to have a heart attack than women, and having a family history of heart disease raises the chances that you’ll have it, too.
However, there are also some modifiable risks for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. They include:
The U.S. government’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute talks about heart attack prevention and heart-healthy lifestyle changes you can make on its website. These changes include:
The American Heart Association gives tips for heart-healthy eating here on its website. Among its suggestions are:
Physical activity helps you achieve a healthy weight and maintain heart health. Many experts recommend 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week for cardiovascular health.
Different activities burn different amounts of calories in an hour. If you want to maximize your weight loss, the Mayo Clinic shows the different amount of calories a 160-pound person would burn in one hour doing these common activities. You can see the full list here.