Nearly half of all adults in the Unites States are at risk of cardiovascular disease including heart attack, stroke, or peripheral artery disease (PAD). Your life can change quickly when you are diagnosed with cardiovascular disease.
The choices you make in your everyday life have a big impact on your vascular health. And the more positive choices you make, the better you’ll feel. One study found that 50-year-olds who adopted 4 to 5 healthy lifestyle habits— such as eating healthy, exercising, and not smoking, could expect to live longer without cardiovascular disease than those who didn’t.
Perhaps high cholesterol runs in your family. Or maybe your blood pressure is a little too high. Fortunately you’ve got a powerful tool to help tip the scales: lifestyle change.
At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, Dr. Mathew Cheung and Dr. Peter Lin share certain health life style habits can lower your risk for vascular disease. In this article, you will learn eight simple healthy habit which can significantly improve your vascular health. By incorporating these habits, you can lower your risk for many cardiovascular disease including stroke, heart attack, and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
When it comes to a lifelong diet change, it’s much easier to “add” than to “take away.” Consider your current diet and lifestyle and think about ways you might add or swap out less healthy choices for healthier options. Maybe you lack skills in the kitchen, and rely on fast foods or takeout. Instead of eliminating that habit entirely, it can be an easier adjustment to simply add healthier foods to your order, such as including a side salad with your meal or choosing oatmeal with fruit rather than a breakfast sandwich at the drive-thru.
Plant-based foods are great sources of fiber, a crucial nutrient most American diets are lacking. A sure way to add fiber is to add more color to your meals through a variety of fruits and vegetables, choose more whole grains, and replace some traditional protein sources, such as meat, with beans or lentils.
If you’re really committed to your vascular health, you can also explore circulation-improving food options. Those include:
- Fresh produce like pomegranate, citrus, and leafy greens
- Spices like cayenne, turmeric, and cinnamon
- Fatty fish
- Garlic and onions
- Nuts
2. Exercise regularly
Physical activity strengthens your heart, which directly affects your vascular system. The US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. That could be a brisk walk, biking, hiking, swimming, or anything else you enjoy that gets you moving.
Alternatively, you could slice the time in half if you opt for vigorous physical activity. For example, if you choose running, you should aim for 75 minutes per week.
Here are a few ideas on how to engage in physical activity for vascular health at home:
- Try doing a couple sets of modified push-ups against a wall or countertop.
- Add a brisk 10 to 20-minute walk daily. Walking while talking on the phone can help make the time go by faster.
- Take breaks from sitting and use your chair to do a set of modified air squats.
3. Watch your weight and your waist
Obesity directly affects your vascular health. This condition links to issues ranging from high blood pressure to heart disease and stroke. If you want a way to keep your blood vessels from having to work overly hard to do their job, commit to losing excess weight. Some of the other tips we outline here can help on this front.
Your waist circumference also serves as a guideline. Men should aim to keep their waistline at 40 inches or less, while women should work to be at or below a 35-inch waist.
4. Quit smoking
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your vascular health. When you smoke, it irritates your blood vessels and can cause plaque to form there, inhibiting blood flow. Just one cigarette a day increases your chance of developing cardiovascular disease including stroke, heart attach, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Also, smoking can increase your risk of many chronic conditions including your lung.
5. Get a good night’s sleep
Do you get enough sleep? Studies show that people who get less than seven hours of quality sleep nightly experience health consequences that affect the entire body, including increased risk of:
• Obesity and diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure
• Depression and anxiety
Make it a priority to get 7-8 hours of sleep. If you are having difficulty getting enough quality sleep, talk to your health care provider. They can help with suggesting behavior modifications, identifying underlying causes of poor sleep, and prescribe additional therapies if needed.
6. Reduce your stress
Stress is not healthy. If you’re stressed out, chances are that your heart is, too. In addition to the negative health effects of stress on your body, high levels of stress tend to promote unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, drinking alcohol and overeating. We know it’s not always easy to calm down when you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Life is chaotic sometimes! But meditation can be one outlet for you to find a sense of calm and peace in your life.
7. Don’t sit for too long
Some jobs are more sedentary than others. If your job doesn’t keep you active on your feet throughout the day, you should make an intentional effort to get up and move to help maintain a healthy weight. If you don’t have time during the day to exercise, get up and walk around for at least 10 minutes three times during your workday—and always, always take the stairs.
8. Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol
High blood pressure causes constant strain on the heart. If your blood pressure is consistently higher than 130/80, talk to your doctor about the steps you can take to lower your numbers.
Your cholesterol levels can be managed with a healthy habits including diet and exercise. One way to help keep cholesterol in check is to reduce the amount of fried and processed foods you eat. Replace them with more plant-based foods, whole grains and foods low in saturated fat.
Schedule an Appointment Today!
At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, we strive to provide the best service, care, and results possible. If you have circulation problem related to your arteries or veins and would like to seek consultation with a vascular surgeon, give us a call at 626-275-9566 to schedule an appointment. You can also visit us at www.vcsla.com for more information.
