American Heart Month: How Seniors Can Live a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and with it comes a barrage of heart-shaped balloons, pink and red flowers and candy galore. This holiday is a great time to remind your family how much you love them, but it also serves as a reminder for American Heart Month which falls in February each year. This month is dedicated to spreading awareness about healthy habits to protect your heart.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing 1 in 4 deaths each year. People 65 and older are especially at risk of heart disease due to changes in the cardiovascular system that happens with age and also years of buildup in a person’s arteries.

Preventing heart disease starts by making heart-healthy choices in your everyday life. Here are our tips for how to make small changes that can make a big impact for your heart:

Eat Heart-Healthy Foods

Eating healthy can seem like a chore when you are faced with seemingly endless lists of foods to eat and foods to avoid. When it comes down to it, making simple swaps in your daily life are the best ways to make a lifestyle change that you’ll actually stick to. Used to drinking 2% milk? Try fat-free. Have to have your carbs? Opt for a whole-grain replacement for a healthier choice.

Get Plenty of Exercise

Exercise is a key piece of managing your heart health. Now, we’re not saying you need to go out and start running marathons (although if you’re able to, more power to you!). Start by adding an extra walk in your day or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Exercise is also proven to lower your stress levels, which will also help keep heart disease at bay.

Limit Alcohol Intake

While some studies have shown that having a glass of wine a day can actually increase your heart health, the jury is still out. One thing is for certain though - drinking in excess can be detrimental to your heart. Be sure to practice moderation and limit your alcohol intake, or eliminate it completely.

Quit Smoking

Smoking is considered a direct cause of heart disease, as almost 20% of all cardiovascular disease is caused by smoking cigarettes. But it’s not too late - just 24 hours after quitting your risk of a heart attack decreases, and within 1 year your risk of heart disease will be half compared to that of a current smoker.

While this isn’t a full list of every way you can improve your heart health, we hope that we’ve given you a few simple tips to help you keep your ticker working in tip-top shape.