Heart to Heart: Action Steps to Ensure Optimal Heart Health
February is American Heart Month, the perfect time to learn about your risk for heart disease and the steps you can take to optimize your heart health. Nearly half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.1,2
The American Heart Association estimates that an average of 92.1 million Americans are living with some form of cardiovascular disease or the after-effects of stroke. One out of every three deaths in the United States is caused by cardiovascular disease. The most common issues associated with poor heart health include:
- Heart disease
- Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries)
- Heart failure
- Arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat)
- Stroke
Many of the conditions and behaviors that contribute to overall heart health include obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood pressure; choices in nutrition, activity levels, stress levels, and habits, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, and unhealthy eating patterns, specifically, eating too much salt and sugar. Each of these conditions and behaviors contribute to poor heart health by putting the heart and the cardiovascular system under greater strain. Smoking damages blood vessels. The excess weight of obesity puts stress on the heart. Diabetes causes sugar to build up in the blood, which can damage blood vessels and nerves. A diet high in trans-fats and added sugar increases inflammation—and inflammation is the root cause of heart disease.
Although many will argue that heart conditions are hereditary diseases, there have been several studies in recent years that suggest that this might not be the only cause. Yes, some people are more susceptible to developing heart disease, but many functional health professionals assert that this ultimately comes down to a combination of genetics AND lifestyle factors. This is good news because lifestyle factors can be managed and adapted, which means that heart disease can be prevented, reversed, and even changed. The challenge is not only to identify conditions, but to implement effective treatments before they become life-changing and even life-threatening.
Functional medicine and heart health
Many patients who have sought out functional medicine have successfully decreased their risk of developing heart disease. Those with cardiovascular disease have effectively improved their heart health, which goes hand-in-hand with lowered levels of cardiovascular disease indicators.
By taking control of lifestyle factors to combat heart disease, we can lower the risks associated with developing complications later in life. With such promising results we must look at action steps that can ensure optimal heart health:
- Healthy habits
- Dietary strategies
- Maintaining physically active levels
- Practicing stress management
Effective lifestyle modifications include:
- Reduction or elimination of cigarette smoking
- Reduction or elimination of alcohol
- Decrease body weight by twenty pounds (BMI >30)
- Increase vegetables and fruits
- Reduce sugar
- 150+ minutes of aerobic and resistance exercise
- Take an active role in managing conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Dietary strategies to reduce cardiac risk:
STOP SUGAR. The #1 recommendation for maximum risk reduction is the elimination of sugar. Inflammation is the root cause of heart disease. Sugar is the primary dietary cause of inflammation. The following dietary strategies may be helpful:
- Mediterranean diet (whole foods, olive oil, red wine, no sugar)
- Paleo diet (no grains, beans, dairy, or sugar)
- Ketogenic diet (high fat, low carb)
Nutritional strategies involve a diet high in the following:
- B vitamins
- Fish oil
- Vitamin E
- Ten+ servings per day of fruit and vegetables
- Vitamins, minerals, and fiber
- Antioxidants (bright colors) reduce inflammation
- Omega 3 and 6 fats
- Vitamin D
Incorporate physical activity into your day
Physical activity helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. Daily long-slow exercise helps build endurance in your muscles, most specifically, your heart muscle. How can you integrate physical activity into your day? Perhaps a bike ride to the grocery store, a walking phone call, and yes, we all know – take the stairs and take the parking spot further away. How about, exit the bus two stops earlier to enjoy a walk at the end of your commute? Enjoy a family hike or cross-country skiing date!
Add in a day of strength training a couple of times a week with the goal of becoming strong. This could look like the traditional iron plates and dumbbells, or strength exercises that involve using resistance bands and body weight movements such as squats, push-ups, and sit-ups. Are you up for a big challenge — add in pull-ups? You can also build strength through gardening or physical labor. Finally, wake up those fast-twitch muscles once a week with a form of sprint running, bounding, stairs, or jumping.
Cardiovascular effects of stress
An often-overlooked aspect of cardiovascular health is stress. There is an increased risk of heart attack when a patient is under chronic stress. As we’ve learned in previous blogs, https://upstreamfm.com/blog/ stress conditions can affect the body, specifically the heart. As the heart muscle contracts more forcefully, the cardiac output goes up, which increases the systolic blood pressure and heart rate, and thus the risk of heart attack. Stress management activities and hobbies are effective methods to reduce stress, reduce blood pressure, increase longevity, and ultimately increase life satisfaction.
Hence, it is vital to dedicate 15-30 minutes to a daily practice of stress management activities such as:
- Paced respirations, biofeedback, or HeartMath.
- Journaling, meditation, prayer, reading, Epsom salt bath, belly breathing, skin-to-skin, massage, quiet music, aromatherapy, or a hobby specific to your interests.
A regimen of moderate exercise, dietary strategies, stress reduction, and healthy habits should ideally be engaged to achieve a balanced, heart-friendly lifestyle.
Your healthcare is our top priority. We are committed to supporting you on your health journey. We offer medical visits in Iowa, nationwide health coaching, and a functional medicine education program for our patients including online classes, an online support group, and an archived library of educational webinars, handouts, and health resources.
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Julia Buchkina, MD, MPH, ABIHM, IFMCP
Upstream Functional Medicine
Call Us Here: 319-471-4727
Check Out Our Website: https://upstreamfm.com/
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References:
- Fryar CD, Chen T-C, Li X. “Prevalence of uncontrolled risk factors for cardiovascular disease: United States, 1999–2010.” National Center for Health Statistics, 2012.
- Virani SS., Alonso A., Benjamin EJ., Bittencourt MS., Callaway CW., Carson AP., et al. “Heart disease and stroke statistics—2020 update: A report from the American Heart Association.” Circulation, 2020.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov
American Heart Association, www.heart.org
Upstream Functional Medicine, “Lifestyle Management of Hypertension,” Julia Buchkina, MD.
