WAYS TO ACHIEVE A HEALTHY HEART

written by Debra D’Acquisto, Central Washington University, WA

What do you think of when you hear the phrase 'healthy hearts' or 'heart healthy?' Since it is the month of February, do you visualize a big red valentine? A cupid? A big box of dark chocolates; even realizing that the dark chocolate is rich in heart healthy antioxidants? Can you feel the heart pumping when you are spinning on an indoor cycle or walking briskly out in the winter air?

I asked a couple of friends and family members what they thought of when they heard the phrase healthy hearts. "Exercising," because exercise is good for the heart, was one answer. "Blood flowing" was another comment. And, "having the ability to sustain daily activities without undue fatigue" was another answer. "Blood flowing" is interesting because I know the speaker really meant intensity. There are modes of high intensity activities that require a strong blood flow to the muscles and other tissues to fuel them with rich oxygenated blood. And, there are forms of movement that don't get the blood flowing so intensely, yet have substantial benefits toward maintaining a healthy heart.

Can the phrase heart healthy mean more than a type or intensity of exercise? Can we connect a healthy heart with something other than movement? I brainstormed a little bit and came up with a few more areas that are connected and have a relationship to a healthy heart.

We all know the value of cardiovascular health. Guidelines for the total minutes of exercise per week and even per day, as in the school age environment, are easily found on the theNational Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) website. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), is an excellent source to reference for the amount of minutes, the intensity of effort, and mode of exercise required for cardio health. There's no lack of information on the newswire, in media broadcasts, and preached by every health related organization on how to embrace good heart healthy habits. All sources prescribe to a healthy heart prescription which includes a sufficient amount of exercise.

The American Heart Association (AHA) has a wealth of information on heart health. As expected, the AHA has campaigns and programs, pamphlets, booklets, policy statements and articles, and coordinates efforts with other co-existing organizations to inform and educate the public on reducing the development of heart disease with healthy lifestyle changes.

More than 80 million people have some form of heart disease. Cardiovascular disease was responsible for 960,000 deaths in America last year, and that figure is about 41.5% of deaths from all causes. Healthy heart lifestyles prescribe balancing calories in with appropriate energy expenditure out, includes 5 servings of fruits and vegetable a day, includes an increased number of servings of seafood in the diet, consuming a lower fat version of dairy products, and increasing the number of whole grain foods in the diet. You can register to receive a free e-mail subscription of creative, heart healthy recipes from The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Additional information you may find interesting can be found by contacting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Healthy Heart Handbook is 127 pages of helpful and interesting information written by the Heart Lung and Blood Institute, and is easily attainable in PDF format. Shorter heart healthy information can be found archiving Circulation at the Journal of the American Heart Association.

A recent issue of Circulation has strongly urged its readers to make their heart health an investment for a lifetime. The benefits of practicing healthy heart habits may not be revealed until 30 or 40 years from now. Evidence points toward practicing prevention strategies at an early age. The new policy statement of the AHA states that "preventing heart disease is a good long term investment toward reducing health and medical costs." (Circulation. 2011; 124:967-990).

The value of primordial and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease includes a partnership between policies, community efforts, pharmacological interventions, and self responsibility. Those partnerships are critical to current and future medical decisions that face an individual, and how the individual’s health affects broader societal issues. A recent study, found in the January 3rd, 2011 issue of Circulation, suggests high blood pressure in middle age is linked to increased risk of stroke and heart attack later in life. If at age 55 blood pressure is within the normal ranges, 120 systolic over 80 diastolic, there is a much lower risk of heart disease and stroke later in life. The study punctuates the importance of good heart health at an early age, and how the lifestyle habits practiced today affect the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.

What heart healthy habits can an individual practice and "take to the bank" as a strong investment? The evidence has proven that even a little exercise can help reduce the increase of incidence in heart disease. Today's activities of daily living are becoming more sedentary. It has been suggested that 30 minutes of daily exercise is not enough exercise to offset the 23 1/2 hours of sedentary living.

One heart healthy habit to practice is to do more exercise. Make an appointment for exercise, and move more throughout the day. Watch your diet. Exercise alone cannot reduce the incidence of heart disease. Make small changes to improve the diet you are consuming. Include antioxidants, or eat more antioxidant rich foods. Increase the number of servings of fruits and vegetables you eat on a daily basis. If no color except brown exists in your daily diet, aim to add red, orange, green, yellow and purple to the palette. Decrease the number of sweets eaten. Eat desserts and treats sparingly. Drink liquids containing caffeine conservatively. Eat a breakfast that is low in cholesterol, contains some form of protein, and contains fiber.

Heart healthy habits go beyond diet and exercise. Reducing stress levels is a key component to a more healthy heart. Reduce mental stressors. To help those who need a kick start in becoming more physically active, a non-athletes brochure can be obtained from the American Heart Association. The non-athletes brochure includes realistic strategies in goal setting, a physical activity checklist, and a diary to track progress.

Mind body exercise may play a role in reducing mental stressors. Yoga and tai chi practice has recently been recognized as a form of exercise important to maintaining or improving a healthy heart. Forms of exercise that focus on controlled breathing can decrease stress levels by lowering blood pressure. Yoga postures promote flexibility and may decrease anxiety as well as mental fatigue. Some individuals may find that incorporating yoga into their week may contribute to starting a program of moderate cardiovascular activity. Yoga may be the perfect preparation for the body to become ready for more intense or more frequent cardiovascular exercise. Yoga is a vehicle in more ways than one for a healthy heart.

The result of a recent study drew attention to the effects of the mind-body connection of those who practice tai-chi. A study published in the April 25, 2011 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine recommended tai chi, for people with chronic heart failure, as a safe alternative to conventional low to moderate intensity exercise. Movements that are thoughtful and deliberate may raise awareness to the body as an instrument. Slow and deliberate movements, coupled with conscious breathing, elevates the value of tai chi. Yoga postures may create increased body awareness. No one can argue that the value of taking quiet time for oneself feels good, refreshes the brain, and refuels active muscle tissues. Self care responsibility may also include massage. Increasing circulation, de-stressing, and detoxing the body tissues are things you can do to love your body. Make decreasing mental stressors a goal for 2012.

Companionship may be overlooked as having value for heart health. Pets, and the impact of companion animals, may increase overall health and well being. Pet owners may get more exercise which may contribute to lower blood pressure, regulated blood pressure during stress, and can log more exercise overall. Seventy one million households (62%) have pets and some research has found that individuals who have pets have healthier hearts and get more exercise.

Other research findings suggest a pet may encourage the greater likelihood of social interactions, decrease loneliness and isolation, increase interactions with strangers (as when walking a dog), and provide a way to be more social. Pets may be the social lubricant in the lives of some people. The chances of increasing physical activity are greater, as a number of pets will play on demand. And, although limited research has been done with children, children exposed to companion animals may have decrease behavioral distress, decreased blood pressure and heart rate in a stressful situation, and may have less anxiety. Think of the calming effect of watching fish swim in a tank of water the next time you are in a (doctors) waiting room.

The National Research Center for Females and Families makes some interesting statements founded in research. When faced with doing complicated math problems, individuals were less likely to have a spike in blood pressure when doing the math problem, and had fewer errors when within the presence of a friendly pet in the room. A connection may be made that the lowered stress contributed to better performance.

Besides what you put in your mouth to eat, there is another connection to the maintenance of a healthy heart that is directly related to the mouth. Periodontal health has a strong relationship to heart health. Has your dentist ever taken your blood pressure before a procedure? Have you been encouraged to eat more vitamin C (for gum tissue health) before dental surgery? Did you know Vitamin D is not only a strong bone builder but a good building block for the teeth?

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) is the professional organization that specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease of gum tissue, structures, teeth and dental implants. Oral inflammation can find its way to the heart. "Both periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease are inflammatory diseases, and inflammation is the common mechanism that connects them" says, Dr. David Cochran DDS, PhD and President AAP and Department Chairman of Periodontics at the University Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. "The clinical recommendation, included in the consensus paper (of the AAP) will help cardiologists and periodontists control the inflammatory burden in the body as a result of heart disease, thereby helping to reduce further disease progression and ultimately to improve patient overall health."

Quality research has clearly demonstrated that periodontal disease is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Untreated gum inflammation leaves the affected tissues in a dysfunctional state and can lead to more significant health issues throughout the body. Receeding gums, visual signs of oral inflammation, unusual redness and a significant loss of teeth can be the first signs of inflammation. It may not be unusual during an office visit to your physician to have your oral cavity examined, as well as for the dental professionals to monitor general health markers such as blood pressure. Solid scientific evidence sends a clear message to physicians that the rate of poor oral health may result in severe health consequences for the patient.

According to Webmed.com, the 25 foods with heart healthy nutrients that help protect the cardiovascular system are: salmon, flaxseeds, black or red kidney beans, almonds, walnuts, red wine, oatmeal, tuna, tofu, brown rice, soy milk, blueberries, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, asparagus, oranges, tomatoes, acorn squash, cantaloupe, papaya, dark chocolate and tea. All contain phytonutrients that prevent and repair damage to tissue cells.

The Mediterranean diet guidelines have been tweaked a little bit. The main emphasis is on fruits and vegetables, nuts, passing on butter, adding spices for flavor, eating fish twice a week, consuming red meat only a few times a month, drinking red wine conservatively, and making lower fat dairy choices. In comparison, the Eating for a Health Heart guidelines set by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute include reducing foods with cholesterol in the diet, limiting fats, choosing low fat proteins, increasing the servings of fruits and vegetable, eating whole grains, decreasing the consumption of salt, exercising portion control, and having a treat on occasion.

There is no doubt that common foods and choices overlap. Unless, the genetic expression that you've been dealt is less than ideal, there is a lifestyle to lead that can strengthen your heart to support very healthy lifetime. Remember that keeping the heart healthy is a self responsibility. Eat smart, exercise, keep dental health a priority, include companionship in your life, take care to relieve mental stressors, and love yourself.

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