February is right around the corner, and with next Friday being National Wear Red Day, it's a good time to get educated on heart disease prevention and treatment. Anita Bhandiwad, cardiologist at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center, says that heart disease is America's leading cause of death and disability. Here's 10 tips for prevention from the Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center:
1. Maintain a proper diet.
2. Exercise for 150 minutes each week.
3. Manage your weight (normal body mass index is 18.5 to 24.9).
4. Manage your blood pressure (less than 120 to 130 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 to 85 mm Hg diastolic).
5. Decrease your salt intake (less than 1.5 to 2 gms per day).
6. Control your cholesterol (total cholesterol less than 200).
7. If you smoke, stop smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start.
8. Reduce your blood sugar.
9. Avoid excessive alcohol intake (fewer than two drinks per day for a man, fewer than one drink per day for a woman).
10. Manage stress levels at work and at home.
To find out more about how to keep your heart healthy, check out the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center's free "Heart Health and High Style" event on February 4, which will feature blood pressure screenings, "ask the expert" booths, a light lunch, speakers on heart disease, and a style tips seminar. Click here for more info.
