Be heart-smart at all times

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and is a major cause of disability. Your best weapons to fight cardiovascular disease are to know your risks, understand warning signs and have a healthy diet and lifestyle. Although many associate heart disease with men, it is also the leading cause of death among women.

Check out the following tips on how to be heart-smart this February:

Know your risks: Risk factors commonly associated with heart disease are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and secondhand smoke. Learn about your health risks at hearthub.org by taking risk assessments on diabetes, heart attack and high blood pressure.

Warning signs: Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, whereas most start slow, with mild pain or discomfort. Often, people are not sure what is wrong and wait too long before getting help. Heart attack warning signs can include chest discomfort, discomfort in the upper body, shortness of breath, a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

Bump up the nutrition: Reading food labels on packages and containers can help you choose healthier products and make comparisons between similar products.

Vary your veggies: Stock up on frozen veggies for quick cooking in the microwave. Watch out for extra sauces or seasonings, which can add fat, calories and sodium.

Focus on fruits: Put fruit where you will see it. Buy fruits in different forms (dried, frozen, canned [in water or juice] and fresh) to increase your options.

Choose more whole grains: Substitute a whole-grain product for a refined one, such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white, or brown rice instead of white.

Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy: Include fat-free or low-fat milk at meals. Top casseroles, soups, stews or vegetables with shredded low-fat cheese.

Go lean with protein: Examples of lean cuts of beef include round steaks and roasts, top loin, top sirloin and chuck shoulder and arm roasts. Examples for pork include pork loin, tenderloin and center loin. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.

Get active: Research shows exercise helps prevent heart disease and obesity and lowers blood pressure. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes on most days. You can even spread it out over the course of your day. Choose activities you enjoy and can do regularly.

Quit smoking: Did you know that cigarette smokers are two to three times more likely to die from coronary heart disease than non-smokers? Within a few years of quitting, your risk of stroke and coronary artery disease are similar to non-smokers.

When it comes to changing your habits, there are lots of different ways to make it happen. Experiment and try different methods and find out what works best for you. Go to food.unl.edu for more food, nutrition and health information.

If interested in learning ways to reduce risks for heart disease or how to monitor risk factors, call the Extension office and sign up for Be Heart Smart. You will also learn ways to make simple changes to your daily routine.

The course is at Putnam County Hospital for all Fridays in February from 10-11 a.m. This is a free course. Call 653-8411 to sign up. Look on our Facebook page, or come into the office to see the flyer!

Visit www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or contact the local Purdue Extension office by calling 653-8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee.

Upcoming events:

Jan. 23 – Extension/SWCD annual meeting, Putnam County Fairgrounds, purchase tickets at Extension office.

Jan. 23 – Bi-State Gardening conference, The Beef House, 5:30 p.m., $25, register at https://go.illinois.edu/GardenConf.

Jan. 25 – 4-H Grows Knowledge workshop, Cloverdale High School, call Extension office to RSVP.

Jan. 28 – Winter walking group, 9 a.m., DePauw indoor track.

Jan. 28 – Sheep and Goat webinar, Extension office, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 – 4-H volunteer and leader meeting, Extension office, 6 p.m.

Feb. 4 – Winter walking group, 9 a.m., DePauw indoor track.

Feb. 7 – Be Heart Smart, 10 a.m., Putnam County Hospital, call Extension office to register.

Feb. 10 – Roachdale Congregate meals begin, noon., Roachdale Community Center.

Feb. 11 – Winter walking group, 9 a.m., DePauw indoor track.

Feb. 14 – Be Heart Smart, 10 a.m., Putnam County Hospital, call Extension office to register.

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